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IMDbPro

Golden Boy

  • 19391939
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
2K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
21,072
13,734
William Holden and Barbara Stanwyck in Golden Boy (1939)
DramaRomanceSport
Despite his musical talent, Joe Bonaparte wants to be a boxer.Despite his musical talent, Joe Bonaparte wants to be a boxer.Despite his musical talent, Joe Bonaparte wants to be a boxer.
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
2K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
21,072
13,734
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Rouben Mamoulian
    • Writers
      • Lewis Meltzer(screenplay)
      • Daniel Taradash(screenplay)
      • Sarah Y. Mason(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Barbara Stanwyck
      • Adolphe Menjou
      • William Holden
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Rouben Mamoulian
    • Writers
      • Lewis Meltzer(screenplay)
      • Daniel Taradash(screenplay)
      • Sarah Y. Mason(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Barbara Stanwyck
      • Adolphe Menjou
      • William Holden
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 41User reviews
    • 17Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos19

    "Golden Boy" Barbara Stanwyck 1939 Columbia
    William Holden, Barbara Stanwyck, Lee J. Cobb, and Sam Levene in Golden Boy (1939)
    William Holden in Golden Boy (1939)
    Sam Levene in Golden Boy (1939)
    William Holden, Barbara Stanwyck, Lee J. Cobb, Beatrice Blinn, Sam Levene, and William H. Strauss in Golden Boy (1939)
    William Holden, Barbara Stanwyck, and Adolphe Menjou in Golden Boy (1939)
    William Holden, Barbara Stanwyck, Lee J. Cobb, Edward Brophy, Joseph Calleia, Sam Levene, and Adolphe Menjou in Golden Boy (1939)
    William Holden, Barbara Stanwyck, and Adolphe Menjou in Golden Boy (1939)
    William Holden and Barbara Stanwyck in Golden Boy (1939)
    William Holden, Barbara Stanwyck, and Adolphe Menjou in Golden Boy (1939)
    William Holden, Barbara Stanwyck, Lee J. Cobb, Beatrice Blinn, Edward Brophy, Joseph Calleia, Sam Levene, and Adolphe Menjou in Golden Boy (1939)
    Barbara Stanwyck in Golden Boy (1939)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Barbara Stanwyck
    Barbara Stanwyck
    • Lorna Moon
    Adolphe Menjou
    Adolphe Menjou
    • Tom Moody
    William Holden
    William Holden
    • Joe Bonaparte
    Lee J. Cobb
    Lee J. Cobb
    • Mr. Bonaparte
    Joseph Calleia
    Joseph Calleia
    • Eddie Fuseli
    Sam Levene
    Sam Levene
    • Siggie
    Edward Brophy
    Edward Brophy
    • Roxy Lewis
    • (as Edward S. Brophy)
    Beatrice Blinn
    Beatrice Blinn
    • Anna
    William H. Strauss
    • Mr. Carp
    Don Beddoe
    Don Beddoe
    • Borneo
    Charles Halton
    Charles Halton
    • Newspaperman
    • (scenes deleted)
    Stanley Andrews
    Stanley Andrews
    • Driscoll - Fight Official
    • (uncredited)
    Gordon Armitage
    • Fighter
    • (uncredited)
    Earl Askam
    • Policeman
    • (uncredited)
    Al Bain
    Al Bain
    • Fighter
    • (uncredited)
    Don Brodie
    Don Brodie
    • Reporter
    • (uncredited)
    Mushy Callahan
    Mushy Callahan
    • Fight fan
    • (uncredited)
    Dora Clement
    Dora Clement
    • Ill Ringsider Who Won't Leave
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Rouben Mamoulian
    • Writers
      • Lewis Meltzer(screenplay)
      • Daniel Taradash(screenplay)
      • Sarah Y. Mason(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      William Holden was so grateful to Barbara Stanwyck for her insistence on casting him in Golden Boy (1939), his first big role, that he reportedly sent her flowers every year on the anniversary of the first day of the filming.
    • 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.
    • Quotes

      Eddie Fuseli: This your girl?

      Lorna Moon: I'm my mother's girl.

    • Alternate versions
      A video version in Argentina was lifted from a 16mm print from Columbia Pictures, in English with Spanish language subtitles. The credits of this version are translated in Spanish.
    • Connections
      Edited into Head (1968)
    • Soundtracks
      We're in the Money Now
      Sung a cappella by Adolphe Menjou to the tune of the traditional

      nursery rhyme "The Farmer in the Dell"

    User reviews41

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Wonderful Movie
    This is a wonderful, compelling, emotionally charged movie, with characters that are both interesting and likable. Of course, the central character of the movie is Joe Bonaparte, played by a young, gifted actor named William Holden. Joe's conflict, between his quest for fame as a prize fighter and his father's wish to become a concert violinist, although seemingly corny and contrived, actually works in this movie. And this can be attributed to the fine acting of all the players - Barbara Stanwyck, Lee J. Cobb, Adolph Menjou, and William Holden - who prove that high quality acting can transform a good script into a great script. One particularly intense scene is when Joe tries to play the violin - and he can't, leaving him devastated in the knowledge that he had squandered a gift and in the process had disappointed his father. This is a movie that is worth the time to watch and to enjoy.
    helpful•19
    3
    • PWNYCNY
    • Jul 26, 2005

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 5, 1939 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Zlatan decko
    • Filming locations
      • Eighth Avenue and 50th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production company
      • Columbia Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

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    William Holden and Barbara Stanwyck in Golden Boy (1939)
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