Killer McCoy

This is Mickey Rooney's first true adult role, just a year after his final appearance as Andy Hardy until a final film in the 1960s. This entry has lots going for it, not the least being a terrific performance by Rooney as the title character. At age 27, Rooney was trying to rid himself of MGM's image and McCoy was probably a godsend role for him, bridging the squeaky-clean image that he had with something a bit more adult. Rooney here is still boyish and starts the films as the dutiful son of a no-good drunk father (James Dunn) and a mother who literally works herself to death providing for the family and making excuses for her wastrel of a husband.

The local priest, as an act of charity, tells Rooney and Dunn about a need for a song and dance number to open for a fight that night with the job paying ten dollars. After the fight, Rooney says he'd like a turn at the winner, and he does manage to knock the guy out. This causes someone who sees the fight to take him under his wing and teach him the ropes of the trade. At one point down the line Rooney kills a guy with his punch and that earns him the nickname "Killer".

All the while Mickey's dad is causing problems - drinking heavily, running up big debts to gamblers that eat up the purses that Mickey wins, until his dad sells Mickey's contract to a crooked gambler (Brian Donlevy) who is living a double life that includes a daughter nobody knows about who is attending an elite finishing school (Ann Blythe). Complications ensue, not the least of which is that Rooney's father has a big mouth in the presence of the wrong people about everything that is going on.

Look fast for Shelley Winters in a non-speaking bit as one of Rooney's groupies as he trains for a championship.

What I've described sounds pretty formulaic except maybe for the crooked gambler living a double life, but it is very well done and is an excellent showcase for an adult Rooney in an adult role. He's convincingly hard boiled when he needs to be. The only thing negative I can say is how the conclusion seemed rushed - like the writers really didn't know quite how to end it.

Strangely enough, Rooney and the director of this film had a big argument on the set about how bad Rooney's acting was which caused him to walk off the set. Rooney angrily recalled the incident 50 years later when Robert Osborne interviewed him on Turner Classic Movies. Osborne sat perfectly still while Rooney ranted about the situation, later saying he was afraid Rooney would have hit him if he moved or spoke.

No he's no Di Niro but his street pug slugging came off very real. Mickey Rooney looked like he was really taking some shots up there and I wouldn't doubt it if he actually insisted on doing it for the realism. Either that or the editing deserved an Oscar! Interesting cameo of , Johnny Andrisiano,( Rocky ) the real-life fighter who trained Mic for the film. (And who died mysteriously-suicide?) Also keep your eyes peeled for a quick but fleeting glimpse of Shelly Winters as one of two autograph hounds in the car. James Dunn playing his poor song-and-dance soul was superb! This movie is a rare gem and it really deserves more credit than it's given.

In his second film since coming back from war service MGM thought that a remake of the Robert Taylor classic from 1938 The Crowd Roars would be perfectly suited for Mickey Rooney. With a little post war updating it was in fact a perfect film for him now entitled Killer McCoy.

As the ambitious young prizefighter Mickey Rooney is perfectly cast in the role. Although the role had to be taken down a few pegs in weight division, I believe Robert Taylor was a middleweight in the first film, given Rooney's size and build he's now a lightweight. But not in acting talent by any means.

As in the first film Rooney's Achilles heel is his father, a lovable drunk loafer who has a nasty habit of getting into bets involving slow horses. That puts Rooney in a vulnerable spot given his rising career as a boxer. Taking over from Frank Morgan who was great in the role in The Crowd Roars is James Dunn, equally as good.

In fact playing just such a part two years earlier had earned Dunn a Best Supporting Actor for A Tree Grows In Brooklyn. Sad to say that Dunn was playing a version of himself. At the time he was cast in A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, Dunn's drinking had rendered nearly unemployable. That Oscar gave his career a resuscitation, but Dunn would do mostly television after this role.

Rooney's love interest and also well cast as the sheltered daughter of gambler Brian Donlevy is Ann Blyth. They did work well together, too bad they didn't do a few more films. Also Sam Levene as Rooney's trainer gives a good performance as well.

Killer McCoy was a good part for Rooney. Sad to say in his next two films he was miscast and MGM dropped him. They should have given more material like Killer McCoy.

While Killer McCoy might not sound like a winner at first glance, it's surprisingly smart, exciting, and fun. It might look like Mickey Rooney isn't the best choice for a prizefighter, and it might look like James Dunn is just reprising his Oscar- and Rag-winning role in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and it might look like Brian Donlevy has a throwaway role as a typical bad guy, but this movie is one of the top of its kind.

Mickey Rooney shows off his acting chops in this meaty role, and not only does he show a different mastery of choreographed footwork, but he has a range of emotions that show great experience and street smarts. James Dunn once again plays a drunk who can't get ahead, but it is slightly different than two years ago's film. If you did enjoy A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, though, you'll want to watch this one. Brian Donlevy isn't a straight villain, and has a very interesting character. He's fleshed out and given layers to his performance, showing once again, that he's a very good and underused actor. Ann Blyth is Mickey's love interest and Brian's daughter, and while she is the contrast to Mickey's coarse boxing world, she's not a one-dimensional snob. She's sweet and loving, and it's clear why both Mickey and Brian want to shield her from their world.

The script of Killer McCoy is very strong. Frederick Hazlitt Brennan has written smart, snappy dialogue as well as dramatic scenes, and the plot unfolds at an even yet exciting pace. This is a surprising hidden gem that isn't remembered anymore, but when you watch it you'll realize it should be.

This 1947 boxing flick, seems to have been an attempt by MGM to save the career of their former top box-office attraction, Mickey Rooney, by toughening up his image. Had the script been better, and the direction more interesting, they could well have succeeded.

The 27 year old Rooney couldn't play kids any more, and so MGM cast him as a young man literally fighting his way out of the slums by becoming a boxer. And he's very convincing in the role. He was always a sensitive performer, but this time he displays a maturity and a restraint that is remarkable. He is really listening and giving his all to his fellow actors, and so to the audience.

And he has some great actors to work with. The entire cast is very strong, but special mention should be made of the excellent Brian Donlevy, and, most especially the brilliant James Dunn. Playing Rooney's washed-out Vaudevillian father, Dunn is truly unforgettable - making the character both immensely likeable and totally loathsome.

Apart from the performances we also get some very nicely filmed, and exciting, boxing sequences. On the downside, the script is rather ordinary, the ending a bit sappy, and the direction unimaginative. But the film is well worth seeing for Rooney and Dunn at their best!