O Ídolo do Público

You're going to want to rent this movie to see Errol Flynn as a boxer. He has plenty of sweaty, shirtless scenes to keep you satisfied, but believe it or not, those scenes won't be the ones that keep you coming back to this movie over and over again. Yes, he's adorable, but it's Ward Bond who steals the show. He plays "John L. Sullivan himself", the champion boxer Errol hopes to beat. Not only does he put on a hilarious Irish accent and bare all in his own boxing scenes, but he sinks his teeth in the meaty, emotional role. In my favorite scene, Errol challenges him to a fight by insulting his age and virility, and Ward loses his temper, while making sure to finish his meal. You'd never guess that Ward Bond could steal the spotlight away from the incomparable Errol Flynn, but he does.

Back to the lead, though: Errol comes from a poor background, and he often gets into fistfights. When he learns he can make money from boxing, he makes it his mission to become a gentleman. Alan Hale, usually Errol's sidekick, gets to play his loud and proud father. Alexis Smith is the snooty love interest who sees his poor background through his tuxedo. How does it turn out for the boxers? You'll have to watch this adorable, entertaining '40s flick to find out.

Although the mention of Errol Flynn most often evokes images of his bravura Golden Age performance in "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (his portrayal of that character was ranked the 18th greatest American film hero by the American Film Institute), 1942's "Gentleman Jim," with Flynn as old-time boxer James J. Corbett waging his most famous fight against the great champion John L. Sullivan, is my favorite among Flynn's estimable body of work.

Flynn, considered the successor to Douglas Fairbanks as the screen's king of the swashbucklers, lived up to that promise with starring roles in films like "Captain Blood," "The Charge of the Light Brigade," "They Died with Their Boots On," "Dodge City," "Santa Fe Trail" and "San Antonio."

But "Gentleman Jim," based on Corbett's autobiography, "The Roar of the Crowd," and directed by the great Raoul Walsh, is quintessential Flynn, the sleek, daring young man on the rise and at the top of his game, here supported by a deep, perfectly cast group of actors that included frequent Flynn sidekick Alan Hale (this time as Flynn's father), Ward Bond (as a barrel-chested Sullivan), Alexis Smith (as his smitten but sassy love interest) and Jack Carson (as his well-meaning but gullible and socially awkward best bud).

And, yes, that's William Frawley a decade before "I Love Lucy" and Fred Mertz, stealing scenes in a pivotal role as a cigar-chomping, opportunistic but sometimes disbelieving little fight promoter.

Alas, the real-life Flynn, who had trained so hard to be in shape as Corbett, died at the young age of 50 in October 1959, his body aged well beyond its years, his personal life and film career in tatters, victims of a burn-the-candle-at-both-ends and all too often scandalous lifestyle (see his autobiography with ghostwriter Eric Conrad, "My Wicked, Wicked Ways," and David Niven's memoir, "Bring on the Empty Horses," for a glimpse of his complex and troubled life).

As for Corbett (1866-1933), who graduated from Sacred Heart High School in San Francisco and was "rumored" to have a college education, he's been called the "Father of Modern Boxing" for his athletic dodging, dancing and weaving technique in the ring, Muhammad Ali before there was a Muhammad Ali. That entertaining and often harrowing style against sometimes bigger and stronger opponents, plus being blessed with a natural sense of theatricality and movie-star good looks that led to a second career in stage acting, resulted in his being christened Gentleman Jim by an admiring press eager to capitalize on his charisma.

But this was Flynn at his best, as he should be remembered, a match with character made in cinematic heaven.

If you haven't seen "Gentleman Jim," or if it's been a while, have a look.

Great biopic of boxer James 'Gentleman Jim' Corbett. The movie covers his life from pre-boxing days up to his championship boxing match with John L. Sullivan. Errol Flynn has a field day with the part. He's immensely charming and does most of his own boxing in this. Ward Bond is great as Sullivan, one of his best roles outside of his John Ford films. Alexis Smith is fine as the love interest. Fun support from Alan Hale, Jack Carson, and William Frawley. As with most of the great old Hollywood biographical films, attention is paid more to telling an entertaining story than being historically accurate. That doesn't bother me but your tastes may vary. Nice Warner Bros. production with period sets and costumes. A fun, light movie well-directed by frequent Flynn collaborator Raoul Walsh.

