Kid Galahad Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Presley packs the the screen's biggest wallop...with the gals...with the gloves...with the guitar!
When he completes his military service Walter Gulick returns to his birthplace, Cream Valley, New York. He was orphaned as an infant and grew up elsewhere but always wanted to return to where he was from. He hopes to be a mechanic but soon after his arrival finds himself working as a sparring partner at a boxing camp. Having lost all of his money in a crap game, Walter is happy to take any kind of work but a devastating right hook sends him down a different path. Willy Grogan thinks he has a winner in Walter who, after helping a lady out, is dubbed Kid Galahad. Willy is a likable man but gambles too much and may have been a witness to a mobster's conversation that would best be forgotten. As Walter gains more success, and falls in love with Willy's sister Rose, Willy Grogan finds himself coming under pressure from mobsters to make Walter takes a dive at his next big fight.
| Elvis Presley | Walter Gulick |
| Gig Young | Willy Grogan |
| Lola Albright | Dolly Fletcher |
| Joan Blackman | Rose Grogan |
| Charles Bronson | Lew Nyack |
| David Lewis | Otto Danzig |
| Robert Emhardt | Maynard |
| Liam Redmond | Father Higgins |
| Judson Pratt | Howie Zimmerman |
| Ned Glass | Max Lieberman |
| George Mitchell | Harry Sperling |
| Roy Roberts | Jerry Bathgate |
| Michael Dante | Joie Shakes |
| Richard Devon | Marvin |
| Jeff Morris | Ralphie |
| Phil Karlson |
5.70 out of 10 (662 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Elvis at His Best
posted on 31 Mar 2009Released in Europe two yeas ago, what took MGM so long to release this Elvis classic to North America? They say that Elvis always wanted to get a chance to do some serious acting and his performance in "Kid Galahad" is as close to that chance as I think he ever got. Besides being fairly well acted the musical score for "Kid Galahad" although only six songs is also one of Elvis's best when it comes to his theatrical career.
Staring along side Joan Blackman who he acted with in "Blue Hawaii" and a small role in "Follow That Dream," Elvis handles his make believe role as a want to be boxer fairly well. Although he is known as an entertainer he almost makes the fight scenes in the movie look believable. One thing you will notice in this film is that Elvis's hair is its nature color, not that dyed jet-black look that he wore in most of his other jump around, chaotic made for the screen films. So if you want an entertaining film with an acceptable music score then take "Kid Galahad" home as a keeper
Kid Galahad (1962) **
posted on 28 Feb 2009Pretty ordinary Elvis vehicle patterned after the 1937 film of the same name. Presley is a drifter just out of the army who takes on a job as a sparring partner working for a gambling louse (Gig Young) who's in hock over his head. Naturally, Elvis becomes a boxing sensation when he knocks out his partner and Young spots a chance to settle some outstanding debts by highlighting him as the new champ. Charles Bronson (did this man ever look young?) is on hand as the trainer who's loyal to Elvis. Of course, the King sings too - but there were no outstanding songs for me this time around.**/****
Only One Elvis Presley!
posted on 25 Dec 2008Couldn't wait to get this on DVD. Great quality, no trailer though (which was on the VHS version). I thought Gig Young and Bronson did great in supporting roles. I love the music, the best song being "Home is Where the Heart Is". Joan Blackman was a fox...
My other favorites post 1960 are Wild In the Country, Roustabout, Tickle Me.
