Kid Galahad (1937)

Wow! Such a good movie.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Fight promotor Nick Donati(Edward G. Robinson) asked for a bellhop to mix and serve drinks for his hotel party, after his fighter, Jim, lost to Chuck McGraw, a champion fighter for rival promotor Turkey Morgan( Humphrey Bogart). The bellhop: Ward Guisenberry(Wayne Morris) was inexperienced at mixing drinks, thus Nick's mistress Fluff(Bette Davis) helped him. Turkey and McGraw arrived at the party. Turkey was jealous of all the attention the girls gave to the tall and handsome Ward. He cut Ward's uniform off below the knees and said that made him look even cuter. Then, McGraw insulted Fluff. Ward floored McGraw with a punch. Both Nick and Turkey are impressed. Said he used to belong to a boxing club...... Nick offers Ward a small purse for an informal bout with McGraw. Reluctantly, be accepts, even after Fluff points out the probable disadvantages. He wants to win enough money to by a farm. Ward wins the fight. Of course, eventually there's a title fight between Kid Galahad(Ward's professional name) and McGraw, the Kid being about a decade younger. The fight is complicated by the fact that both Nick and Turkey have placed heavy bets on McGraw winning, Nick having told the Kid to hold off KOing McGraw. But after Fluff and the Kid's girlfriend( Maria, Nick's sister) complain about the beating the Kid is taking, Nick changes his instructions to the kid, McGraw is knocked out, and the kid retires from boxing..... Maria and Ward have established a romantic relationship, which Nick is angry about, but finally gives his blessing. There follows a final gangland-style confrontation between Nick and Turkey. I won't tell you the result. ....... Along with Morris(Ward), the 3 established stars pretty-much own this film. Eddie is at his charismatic best, as is Bette: still young enough to be considered beautiful. Bogie is less featured, being characterized as somewhat more sinister than Nick.

Meet the pugilist who packs the perfect punch.... Boxing and gangsters.... Gangsters and boxing.... You know, I really wonder how often that this particular scenario was used as a film's story-line back in the 1930's.... I'll bet you that it was probably more common than we realize.Anyway - I seem to be in a pretty good mood today - And because of that I'm actually going to give 1937's "Kid Galahad" a 6-star rating.... Yeah. I'm in such a good mood that even though I strongly dislike actress Bette Davis (I really do) - In this particular picture about boxing and gangsters, I actually didn't mind her presence so much (for a change).And, even though Kid Galahad's story about gangsters and boxing was clearly on the predictable and, yes, corny side - And the inevitable elements of revenge and double-cross soon became the sole focus of the action - This picture about boxing and gangsters and gangsters and boxing was OK, in my books.

Boxing promoter Nick Donati (Edward G. Robinson) dumps his fighter who loses in a fight rigged by gangster Turkey Morgan (Humphrey Bogart). Nick and girlfriend Louise 'Fluff' Phillips (Bette Davis) decide to throw a big party with what's left of their money. Turkey crashes the party with his gang. A jealous Turkey starts picking on naive hotel bellhop Ward Guisenberry (Wayne Morris). Turkey's boxer McGraw manhandles Fluff and Ward puts him down with one punch. Nick sets up a match between Ward and McGraw's brother. The inexperienced Ward is losing until he wins with one big punch. While training at the Donati farm, Nick's sister Marie and Ward secretly falls for each other despite Nick's disapproval. He starts fighting for Nick as Kid Galahad.This is a solid boxing movie with all the corruption and the media. Robinson and Bogart are big personalities worthy of being fight promoters. Wayne Morris is a bit of white toast although it fits his character. Everything is great except for the boxing. The boxing is very much of its times and lacks the kinetic energy of a modern movie. It's still fun to see guys wack each other over the head.

The reason I was disappointed is that I'd seen it maybe ten years ago. And loved it. I thought it was superb, gripping, heartbreaking. Maybe that's how it does come across the first time one sees it.This time it was pretty routine. Bette Davis, improbably nicknamed Fluff in the movie, is fine. Edward G. Robinson, an excellent actor, does a good job. Wayne Morris is immensely likable.Morris plays the title character -- a bellboy discovered by fight-promoter Robinson at a party in a hotel. He has a fresh, innocent quality. He's also believable as a fighter. What happens is sad, though the Jane Bryan part is a little sugary. Not to say I don't like her. She could be an excellent actress.Morris went on to play in some very uninspired movies at Warner Brothers soon after this. He sounds like a most admirable human being but he didn't have a lot of charisma on screen. But here, early in his career, he is playing an honorable innocent. And he does a superb job.