The King of Rock'n Roll Elvis Presley climbed into the boxing ring for his tenth movie "Kid Galahad" with director Phil Karlson helming this 1962 remake of director Michael Curtiz's 1937 pugilist film of the same name with Wayne Morris cast as the eponymous boxer. Our hero has just gotten out of the Army when he finds himself dead broke in his hometown of Cream Valley, New York. Initially, Walter Gulick (Elvis Presley) has no idea that putting on the gloves will reap fame and glory for him. He knows something about cars and motors and he makes an impression on those around him for his automotive skills. "Kid Galahad" comes up short of knock'em dead Elvis' songs, but the story line is more than sufficient stout to maintain interest. Karlson surrounds Elvis with some heavy-weight thespian talent, chiefly Oscar winner Gig Young, future superstar Charles Bronson, Michael Dante, veteran bad guy Richard Devon, and Roy Roberts. When the film unfolds, a boxer promoter wants somebody to go for one round with his champion slugger, Joie Shakes (Michael Dante of "The Naked Kiss"), but he gets the surprise of his life when Gulick drops Joie to the canvas. Eventually, Elvis hits the big time and his fellow townspeople are betting everything on him. Gig Young is effectively cast as William Grogan who is suffering at the hands of a criminal syndicate about what he may have seen when a man was murdered. Assistant District Attorney Frank Gerson (Ed Asner in his cinematic debut) wants Grogan to testify against the mob, but Grogan is reluctant because he is up to his neck in debt to bookies. Meantime, the mob plan to pit Gulick against Ramon 'Sugarboy' Romero (Orlando De La Fuente), but they are concerned that Gulick may try to win the match. The villains break the hands of Lew Nyack (Charles Bronson of "The Mechanic") so that he cannot tend Elvis' wounds in the arena. Elvis falls in love with Dolly (Joan Blackman of "Career"), and they hit it off with few complications. Meantime, William Grogan is struggling with his new girl, Fletcher (Lola Albright of "The Impossible Years"), who gave up a night club singing career at a different club. Although it is contemporary epic with some music, "Kid Galahad" packs more punch than the usual lightweight contemporary Elvis outing.
Review of Kid Galahad
