Kid Galahad - With hard fists
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Kid Galahad - With hard fists |
| Original title | Kid Galahad |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1937 |
| length | 102 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 6 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Michael Curtiz |
| script |
Seton I. Miller Francis Wallace |
| production |
Samuel Bischoff Hal B. Wallis Jack L. Warner |
| music |
Heinz Roemheld Max Steiner |
| camera | Tony Gaudio |
| cut | George Amy |
| occupation | |
| |
Kid Galahad - With hard fists (Original title: Kid Galahad ) is an American film from 1937 with Edward G. Robinson , Bette Davis and Wayne Morris in the lead roles. Humphrey Bogart was cast in a supporting role. Directed by Michael Curtiz .
The film is based on the novel of the same name by Francis Wallace.
action
Boxing manager Nick Donati is furious when one of his boxers is knocked out . Donati is with Louise "Fluff" Phillips. Louise is not exactly enthusiastic about his obsession with boxing and tells Nick that he must have forgotten that there are feelings as well as the sport. For Louise's sake, Nick decides to have a party that evening, despite losing around $ 17,000 in the battle. At the party, the bellhop Ward Guisenberry, who is already cheerful by his name, works in the service area. The young man is extremely polite and not only astonishes Louise. When Nick sees the two of them amicably together, jealousy immediately rises in him. However, when boxing manager Turkey Morgan, reigning boxing champion Chuck McGraw and Buzz Steven appear, the room is instantly silent.
Ward, on the other hand, can hardly defend himself against the women present who are completely crazy about him. The men who notice want to embarrass the page and Turkey Morgan takes the initiative and cuts off his trouser legs. When he is then cheeky to Louise, who takes sides for Ward, Ward knocks Chuck McGraw, who also interferes, down with one blow, which causes general astonishment. In particular, Ward arouses Nick Donati's interest with this action, who immediately asks him if he wants to be a boxer. After a moment's hesitation, Ward agrees. He wins his first fight against Sam McGraw. When Turkey Morgan then wants to lure him - he followed Louise and Ward and does not want to get rid of himself - Ward knocks him down with a targeted blow. He'll only box for Mr. Donati, he lets him know. In order to escape the seedy Turkey Morgan and his people for the time being, Ward is placed with Nick Donati's mother and sister Marie, from whom he is received with great kindness. Marie wants to know from him what Louise, who is with her brother, would look like. “Very nice,” says Ward with conviction.
Louise disagrees with Nick's plans for Ward and says he's a decent young man and shouldn't use him for his plans. Nick, however, wants to hunt down Turkey Morgan and Chuck McGraw with Ward's help, and if it's the last thing he does, he adds. Meanwhile at the farm, Ward tells Marie that he thinks she is a spoiled brat and that he cannot understand why she would behave like this to her mother. Shortly after, Nick appears to take Ward back to New York . Mrs. Donati says goodbye to the young man with great warmth.
Louise came up with the name “Kid Galahad” for Ward's appearances as a boxer. From now on, one victory follows another. “Kid Galahad” is loved and adored by the masses, but especially by women. Marie Donati and her mother also watch kids fights on the radio. Marie fell in love with Ward, which her mother did not hide. Before Ward's next fight against Tim Duke O'Brian takes place, he is given a few days off, for which Ward, who is pretty exhausted, is grateful. The young man confides in Louise that he has fallen in love with Nick's sister Marie, not realizing that Louise loves him. Louise doesn't show her sadness about it. A short time later she informs Nick that she will leave him. She confesses to him that she fell in love with Ward. She never lied to him and she doesn't want to start now either. It would have been good years with him, but now they are over. She lets Nick know that she especially wants to avoid Ward in the future because he does not love her and will never love her. In the meantime, Ward has gone to see the Donatis to confess his love to Marie and to propose to her. After putting a ring on her, they both kiss happily.
Shortly before the fight, Nick tells Ward that he must win on points tonight, he does not want a knockout win. Ward, who trusts Nick unconditionally, agrees without further inquiry. Just before the fight, Turkey Morgan advises his boxer to make a derogatory reference to Fluff Phillips. And in fact, Turkey's plan works out, Ward then hits his opponent against Donati's instructions.
Fluff Phillips has taken a job in the nightclub "Rocky" and sings, supported by an orchestra in the background, the song The Moon Is in Tears Tonight . Ward listens to her lecture with Marie, who is visiting New York. Then Turkey shows up at the club and wants to know where the champ Chuck McGraw is. He's having fun with two girls in the back room and has drunk far too much. When he sees Ward, he wants to beat him up. Louise can't prevent the reporters present from taking photos and the story ending up in the newspaper. When Nick sees the photos and realizes that Marie and Ward are a couple, he goes angry and goes to his family. When he even slaps Marie in the face, Ward gives him a punch, which he falls down. Both men part without a word. Out of anger, Donati now signs the fight against the reigning world champion for Ward, although he actually wanted to wait until next year. He does not accept the objections of Silver Jackson, Ward's boxing trainer. From now on, bets on the fight are accepted.
