Kid Galahad
Directed by Michael Curtiz
Written by Seton I. Miller from a story by Francis Wallace
1937/USA
Warner Bros.
First viewing
[box] Nick ‘Nicky’ Donati: Say, did you ever see a bellhop didn’t want to be a fighter?[/box]
I thought this was a pretty good boxing movie with strong performances by Edward G. Robertson and Humphrey Bogart.
Nick Donati (Robinson) is a rough-edged fighting promoter who expects 100% obedience from his fighters. “Fluff” (Bette Davis) is his assistant. There are hints that Fluff might want something more from the relationship but Nick is oblivious. Nick’s fighter throws a fight to the thuggish Turkey Morgan’s (Bogart) fighter, Chuck McGraw. At an after-fight party, bell boy Ward Guisenberry (Wayne Morris) knocks out Chuck defending Flip’s honor. Nick decides Ward has potential. After Ward knocks out Turkey, Fluff decides to hide him at the farm of Nick’s mother. There Ward meets and falls in love with Nick’s convent-educated sister. This does not set well with Nick, to say the least.
This is fairly routine stuff but Robinson takes it to another level when he is on. Bogart is also dynamic in a one-note tough guy role. Bette Davis is still playing the ingenue and it doesn’t suit her well. Possibly my favorite moment of the film came when Robinson spoke Italian with great fluency and at some length in a scene with his screen mother.
Bette Davis was nominated for Best Actress for this film and Marked Woman at the Venice Film Festival and Michael Curtiz was nominated for the Mussolini Cup for Best Director.
Clip – Bette Davis, night club singer (!)
