secondtake Kid Galahad (1937)A strong boxing world drama with Bette Davis and Edward G. Robinson? This can hardly go wrong, and it doesn't. It's also directed by the dependable Michael Curtiz, and has a smaller but strong role for Humphrey Bogart. The result if a full blown and rather complex drama going far beyond fixing fights and a boxer's improbable rise to the top.Davis in particular blows me away, playing both the sophisticated and wise wife of the great promoter, but also a sweet kid torn by love, a "dizzy fool." Her performance alone makes the movie a gem. I only wish she was in it more. Robinson is his dependable self, the nuanced strong guy with doubts and a big heart. Bogart, for those following him, plays a role he almost got typecast in, the tough guy criminal, and he's really good, if not very well-rounded type. Curtiz, of course, gets a different kind of admiration here, making the movie great, avoiding some clichés that were begging to be reused in any boxing story. He even gets the boxer, played with the emotion of a tree stump by Wayne Morris, to hold up his innocent simplicity well enough to fit into the rest of it. The crossed affections of the main characters is more convincing than it needed to be. It's good stuff. Watch how Curtiz, as always, complex scenes with amazing fluidity (an odd but amazing example is the series of scenes after the last fight in the back rooms).The one thing I can't judge is how convincing the boxing is, but it looks good to me, and since there is a bit of time spent watching the fighting in the ring this matters. The idea of the "good" fighter unwilling to throw a fight he can win fairly is built up here to the key climax, and Bogart and Robinson clash in the end in classic style. For the adventurous, this was remade in 1962 as an Elvis Presley vehicle. (And a sidebar trivia —the best Elvis movie is the 1970 "King Creole" directed by, yes, Michael Curtiz.)But back in 1937 came this feisty, complex, richly envisioned drama around the boxing world of the Great Depression, and it's a terrific one.

vincentlynch-moonoi I admired Edward G. Robinson's acting when he was in films other than the standard gangster stories. Although this one does have some ties to gangsters (after all the boxing game wasn't any too clean back in the day), several aspects of this film put it a step above most boxing pictures.First, this film has heart. Not the gritty heart you might expect in a boxing film (although that is here, too), but the heart one feels seeing Robinson with his mother on the farm. From Florida to New York to White Plains, this film has a broader scope than most from the mid-1930s.Second, the fight scenes are relatively realistic. In the big fight toward the end of the film, watch for the rope burns on the hero's back.Third, while a cut above most films of the genre, this is still a morality play -- good versus evil.Fourth, the acting here is quite good. This is one of Edward G. Robinson's best pictures, from my perspective. He treads the fine line between good brother and son, and slightly dirty fight promoter very well. Despite some dirty dealings, you are able to maintain a liking of his character...until the close of the picture. Bette Davis is very good here, as well. She is treading a fine line as well -- in love with two men, and her depiction of the triangle is quite good. Humphrey Bogart is pretty dapper and quite handsome here, but make no mistake, for this story he's the real bad guy. Wayne Morris -- never high on my list of supporting actors -- plays the boxer who just wants to buy a farm just perfectly. And, he really looks as if he could be a boxer. Though it's not a large part, one of my very favorite character actors is here -- Harry Carey, as the cut man and trainer.As the film progresses, it's clear someone is going to die at the climax. Will it be Kid Galahad who dies in the ring? Will it be Edward G. Robinson who has walked the tightrope between honesty and evil? Will it be Humphrey Bogart who is the film's real bad guy.The choice of the closing scene is an interesting one.This is probably one for the DVD shelf.

Rindiana Don't be fooled by the starry cast! This average Warner Bros. boxing movie just recycles the usual clichés and mostly generates yawns instead of excitement.Of course, it's altogether not too bad and the big names get by on pure nostalgia, but the main plot line remains bland and forgettable despite some small touches of interest. The inconsistency of tone is another minus, while the Robinson-Davis liaison certainly has its share of snappy moments.But naturally, the pic's still miles ahead of the Elvis remake. Yuck! 5 out of 10 'fluffy' Bette Davises

Michael_Elliott Kid Galahad (1937) *** (out of 4) Edward G. Robinson plays fight promoter Nick Donati who thinks he has found a fighter (Wayne Morris) he can take to the Championship. The only trouble is Nick's hot tempered anger, which gets him in trouble with his girlfriend (Bette Davis) and a gangster (Humphrey Bogart) who he double crosses. Not to mention his anger when the fighter begins to date his sister (Jane Bryan). This drama from Warner plays a little too long but there's no denying the extreme fun it contains due to the three legends appearing together as well as the strong supporting cast. The story is pretty predictable if you've seen any of the 30's boxing pictures but then again the genre had pretty much wore itself out in terms of plot details by the end of the silent era. With that said, the story here of a hot tempered manager makes for some nice drama but the story isn't what's going to bring people to this movie. Seeing Robinson, Davis and Bogart together is where the fun is at and the reason why people will be drawn to this film. It's rather strange that the Elvis remake was more popular than this one for sometime but I'm going to guess that was due to this one not being available for so many decades. Robinson turns in a good performance but it's certainly not among his best. Bogart is a lot of fun in his supporting role as the tough gangster. Davis nearly steals the film and delivers a very good performance as the woman always having to keep Robinson's temperature down. The real surprise comes from Bryan and Morris who are perfect together and steal the show in the end. Film buffs might not find too many original ideas here but that doesn't really matter due to the wonderful cast being held together by the strong direction of Curtiz.