Raoul Walsh's engaging classic which richly deserves to be place among the pantheon of the greatest boxing films, it loosely based on the true-life story of James J. Corbett known as "Gentlemen Jim" the colorful Irish-American boxer who became the first heavyweight champion of the world under the new Marquis of Queensberry rules. It takes place in San Francisco circa 1887 where Corbett, played by sensationally by a game Errol Flynn, is an ambitious bank clerk who goes on an errand to take a large sum of sliver coins to the Olympic Club for a beautiful young lady named Victoria Ware, played wonderfully by Alexis Smith, who is the daughter of a rich sliver miner, he ends up as a member of the club and being sponsored by her. While at the club he will be set-up to be brutally beaten by the ex-boxing champion of England by some of the other wealthy club members who do not like Corbett's cocky and self-centered ways, but to their big surprise he wins the boxing match by knocking out the ex-champion. This will set the wheels in motion and he will soon become a highly skilled and formidable boxer and the top contender to challenge the legendary heavyweight champion of the world, the Great John L. Sullivan, brilliantly played by Ward Bond in unforgettable larger-than-life performance which is one of the finest turns of his distinguished career. The film is also a fascinating look at the early days of boxing as a outlaw sport with some exciting and realistic fight sequences that are superbly choreographed. Flynn was actually an accomplished boxer and you can see it in the film where he does most of all of his stunts. This role was said to be Flynn's favorite, and he trained rigorously to master Corbett's gliding footwork, his deft jabbing and lighting left-hooking that were all his trademarks. Astute direction by Walsh, with magnificent supporting performances by Jack Carson, Alan Hale, William Frawley, Minor Watson, and John Loder. Impressive production values and the period recreation is flawless convincingly recreating San Francisco in the late nineteenth century. A Knockout entertainment. Highly Recommended.
Review of Gentleman Jim