Nick bet $ 25,000 on the opponent. To Turkey, who is astonished, he says he wants to get rid of Ward, the more blows he has to take, the more he will be happy. When the fight starts, Louise and Marie are also sitting at the ring. Marie tells Louise that Ward wants to quit after this fight. Louise wants to know if Nick has been informed, which Marie denies. Louise relieves tension and takes a sigh of relief. Silver Jackson wants to give Ward the right instructions, but Nick keeps trying to prevent this. Since Ward trusts Nick, he follows his instructions and has to take a lot of money. When Silver tries to undermine Nick's instructions, he banishes him entirely from the ring zone. As the fight worsens and it turns bad for Ward, Louise and Marie go to Nick and ask him not to sacrifice the boy for his hatred, he would trust him and see him as a father substitute. Nick finally comes to his senses and changes his tactics and gives Ward the correct instructions together with the retrieved Silver. Ultimately, the tactic works and the new world champion through knockout is called "Kid Galahad". Turkey, however, is planning something - a shot is fired. In the general hustle and bustle, Turkey manages to get to Ward in his cabin and also trick Nick into going there. Then several shots are fired. Turkey collapses dead, but Nick is hit too. Knowing that he must die, he gives his blessing to Marie and Ward. With tears in her eyes, Louise says: "I should never have left you". Nick dies with a smile and the sentence: “We have our champion”.
Production and Background
Filming of Kid Galahad began in late January 1937. James Gibbons was responsible for the special effects . The film premiered in the United States on May 26, 1937, and on May 29, 1937 it was generally shown in American cinemas. In the Federal Republic of Germany it did not go to the cinema, but was shown for the first time on September 28, 1968 on WDR 3 . A dubbed version was broadcast on April 8, 1988 under the title With Hard Fists . In Austria the film was shown under the title Sensation about Galahad .
Kid Galahad was first published in the Saturday Evening Post in April / May 1936 . The working title of the film was The Battling Bellhop . Wayne Morris made his debut in this film. The 1941 Warner Bros. film produced The Wagons Roll at Night ( From town to town ) with Humphrey Bogart and Sylvia Sidney in the lead roles, is a remake of Kid Galahad substance, the film was moved only by the boxer to the circus milieu . In 1962 United Artists produced a version with Elvis Presley and Lola Albright in the lead roles, which is also called Kid Galahad (German title: Kid Galahad - Harte Fäuste, HOT LOVE ).
Although some columnists were convinced that Bette Davis would reject the subordinate role of Fluff, she didn't and let the press know: “Kid Galahad doesn't give me much of a role in the artistic sense, but there is so much good in this film , robust combat material that it simply has to please a completely different cinema audience ... an audience with which I also absolutely have to stay in touch. ”The studio was also of the opinion that the growing number of female Bette Davis fans should be more likely to be with this one male-oriented film into the cinema. So it actually was. In Edward G. Robinson, Warner Bros. had the perfect actor for the role of boxing manager Nicki Donati. Since his triumph in Little Caesar ( Little Caesar ) (1931) Robinson was a star of the studio. Humphrey Bogart offered the ideal complement as a counterpart. Originally, the studio boss Jack Warner wanted to cast the role played by Bette Davis with Sarah Jane Fulks , but then decided to change. Edward G. Robinson was not exactly friendly about Bette Davis' acting work and even wanted her to be replaced in her role. The two stars never worked together again. In this film, too, there were again fears that the Hays Code could be offended by the fact that a sexual relationship between Louise (Bette Davis) and Nick (Edward G. Robinson), who are not married, was implied. Some corresponding film cuts were still set. Louise was also practically punished for their illegal relationship, as at the end of the film she wandered alone through the fog into the night after Robinson and Bogart killed each other in their roles. The boxing scenes did not lack a certain brutality either. The finished film was a hit with both audiences and critics. Robinson and Davis in particular received praise and Morris was also certified as talented in his first role.
The film was shown on American television under the title The Battling Bellhop to avoid any confusion with the 1962 remake made by United Artists called Kid Galahad .
Music in the film
- The Moon Is in Tears Tonight - Music: Maurice K. Jerome , Text: Jack Scholl, performed by Bette Davis (vocal by Virginia Verrill)
- Swing for Sale - Music: Saul Chaplin , first melody played at the party
DVD release
A DVD for the film was released on November 21, 2008 by Warner Home Video. It contains both the English and the German version.
criticism
"Exciting boxer drama with Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robinson as rival promoters."
The industry journal Variety was of the opinion that the film adaptation of Francis Wallace's story was demanding and complex, and that there was enough space for the story that was told alongside boxing. Bette Davis is confirmed that, as one is used to from her, she is in full control of her scenes, and her vocal performance in the nightclub is also highlighted. It is said of Robinson and Bogart that they would embody their roles quite believably and their rivalry plausibly.
Jerry Vermilye writes in his biography about Bette Davis for the film Kid Galahad that the actress gave her rather small role so much "warmth and humor" that she seemed to "hold" the whole story together. "Her conciliatory scenes with the spirited Robinson, her silent love for Morris ... that [gave] this role more depth than it actually deserved."
Awards
Bette Davis was awarded the Coppa Volpi for her performance in this film at the Venice Film Festival in 1937 in the category “Best Female Leading Role” . Next was Kid Galahad a nomination in the category "Best Director".
Web links
- Kid Galahad in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Kid Galahad at Turner Classic Movies (English)
- Kid Galahad at TCM - Turner Classic Movies (with trailer in English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Kid Galahad - Notes. at TCM - Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
- ↑ a b Jerry Vermilye: Bette Davis Her Films - Her Life. Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, Munich, 1988, Heyne Filmbibliothek No. 32/4, quotation from Bette Davis, p. 66.
- ↑ a b Kid Galahad - Articles. at TCM - Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved February 26, 2013. (English)
- ↑ Kid Galahad. ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. at Variety Staff. December 31, 1936. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
