Golden Boy (1939)

Despite his musical talent, Joe Bonaparte wants to be a boxer.

Director:

Rouben Mamoulian

Writers:

Lewis Meltzer (screenplay), Daniel Taradash (screenplay),

Stars:

Barbara Stanwyck, Adolphe Menjou, William Holden

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Barbara Stanwyck	...	Lorna Moon
Adolphe Menjou	...	Tom Moody
William Holden	...	Joe Bonaparte
Lee J. Cobb	...	Mr. Bonaparte
Joseph Calleia	...	Eddie Fuseli
Sam Levene	...	Siggie
Edward Brophy	...	Roxy Lewis (as Edward S. Brophy)
Beatrice Blinn	...	Anna
William H. Strauss	...	Mr. Carp
Don Beddoe	...	Borneo
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles Halton	...	Newspaperman (scenes deleted)

Storyline

Joe Bonaparte's father wants him to pursue his musical talent; but Joe wants to be a boxer. Persuading near-bankrupt manager Tom Moody to give him a chance, Joe quickly rises in his new profession. When he has second thoughts Moody's girl Lorna uses feminine wiles to keep him boxing. But when tough gangster Eddie Fuseli wants to "buy a piece" of Joe, Lorna herself begins to have second thoughts...for that and other reasons. Is it too late?

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Plot Keywords:

boxer | boxing | gangster | accidental death | grocer | 

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Taglines:

BETRAYED...by misled ambition...reclaimed by a musician's heart!

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 September 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

L'esclave aux mains d'or

Filming Locations:

Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden - 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

William Holden was considered not to be up to the role in the film, however Barbara Stanwyck urged producers to keep him in the picture, and succeeded. In 1978, at the The 50th Annual Academy Awards, before starting the presentation of the sound award, Holden publicly thanked Stanwyck for what she did.

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Goofs

Joe's chest is completely smooth during the big fight. Immediately after the fight, when he is dressed, he has chest hair visible at the top of his shirt.

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Quotes

Mr. Carp: A man hits his wife, and it's the first step to fascism.

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Connections

Spoofed in Movie Movie (1978)

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Soundtracks

"Funiculi, Funicula"
Traditional Italian song
Music by Luigi Denza
Lyrics by Peppino Turco
Played on piano by Beatrice Blinn
Sung by Lee J. Cobb, William H. Strauss, William Holden and others

User Reviews

Involving Story With Good Characters

I found this to be a pretty solid movie with some interesting characters. It was a shock at first to see William Holden this young. I had known him at that time as an older guy. In this film, he looked about 19 and didn't even have the deep voice I was accustomed to hearing. I didn't Lee J. Cobb, either, who played Holden's father, a Jewish man with a beard. Barbara Stanwyck, meanwhile, played her typical role: tough gal with a soft heart underneath.

Story-wise, there were a couple of holes in it near the end which lowered my rating a tiny bit. No stranger, in a big fight, would be allowed to walk into a fighter's dressing room right before the bout. In fairness, I've seen that in other classic films, too, even to the point of the boxer being in his room totally alone and anyone walking in. I don't think so!!!!

Anyway, outside of those little things, it was a well-done and involving story that got me hooked in from the start. I've watched this twice and enjoyed it both times. Now I am just waiting for a DVD of this.