Elvis vs Bronson
posted on 16 Nov 2008Years ago, I read that according to Elvis' pals the Memphis mafia, Presley and co-star Charles Bronson did not get along well on the set of this film. I won't mention the specifics out of respect for both legendary performers, but basically, it seemed to be a personality clash between the young, fun loving Elvis and the older, more serious and taciturn Bronson. Watching the film, you feel like there is an almost brotherly bond between Presley as the title charactor, and tough guy Bronson as his tough but sensitive trainer. The sources I read stated that this is made possible mainly by Bronson's stalwart professionalism. Of course, it's a two-way process, and Elvis' performance in this semi-serious drama shows he was a better actor then most folks gave him credit for
The battling grease monkey -- King Of The Whole Wide World...
posted on 25 Sep 2008I've never seen this movie until now. I've been an Elvis fan since I first found out about the dude a year before his 1977 death, I have hundreds of hours of concert and studio recordings and concert videos, I've even seen the robe that he wore in "Kid Galahad," and yet somehow I never managed to see this 1962 movie (shot in late '61). Was it worth the wait? Well, yes...of course. Is it a classic movie, apart from its inherent cult-classic value as an Elvis film? Well, no, but it's one of his better 1960s movie and I enjoyed it.The movie came hard on the heels of another atypical film from Elvis, "Follow That Dream," that was in turn preceded by the 1961 box-office giant, "Blue Hawaii." "Blue Hawaii" continued the family-film travelogue kind of movie (set by 1960's "GI Blues") that would set the style for most of Elvis' '60s movie output and that would eventually lead to a downward spiral in Elvis' professional life and job fulfillment that lasted almost 'til decade's end. Elvis as race-car driver. Elvis as boat racer. Elvis as whatever. As Elvis said, after his 1969 return to the stage, it was like they made the same movie a bunch of times and just changed the backdrops. Between "GI Blues" and "Blue Hawaii" came two 'serious' films ("Wild In The Country" and "Flaming Star," both shot in 1960) that couldn't hope to match the commercial success of those glossy musicals but that showed Elvis' potential as a dramatic actor. Both "Kid Galahad" and "Follow That Dream" were also somewhat a departure from the "GI Blues"/"Blue Hawaii" formula, though less so than the two 1960 films that Elvis did for Fox, and each were pretty sparse on songs and much more generous on storyline and characterizations."Kid Galahad" was an interesting role for Elvis. The producers threw in a few interesting songs to cater to the fans who'd flock to the film and they're all pleasant and of a high standard -- my favorite's always been the song that opens the movie ("King Of The Whole Wide World") though the excessive overdubbing over the film version waters down much of its magnificence. As was true of Elvis' other better films, this one profits from having a very strong supporting cast, including the likes of Gig Young, Charles Bronson, Lola Albright, and many others. There's even Ed Asner, in his second film role -- Mr Asner played another law-enforcement representative, a policeman, in 1969's "Change Of Habit" (Elvis' last scripted movie). Joan Blackman, Elvis' co-star in "Blue Hawaii," has a less solid role than does Lola Albright but she does it just fine and is certainly a beautiful young woman. Lola Albright is great in her role and Gig Young is lazily perfect for his -- though he seems almost as if he's happily drunk throughout...which, apparently, he was. Chucky Bronson is good in this film even though he's supposedly embarrassed by it. You'd think that a man who inflicted all of those terrible '80s violence movies on the world would find it hard to be embarrassed by anything, but there apparently was friction on the set between him and the easy-going Elvis. Regardless, the on-screen interaction between them is fine. Elvis actually looks like he put on some weight about this time -- also evident in "Follow That Dream" -- but his shirtless scenes reveal that he's pretty solid and he'd lost whatever extra weight he was carrying by the time he started shooting his next film a few months later.This film was shot on location in Idyllwild, California, which is kind of a kick for me because when I lived in Palm Springs I'd often ride my motorcycle up there and I've since been there with my wife and with my parents. It's a great little town, tucked away in the shadow of Mount San Jacinto, and -- even though I first visited it in 1987 -- I vaguely recognize some of the landmarks. San Jacinto itself certainly looks the same now as in 1961.The boxing scenes looked pretty convincing to me and are actually quite riveting. People who are expecting to see "Rocky" might be disappointed but, like Mr Balboa, Elvis' Galahad shows convincingly that he can take a brutal series of blows and keep on keeping on. This film came about 18 months after Elvis earned his black belt (from a real hard-case...the grading lasted several hours and involved fighting up to five black-belt opponents) and Elvis had what it took to both take punishment and to learn the physical skills necessary for his role. His well-publicized scuffles back in 1956 showed that he had a lot of heart and an effective self-defense capability, and legendary boxer and coach Mushy Callahan (brought in to train Elvis) was filled with praise for his charge. Charles Bronson didn't agree, but I guess you can't please everybody.As a whole, the movie's shot every nicely and it's well acted throughout, including by Elvis. I think that he was somewhat better in "Follow That Dream," but that's perhaps only because his character took full advantage of Elvis' considerable comic skills. In "Kid Galahad" another of Elvis' acting strengths -- anger, at which he's particularly convincing -- comes to the fore during a confrontation with Gig Young. For a moment there's a bit of a flashback -- was for me, anyway -- to the way in which he perfected that kind of scene in films like 1957's "Jailhouse Rock," 1958's "King Creole," and "Flaming Star." This a lighter movie than any of those but it has its moments.I'm glad that I finally saw this film. It's less frenetic and more involved than Elvis' typical '60s movie fare and is worth a look. The "I'm a grease monkey that don't slide too easily" line is pretty classic, too.
