Golden Gloves (1940)

Directors:

Edward Dmytryk
Felix E. Feist

Writers:

Joe Ansen (writer)
Lewis R. Foster (writer)

Release Date:

2 August 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Sport

Cast

Richard Denning	...	Bill Crane
Jeanne Cagney	...	Mary Parker
J. Carrol Naish	...	Joe Taggerty
Robert Paige	...	Wally Matson
William Frawley	...	Emory Balzar
Edward Brophy	...	Potsy Brill
Robert Ryan	...	Pete Wells
George Ernest	...	Joey Parker
David Durand	...	Gumdrop Wilbur
James Seay	...	Jimmy
Sidney Miller	...	Sammy Sachs
Alec Craig	...	Editor MacDonald

Runtime:

66 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Sweden:15

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Film debut of Robert Ryan.

Early Proto noir

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Golden Gloves is a early example of the boxing noir that would become films such as CHAMPION, THE SET-UP and THE HARDER THEY FALL. Richard Denning is an up and coming amateur boxer who makes a couple of bucks on the side boxing for small time racketeer, J. Carrol Naish. Naish runs a string of boxing clubs that holds mis-matched fights to packed crowds. "The people want knock-outs and that's what i give them." Robert Paige is a newspaperman out to expose the racket which of course annoys Naish no end. Paige arranges a amateur boxing tournament with straight up matches and proper refs, doctors etc. When the kid brother of Denning's fiancée is killed in one of Naish's mis-matches, Denning decides to join Paige and clean up the sport. Naish decides to wreck the event by planting a ringer, Robert Ryan in his first credited role. Ryan's job is to win the amateur event and then tell the papers he is really a pro. This of course would destroy Paige's attempt at cleaning up the sport. Naish murders a boxer who threatens to spill the beans to the press. Lots of double dealing and knives to the back going on in this one. Edward Brophy who plays a crooked manager is a hoot to watch. Needless to say the last fight becomes a bout between Denning and the ringer Ryan. Denning manages to pull off a win to save the day while Naish and his gang are grabbed by John Law for the murder. While I'm not saying this is an actual noir there are flashes throughout the film. The cast includes the likes of Edward Brophy, Richard Denning, Robert Ryan and Jeanne Cagney. The film was directed by Edward Dmytryk with help from an unbilled Felix Feist. The D of P was Henry Sharp who lensed MINISTRY OF FEAR, THE GLASS ALIBI, HIGH TIDE and GUILTY. The film was written by noir regulars Maxwell Shane, FEAR IN THE NIGHT, THE NAKED STREET and THE GLASS WALL and Lewis R. Foster who did CRASHOUT and MANHANDLED. A very interesting little film.