 During the filming of Ragtime, the 81-year old Cagney talks about his career. Cagney tells us about becoming a dancer and meeting his wife, his route from Broadway to Hollywood, the emergence of his tough-guy persona, and his post-war creations of insane characters. Donald O Connor, Pat O Brien, Milos Forman and others also try to distill what it is Cagney brings to the screen. Clips from several of his films illustrate their points. Norman Mailer says Cagney presented a tough guy who was decent. Another says he gave a tragic dimension to the street tough. For a third, he presented the dark side of the American dream. Cagney calls himself a lucky hoofer, a fresh mutt.