Kid Galahad and kid sister.
posted on 19 Sep 2008Presley's first movies were arguably the best he made.Some of them were eminently watchable:"love me tender" "jailhouse rock" "king creole" "flaming star" -probably his very best- and at a pinch "Wild in the country".In almost all these movies ,there's a mother's loss (or absence).This permanent feature comes back in "Kid Galahad":the hero lost his parents when he was an infant.Besides ,as it is a remake ,we have at least a script ,which will cruelly lack in films to come."Kid Galahad" is never exciting though.The songs always come at the most awkward moment ,and as only Elvis sings -his female partners contenting themselves with looking languorously at the star-,one can hardly call that (and all Presley's subsequent flicks)musicals.And the songs are not particularly memorable;only the peppy "I got lucky" and the romantic " Home is where the heart is" stand out.Whereas songs make sense in "jailhouse rock" or " king creole" ,where Elvis portrays singers ,they do not fit in a boxer's tale .Watchable because of the lovely pictures and the good -but wasted-supporting cast including Gig Young,Charles Bronson,Lola Allbright.Love interest consists of an affair between Elvis and Young's kid sister .Willy (what a naughty boy!) does not want Rose to marry Walter!
Elvis scraps; creates good scenes w/ help of good cast
posted on 23 Mar 2008Medium-baked Elvis film finds E as an aspiring champion boxer up against a tough trainer with undesirable mafia connections. Some, pleasant, inoffensive and relatively boring songs. Photography and direction are merely standard. Albright is good as the trainer's girlfriend and Bronson also appears as an assistant trainer. Some solid laughs, not exceptional Elvis.
Enjoyable, and a little more than just fluff
posted on 05 Jan 2008At the start, Walter is fresh from the army and hitchhiking on the back of a moving van (not something anyone should attempt in real life, but it looks good here). And he's singing! Walter arrives in the small scenic New York community of Cream Valley, where he was born. After his parents died he was raised by an aunt in Kentucky (which explains the accent). In the army he worked in the motor pool, and he loves restoring cars, so he hopes to get a job as a mechanic.Unfortunately, the only job available is sparring partner for one of several boxers training in the community. At least Walter boxed in the army. He isn't that good, until ...Willy runs Grogan's Gaelic Gardens, which is trying to compete with Lieberman's Shangri-La as a tourist attraction. But Willy has a gambling problem, and Otto and his goons constantly remind him he needs to pay up. Dolly, who used to sing at Lieberman's, is Willy's impatient fiancée, and she helps take care of the place. And Rose is Willy's younger sister and business partner. The minute Walter sees Rose, we all know what's going to happen with them. Of course, Willy turns out to be quite overprotective.Walter's boxing talent just may turn out to be the solution for Willy's problems. The usual formula for movies like this applies, though, and it won't be that easy.I haven't seen but a few Elvis Presley movies. But I didn't know what I was missing. Even Elvis admitted (as portrayed on TV by Jonathan Rhys Meyers) that his movies were fluff, but this one was just a little more.Elvis gives us his usual impeccably polite all-American boy, and shows his singing talent in a few scenes (though this is not what I would call a musical). He is also good at looking tough in the boxing ring, and he really seems to be able to take a punch or two or three. But in the scenes where he loses his temper (because women shouldn't be treated that way), it becomes clear Elvis was hired for his popularity, not his acting ability.What makes this film more than ordinary is the talent surrounding the King. Lola Albright as Dolly, Robert Emhardt as Maynard, and David Lewis as Otto in particular. I wasn't that impressed with Gig Young as Willy, but he was easy to like.And I have to