The Great John L.

If anybody needs persuading that stars and directors can make a substantial difference to a movie then I suggest they watch this movie and then immediately view Errol Flynn in Gentleman Jim under the direction of Raoul Walsh.Both are biographical movies about world heavyweight champions but the Flynn movie works so much better because of the casting and the direction of a man who specialised in rugged macho movie making rather than the all purpose blandness of the direction by Frank Tuttle in this picture The John L of the title is John L Sullivan ,the Boston Strong Man .who became world champ at the turn of the last century.The movie traces his rise and fall .In between bouts with opponents in the ring and booze out of it he falls in love with and marries a musical comedy star ,played by Linda Darnell .On losing the title he plunges ever deeper into the gutter before striving to get his life back on track.

The period atmosphere is good and the supporting performances are sound but Greg McClure is inadequate as John L .Comapre his performance to Errol Flyn in Gemtleman Jim and you will see the difference between one who looks the part(McClure)and one who inhabits it (Flynn).I have already alluded to the flaccid direction which fails to anchor the movie firmly enough .Bing Crosby produced the movie and may be responsible for its high schmaltz quotient Its okay but would have been better with a stronger lead performance

Bing Crosby's first venture into the production end of the film business was with this independent production The Great John L. about the life and times of John L. Sullivan. Of course any resemblance to the real Sullivan is coincidental here. It's pretty typical of Hollywood biographical films back in the day.

Of course the legend is well taken care of. The poor Irish kid from Boston handy with his fists who made good almost every time his boast of 'I Can Lick Any Man In The House'. It eventually took him to the heavyweight championship of the world defeating Paddy Ryan in 1882 and retaining it until 1892 when Jim Corbett dethroned him.

Sullivan's spendthrift ways and prodigious drinking are shown as well. Another boast was that he could drink any man under the table and too often did.

His romantic entanglements with the girl next door Barbara Britton and entertainer Linda Darnell are a complete work of fiction however. But they might have been acceptable but for the casting of the workmanlike, but distinctly non-charismatic Greg McClure. It's no wonder we didn't hear from this man again.

Bing certainly did what he could to help this film. Frank Tuttle who directed him in a couple of features at Paramount did the direction, he's best known for directing Alan Ladd in This Gun For Hire. Barbara Britton who was under contract at Paramount was no doubt obtained for this film for favors at Paramount. They usually granted Crosby anything they wanted. Bing's favorite songwriters Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke did two songs for the film, A Perfect Gentleman and A Friend Of Your's.

Bing also recorded A Friend Of Your's and so did Frank Sinatra and I'm sure that one was a favor as well. I have a bootleg recording of a radio commercial that Crosby did with Sinatra and Bob Hope promoting The Great John L. with Crosby and Sinatra stepping into the ring with Hope refereeing. That was far better than the film.

I read on ebay that the film was released on home video once in 1985.

It has been out of print since then.

Perhaps a write-in campaign to Criterion might get it considered for a DVD.

For an obscure film, there seems to be some momentum building to bring it back.

Has it been shown on Turner Classic Movies in the past couple of years?

Does their Web site allow viewers to request films?

My uncle mentioned THE GREAT JOHN L to me in January and I've been tasked to find it for him in some fashion. First it was going to be a 65th birthday gift - now I'm aiming for the holidays... If not by then, hopefully for next year's birthday!

Been searching for it for many many years and can't find it. Have seen many who want this movie. It must be a great movie, but they want a minimum of twenty lines. But we only want to get a hold of the movie. Don't understand why this is being made so hard to do when just a single line might be more likely to be read. Don't have a lot to say other than that I have come across many people during the past fifty or so years that want to see this movie. I have many others that have seen it and thought it was truly GREAT. So where can a person find this wonderful movie. I have seen Gentleman Jim many times but have always wanted to see this move. But it doesn't seem to be anywhere. Does anyone have any ideas about where it could be purchased>

I saw this movie many long years ago, and recall the character given in your cast as Tom Thumb, uncredited. In the film his name, as I recall, was Admiral Dott, and he sang the song, Sweet Sixteen , at a gathering of Sullivan's cronies the night before his fight with Corbett.

John L. was rather upset by this and told him that he had cost him his title, as this song always brought him bad luck. (Sullivan was very superstitious). He did indeed lose to Corbett the next day, because Corbett was a superior boxer, and nothing to do with Dott singing the song.

I certainly enjoyed the film, and often wish I could see it again, but it seems to have disappeared without trace, and no longer available in any source or form!

Norrie Paton. (Campbeltown).