Golden Gloves (1940) User Reviews (2)

Fred Mertz, Yale boxing champ.

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 25 August 2022]

B is for boxing and budget and rating in this programmer about young boxer Richard Denning exploited by racketeer J. Carroll Naish who is accidentally responsible for another boxer's death in the ring, and the investigation into Naish's racket which uses young, untrained fighters for thrills without regards to the rules.

Journalist Robert Paige and Denning's girlfriend (Jeanne Cagney) hope to expose Naish, while Denning gets proper training by William Frawley who appeared mainly in sports related films prior to starting his run as Fred on "I Love Lucy". Another funny man (Edward Brophy) gets some good moments as well, his cynical, tired of it all voice instantly recognizable.

This film has a combination of crime drama and humor with one of the male gymnasium employees describing the atmosphere as "lovely, just lovely". Of historical value for the direction of Edward Dmytryk (one of the top new wave directors later in the 40's) and a minor role for Robert Ryan who obviously made an impression on Dmytryk. The script provides great character development for the major roles. Naish's over-the-top Italian accent gets unintentional giggles, a red flag for a villain, one of the few major flaws of the film.

A Proto Noir

[gordonl56 · 8/10 · 9 September 2013]

GOLDEN GLOVES – 1940

Golden Gloves is an early example of what 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 mismatched 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 an amateur boxing tournament with straight up matches and proper refs, doctors etc. When George Ernest, the kid brother of Denning's fiancée, Jeanne Cagney, is killed in one of Naish's mismatches, Denning decides to join Paige and clean up the sport. Naish has other plans, and decides to wreck Paige's next event by planting a ringer, Robert Ryan. (Ryan's 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 now murders a boxer who threatens to spill the beans to the press. There is plenty of double dealing and knives to the back going on in this one. Edward Brophy, who plays a crooked manager, is a complete 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 plenty of flashes throughout the film. The cast and crew here would go on to be featured in many film noir.

The film was directed by Edward Dmytryk with help from an uncredited, Felix Feist. Dmytryk of course went on to helm the noir, MURDER MY SWEET, CORNERED, CROSSFIRE, OBSESSION and THE SNIPER. Feist also dabbled in film noir with THE DEVIL THUMBS A RIDE, THE THREAT, THE MAN WHO CHEATED HIMSELF, TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY, THE BASKETBALL FIX and THIS WOMAN IS DANGEROUS included in his resume.

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,THE GLASS WALL and Lewis R. Foster, who did CRASHOUT and MANHANDLED.