single out Charles Bronson as boxing trainer Lew. When he was in pain in one scene, it was truly disturbing. And that's what put this movie over the top and made it more than just the usual.Ed Asner (from the Manhattan district attorney's office) had a bald spot even way back then! I've liked him for years. I didn't see much from him here to be impressed with, though.I did like the music, and the classic cars, which of course were brand new or only a few years old. Walter himself liked the vintage car he restored better than I did.I would call this good, clean family fun, but of course Elvis does get beat up a lot and he does bleed. And there is some violence even outside the boxing ring. But in the early 60s, violence wasn't as big a concern as it is today.If you like Elvis, this is certainly one to watch.
Kid Galahad Packs A Punch
posted on 03 Dec 2007As a big fan of Elvis Presley, Gig Young, and Charles Bronson, as well as the sport of boxing, I enjoyed this movie for those reasons alone. Elvis gives a decent performance, but is stereotyped by the script as a goofy, goo-natured, lug-head, who has a natural gift of a cast-iron chin and one-punch knockout power. Half the movie Elvis looks in a daze with his mouth open catching flies!Charles Bronson has a surprise role as a trainer. Not once does his show off his impressive muscular build and even gets both his hands broken by gangsters. A truly different role for him. He too is stereotyped as the ex-boxer walking on his heels.Gig Young gives his usual out-standing performance, but there is nothing to like at all about his character; he's a liar, a user, aback-stabber, and an over-all jerk. The fight scenes are poorly done and considering they were advised by former World Light-welterweight boxing great Mushy Callahan, a big disappointment.However, if you like Elvis, this will be an enjoyable film.
Hard-Hitting Presley Vehicle
posted on 07 Nov 2007This 1962 remake of "Kid Galahad" is a solid acting vehicle for Elvis Presley. There are relatively few songs as director Phil Karlson focuses on the boxing milieu. A stronger-than-average cast includes Gig Young, Lola Albright and Charles Bronson. Unfortunately, the film's moderate box-office success prevented Elvis from venturing into more dramatic territory - which is a pity, since he could deliver the goods when given half a chance.
Solid Rock and Roll
posted on 31 May 2007At least music wise it is, King Of The Whole Wide World, I Got Lucky This is Living! man HOT HOT HOT HOT!!!!!! and Joan Blackman ain't bad looking either! vavava voom! caurse had Flaming Star been done differently I don't believe a lot of these movies would have been made, and its really too bad too. because as any and all Elvis fans have seen Elvis had the potential to be an awesome actor, and in this he is really good, and he has a few hard hitter stars to play up against, Gig Young, Lola Albright, and especially Charles Bronson. of whom they say acts Elvis off the screen when there together! But then Elvis raises that upper lip and takes back the movie, this is one of my favorite movies, it just shows Elvis just getting down! slapstck2000
One of my favorites!
posted on 06 Feb 2007OK. So it's not "Gone with the Wind," but "Kid Galahad" is well written, fun, and lightly sprinkled with some very good songs (catch the twisting "I Got Lucky" and the front porch "This is Living" scenes.) "Kid Galahad" also boasts a strong supporting cast (look for a young Ed Asner in one his first screen roles;) Academy-Award winner Gig Young, Charles Bronson, and Lola Albright, in a surprisingly emotive role, add "punch" to what, on the surface, appears to be just another Presley vehicle. "Kid Galahad" also had the blessing of being completed before they counted the receipts of "Blue Hawaii." When the studio saw how much money they made off of "Blue Hawaii," the dye was cast; Elvis would be stuck doing "14 song travelogues" for another 7 years. "Kid Galahad" catches Elvis in good humor, shape, and voice; he was having fun...You will too.
