Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart play rival fight managers in this memorable indictment of corruption in the boxing ring with Wayne Morris in the title role, the first of his three turns as a pugilist (THE KID COMES BACK and THE KID FROM KOKOMO).
When a bellhop (Morris) knocks out highly touted heavyweight Chuck McGraw (William Haade) in defense of the honor of "Fluff" Phillips (Bette Davis), she dubs him Kid Galahad. Her boyfriend, Nick Donati (Robinson), decides to make the young man into a prizefighter. Jealous because both Fluff and
her sister appear interested in Kid, Nick arranges a bout with McGraw that he is so certain his fighter will lose that he assures the rival manager Turkey Morgan of the same. Of course, things don't work out as planned....
A solid story with good characterizations and sensational prizefight footage, KID GALAHAD was remade as THE WAGONS ROLL AT NIGHT, with the story switched to a circus, then made again as a fight film with Elvis Presley. To avoid confusion with the Presley movie, the title has been changed to THE
BATTLING BELLHOP for television. leave a comment
