Main Cast: Edward G. Robinson, Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart, Wayne Morris, Jane Bryan
Release Year: 1937
Country: US
Run Time: 101 minutes
Plot
Fight manager Nick Donati (Edward G. Robinson) has just lost his best fighter to crooked promoter Turkey Morgan (Humphrey Bogart). During a party at Donati's apartment, a bellhop (Wayne Morris) kayos Morgan's boxer, who has insulted the honor of Donati's girlfriend, Louise "Fluff" Phillips (Bette Davis). Sensing a good thing when he sees it, Donati takes the bellhop under his wing, promoting the erstwhile pugilist as Kid Galahad. Morris is shipped to Donati's farm for training, where he falls in love with Donati's sheltered kid sister, Marie (Jane Bryan). Angered at this, Donati sets up Kid Galahad for a fall, ordering him to take a dive in an upcoming bout and betting his bankroll on Morgan's boy. Kid Galahad takes a terrific beating until, at the urging of Fluff and Marie, he abruptly changes his ring strategy. When Galahad wins, Morgan, feeling he's been double-crossed by Donati, shoots the latter. Morgan manages to fatally wound Morgan before expiring himself; as he breathes his last, he gives his belated blessing to Galahad and Marie's romance. To avoid confusion with Elvis Presley's 1962 remake of Kid Galahad, the earlier film was retitled The Battling Bellhop for TV. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Kid Galahad has undoubtedly lost a lot of its punch since 1937, when its basic story would have been less familiar to audiences than it is today. Modern audiences will likely snicker at many of the turns of the plot, which run perilously close to cliché, and at the character of Kid Galahad himself, who, especially in Wayne Morris' uninspired performance, comes across as a stereotypical goodhearted lunkhead. Fortunately, Galahad has director Michael Curtiz at the helm, and while this is far from his best work, he does manage to treat the proceedings with just enough flair to make the triter moments a bit more palatable. Even more importantly, Galahad has a trio of genuine luminaries to light up the screen. Bette Davis doesn't have the kind of role that is really up to her talents, but she still turns in a powerful performance, using those famous eyes of hers to speak volumes. Humphrey Bogart turns in one of his patented expert "tough guy" jobs, and Edward G. Robinson is superb at capturing both the human and inhuman sides of Donati. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Carl Jules Weyl - Art Director, Orry-Kelly - Costume Designer, Orry Kelly - Costume Designer, Michael Curtiz - Director, George J. Amy - Editor, Heinz Roemheld - Composer (Music Score), Max Steiner - Composer (Music Score), M.K. Jerome - Composer (Music Score), Leo F. Forbstein - Musical Direction/Supervision, M. K. Jerome - Songwriter, Jack Scholl - Songwriter, Tony Gaudio - Cinematographer, Sam Bischoff - Producer, Hal B. Wallis - Producer, Edwin DuPar - Special Effects, James Gibbon - Special Effects, Seton Miller - Screenwriter, Francis Wallace - Book Author
The film was remade in 1962 as an Elvis Presleymusical. The earlier version was re-titled The Battling Bellhop for television distribution in order to avoid confusion with the Presley remake.
Ward Guidenberry (Wayne Morris) is a sweet and naïve young man. He is working as a bellhop so that he can save enough money to buy a farm. However, during his first night at work, while trying to protect “Fluff” Phillips (Bette Davis), he inadvertently becomes involved in a fight. Soon, he is part of the dangerous world of boxing and is called Kid Galahad.
Nick Donati (Edward G. Robinson) is his tough talking manager. Although he initially views Galahad as a joke, he soon realizes that Galahad has potential. He attempts to use Galahad to retaliate against Turkey Morgan (Humphrey Bogart), a racketeer who sets up a fixed championship bout.
Complications soon emerge when both “Fluff,” Nick’s girlfriend, and Marie Donati (Jane Bryan), Nick’s sister, fall in love with Galahad. Infuriated, Nick turns against his boxer… leading to a tragic conclusion.
According to his New York Times obituary of December 3, 1975, the playwright and screenwriter Lawrence Riley, famous for his Broadway hit Personal Appearance (basis of Mae West's Go West, Young Man), contributed to Kid Galahad's screenplay, although uncredited.