Kid Galahad- A Pleasant Surprise
posted on 18 Dec 2006I have not seen the original "Kid Galahad", but this one was very good, compared to anything, not just Elvis' other movies. I wouldn't agree with the "Oh well, at least it's not as bad as his others" angle that many seem to take. I think anyone would enjoy it. It has a good cast surrounding Elvis, most notably Gig Young and Charles Bronson. This movie also further proves that Elvis was a good actor, given the chance. The whole movie just seems to click, somehow. And about the songs, give them a break! It's an Elvis movie. The man can sing! Let him! Be thankful it wasn't a musical. It had a few songs, yes, but that fact is not nearly as annoying as others try to paint it. It had a great depiction of the corruption of the boxing industry, and some good fighting scenes. Elvis looked like he enjoyed his part and was interested, contrary to many other opinions, and by no means was he "chubby". He was very well-built, and worked with a real-life boxing trainer, who said that Elvis could've been a professional fighter. So anyone who says he wasn't convincing as a boxer should take a second look. Watch this movie, not compared to anything, but just as the movie itself, and there's a big chance you'll enjoy it.
Elvis In The Ring
posted on 24 Sep 2006The old Warner Brothers classic boxing story Kid Galahad was dusted off and rewritten to suit the Sixties and the talents of Elvis Presley. The man that's named Kid Galahad for the ring not only throws a mean punch, but he sings pretty good too.Elvis is a soldier fresh out of the army and broke and arrives at Gig Young's training camp looking for any kind of work. The only work that Young has available is for a sparring partner and Elvis does more than spar. He flattens a heavyweight contender and Young's found himself a new prospect.He needs one because he's into the bookies big time. And a couple of syndicate torpedoes working for gangster David Lewis have taken up residence at the camp. All this is dismaying girlfriend Lola Albright and sister Joan Blackman who Elvis takes a fancy to.As is usual with Elvis films, manager Colonel Tom Parker got the best talent he could to support the King. Besides those names Robert Emhardt plays the camp cook and up and coming movie legend Charles Bronson plays Elvis's trainer. And you'll see a lot of familiar Hollywood faces as you do in all his films.Not only the cast, but director Phil Karlson one of the best directors of noir ever, took charge. The scenes with the gangsters show Karlson's steady hand.Oddly enough Elvis had no real hit songs come out of Kid Galahad, but makes up for it with one of his best acting jobs on screen. For fans of the King.
Quite good
posted on 11 Jun 2006'Kid Galahad' would make it into the top 10 best Elvis movies (out of 33). While it can be painfully dull because of terrible songs (that he couldn't refuse to do) it has its moments. Elvis having a fight with Willy gives us a chance to see two wonderful moments of acting. Presley steals the scene and if he had only been given more scenes like this and not been given any songs, that movie career would be more respected to this day. An average Charles Bronson co-stars which adds to a small list of very famous actors Presley worked with.
Elvis sings to Charles Bronson
posted on 25 May 2006Elvis sings to Charles Bronson and doesn't get punched out in this boxing drama based on a golden oldie from the Warner Bros. vaults. The original "Kid Galahad" had Edward G. Robinson, Humphrey Bogart, and Bette Davis, none of whom sang to each other (or sang at all), but it did have a better script and a better director in the person of Michael Curtiz, who directed Presley's "King Creole" (as well as "Casablanca"). B movie maverick Phil Karlson takes the reins here with indifferent results. Gig Young inherits the Eddie G. role while a bland looking Elvis stands in for the blander Wayne Morris in the title role. Elvis sings six songs, three of them pretty good ("King of the Whole Wide World," "Home is Where the Heart Is," and "I Got Lucky"), but otherwise looks chubby and bored. The entire film has a rather unpleasant look, as if the powers that be (the Mirisch brothers or Colonel Tom Parker?) were deliberately attempting to move away from the lush travelogue qualities of the previous year's "Blue Hawaii" which, incidentally, also found the King wooing his co-star here, Joan Blackman. All in all, better than most of the Presley movies that were still to come, but far from a knockout.
