Killer McCoy

What an actor Mickey Rooney was and he will always be immortalized over eight (8) decades as a bona' fide star of the silver screen. He was born to star in feature films and this he did with great gusto as Killer McCoy/Tommy McCoy. Tommy McCoy is a street fighter who accidentally kills one of his opponents in the ring who happened to be a boxer named Johnny Martin (Mickey Knox) who used to be a close friend of Tommy's while Tommy was learning how to box professionally. Due to coming on hard times, and past his boxing prime years, Johnny Martin climbed back in to the ring for the purse money that he needed for his wife and new child.

The end result is that Tommy immediately builds himself a big reputation in the ring and his new handle as "Killer McCoy". Tommy finds a beautiful young girl is one of his many admirers whose name is Sheila Carrson (Ann Blyth) but theirs is a relationship not meant to be since Sheila's father hides many secrets from her daughter. The biggest secret is that Mr. Carrson has an alias name of Jim Caighn (Brian Donlevy) which he uses to run the biggest gambling racket in the state. As the film progresses it seems everyone is hiding secrets from each other including Tommy, his girlfriend Sheila, Sheila's father Mr. Carrson and Tommy's father a drunkard named Brian McCoy (James Dunn).

Tommy continues to do well in the ring and his love for Sheila never falters but he needs to find a way to tell Sheila's mobster father who expects much more from the future husband for his precious only daughter and heir than a boxing thug like Tommy. As in almost every film of the 336 credits Mickey has accumulated over his illustrious career Mickey (in this case playing a pugilist named Killer McCoy) must overcome the messes that his drunkard father gets him involved in and find a way to win over his girlfriends father.

A happy ending prevails once again and Mickey's light continues to shine bright. Rest in peace Mickey (Mickey passed away at age 93 on April 06th, 2014). We miss you but you live on in many great performances such as in Killer McCoy. I give the film a grateful 8 out of 10 rating.

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.

Tommy McCoy (Mickey Rooney) is a hustler in general and hustles pool specifically. He challenges a boxer in a charity event and catches the eye of boxing champ Johnny Martin. It's steady climb and then he gets into the ring with Martin.

Rooney is trying something a little different. I love him but I don't really buy him as a boxer. He has enough muscles but he's not a good fighter. The staging is not helping. He's flailing around like a dancer. I don't buy him even outside the ring. He's no Rocky. Maybe they could play it off as his advantage. He's smarter than the usual dumb brutes who fight and he fights like a dancer. As for the drama, I would have thought that his fight with Johnny Martin should be set up as the climax. Quite frankly, he should quit fighting after the incident. It's nice to have the wife come talk to him afterwards but it's not elevating the emotional drama. It's an emotional excuse for him to continue. I love Rooney no matter what. This is one of the no matter whats.

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.

In the first few minutes of Killer McCoy, Mickey Rooney sings, dances, shoots some sharp pool, shows a range of emotions, and takes his shirt off to work a speed bag. Now I finally understand why he was able to get busy with Ava Gardner. He's a total stud.

This cynical boxing movie features fine work from Sam Levene, Brian Donlevy and Tom Tully, plus some showy acting from James Dunn.

Problem starts when Ann Blyth shows up. As with most gritty movies that shoehorn in a love interest, it falls apart quickly. We have to sit through a romance montage. And the movie loses its focus, turning into a chick flick where Rooney and Donleavy are focused on protecting the sweet, innocent Blyth. Snooze-O-rama.

What started out as a cynical look at poverty and the choices we make to escape it, ends up so soft and rounded and middle America it could have been made by Disney.