Review of Kid Galahad

Introduction

The King was at the height of his popularity when he starred in this 1962 musical remake of the same-name 1937 Edward G. Robinson melodrama. The film was directed by Phil Karlson (best remembered for his westerns, two of the Matt Helm pictures and Ben, the sequel to Willard which included the infamous title song of the same name). Of all Elvis Presley`s pictures, this has to be one of the least likeable having as its background the world of prizefighting and the lowlifes populating it.

Presley offers his stock-in-trade "good ol` boy" characterisation arriving in his birth town demobbed from Army service and looking for a job. Circumstances lead him to the prizefighter training camp of Willy Grogan (Gig Young) where he impresses with his pugilist skills. Unfortunately, Grogan is up to his neck in trouble with an array of crooks only too happy to benefit from fixing bouts.

Charles Bronson, Lola Albright and Joan Blackman offer solid support.

The oddest part of the movie is the performance of veteran actor Gig Young as promoter Willy Grogan. Young, familiar to most from his work in westerns during the 1940s and 1950s, turns in a strangely dissolute performance. He has the air of being pleasantly drunk in a good number of his scenes, although his dialogue is delivered word-perfect and without a slur. Sadly, Young`s career petered out in the 1970s due to his alcoholism. His many friends in the industry kept him in work, but his illness cost him at least two roles - that of the eponymous Charlie in the tv series "Charlie`s Angels", and the Waco Kid in "Blazing Saddles".

Video

Presented in its original theatrical format of 1.85:1, grain is unusually evident. Colours are bright, in the 1960s style, with reds too oversaturated to be natural, but greens on the other hand somewhat muted.

Audio

Presley belts out a number of songs in his much-imitable style, but nothing truly show-stopping. Sound is presented in Mono (DD2.0) with multilingual support.

Features

Just an anamorphic 1.85:1 trailer and subtitles.

Conclusion

This is not my favourite Elvis Presley picture. There are a lot more fun movies in the King`s legacy, but it is interesting to see the misses as well as the hits. Possibly more interesting than the story are the contemporary fashions and attitudes, which are uncomfortably dated.