One of Elvis's Best!
posted on 19 Apr 2006I was thrilled to see my favorite Elvis film coming out on DVD. This is truly one of the best of Elvis! Not only is the story great, but the songs are all terrific. Elvis shines in his portrayal of Walter Gulick, a now former soldier who becomes a boxer. The rest of the cast is also terrific, mainly Gig Young and a supporting role by Charles Bronson. Once again, Joan Blackman (from Blue Hawaii) plays Elvis's love interest- If you have only seen Elvis in some of the silly films from the 60's than you need to see Kid Galahad, you will see the true actor in Elvis...if only he had been given the chance to do more dramatic roles he might have been more appreciated for his acting and not just his singing.
The King in the ring
posted on 10 Jun 2009Made at a time before Presley's film budgets became smaller and the ideas ran dry, this reasonably pleasant movie makes for an hour and a half of light entertainment. He plays a penniless ex G.I. who returns to the place of his birth (a woodsy region called Cream Valley!) in search of a job. He approaches Young, who runs an inn with girlfriend Albright, and inadvertently becomes a stand-in boxer for a group of pugilists that trains on-site. Soon, it's discovered that Presley, while he can't defend himself very well, packs a nasty right hook that's an instant knockout for whoever is on the receiving end! Young uses Presley to help win back some much needed cash since he is under the thumb of gangster Lewis and a couple of his henchmen. When Young's kid sister Blackman arrives, Presley falls for her, further complicating things. Bronson (who is perhaps one of the last people one would expect to find in a Presley musical) plays a lame, weathered boxing trainer. The film is a remake of a rougher 1937 version and the insertion of several songs really do nothing to enhance the tale. If anything, they sap the dramatic tension out of the story and come off as mostly corny. Presley is a tad fleshy here and hadn't yet turned his hair jet black. He gives an okay performance with a few good scenes and sings pleasantly, if a bit ordinarily. One unlikely number has him joining ten other singing boxers on the porch who effortlessly fall into harmony and seem unnecessarily happy living in a place that has only one or two women around. Young gives an amiable performance, but was already showing touches of his alcohol abuse, both in his appearance and speech. Albright is solid as his ignored "fiancee", though she does occasionally take some rather odd pauses in her dialogue. Blackman (who, at 25 years younger than Young, was certainly his KID sister!) is attractive, but has little to do but admire Presley's face and voice. More interesting work is turned in by Bronson. It's interesting to see him interacting with Presley and demonstrating extreme loyalty to him. Fans of "General Hospital" will be happy to spot Lewis in a small role that preceded his lengthy run as Edward Quartermaine. Other familiar TV faces such as Remsen, Glass and Asner are sprinkled into the cast. Dante, as the resident boxing champ prior to Presley, gives an unusual spin on the type by constantly touching Presley and making goo-goo eyes at him at every opportunity. The film benefits the most from a large amount of location filming amidst autumnal wooded foliage and mountain scenery. Rear projection is kept to a minimum here, which would not be the case in Presley movies for long. The songs are inoffensive, but also unmemorable. The worst is probably the one designed with him singing along to an antique car radio while Young and Bronson sit in the back-seat looking either embarrassed or embarrassing. Those who are used to benign plots and vanilla story-telling in The King's films will be surprised at the amount of violence towards the end, though regular action fans will likely not find it to be tough enough. Unfortunately, this remake lacks the downbeat effect of the original and opts for a happy ending. Still, it's worth seeing for it's varied cast and the youthful magnetism of its star.