It is sometimes odd to think how many historical figures who were the subjects of film biographies from 1927 to 1950 were actually still alive in the start of the talking film period. Marie Curie was - is there some long forgotten piece of newsreel film with her in it (from Pathe, naturally) where we see her in a laboratory, and she is talking in French or Polish or even English? George M. Cohan - he actually was in some silent films, but there were two sound films he starred in, one of which (THE PHANTOM PRESIDENT) is in tact, and is worth watching. It turned out the Yankee Doodle Boy could sing and act on celluloid. How about the subject of GENTLEMAN JIM, the great pugilist James J. Corbett?

Well, actually, there are some films with Corbett in them from the early sound period. People forget that he followed his boxing career with a fairly successful stage career (including the lead role in George Bernard Shaw's THE ADMIRABLE BASHFUL, a play about pugilism based on Shaw's novel CASHEL BYRON'S PROFESSION). This is barely touched on in GENTLEMAN JIM, except in one scene where Errol Flynn mentions Shaw's writings. Anyway, Corbett would remain in the vaudeville and legitimate theatre until he died in 1931. And he did appear in one or two early sound films [so did the first African-American heavyweight boxing champ, Jack Johnson].

Actually GENTLEMAN JIM wisely stuck to the rise of Corbett to the heavyweight championship. It also was able to make much humor out of his contentious family and his social pretensions (constantly punctured by Alexis Smith, as the socialite he would like to marry). Supported by an able cast, including William Frawley, Jack Carson, and Alan Hale Sr. the film goes along rapidly, and you never get bored. Raoul Walsh's direction is first rate here. And there are moments of great humor, such as the fat members of the Olympic Club exercising, or the way the Corbetts seem to be preparing for their next fight at the drop of a hat (to which Carson yells "THE CORBETTS ARE AT IT AGAIN!" each time). Some of Walsh's camera tricks are nice too - in a montage showing the rise of Corbett in a series of successful fights, Walsh uses photos of the boxers in a bar that are stills from the next scene of the fight the boxers lose or win.

Corbett was one of the first articulate and well-read men to achieve boxing fame. He also championed the Marquess of Queensberry rules, including boxing gloves. The latter had already achieved acceptance (begrudgingly) from Sullivan, whose defeat of Paddy Kilraine in 1889 was the last great bare-knuckle fight. But the final scene of Sullivan (Ward Bond, possibly in his finest moment on the screen) passing his heavyweight belt to Corbett, no matter how moving it really is, brings to mind one of the real problems of Corbett's victory in 1892. Sullivan, a large man with a heavy drinking problem, was not in tip-top shape when he fought Corbett, who was faster and younger. Bond says he does not know what would have been the result if they had met five years earlier, and Flynn agrees it would be hard to call. We'll never really know. Sullivan dominated the heavyweight fight game from 1881 to 1892. Corbett was champ from 1892 to 1897. One wonders which of the two champs was really the greater boxer.

GENTLEMAN JIM, Errol Flynn's last film of 1942, the year that saw his tempestuous personal life become public, was one of his greatest successes, and his personal favorite, as well. In the story of the 'father' of modern boxing, James J. Corbett, loosely based on the boxer's autobiography, the actor a had a chance to display a favorite hobby (Flynn was quite good, and had an off-screen habit of goading bar patrons into fights, just to 'show off' his skills), as well as play a character closer to his own flamboyant personality than the heroic cavaliers he had been 'typed' as, for nearly a decade.

The 'favorite son' in a brawling blue-collar family (Alan Hale, his friend and frequent co-star, portrays his father), Corbett has aspirations far beyond his job as a lowly bank clerk, and 'uses' socialite Victoria Ware (Alexis Smith) to get into the prestigious 'Olympic Club'. The snobbish members of the club, offended by his enormous ego, talk him into a 'little boxing exhibition' with a European champion. Expecting to see the young man flattened, Victoria and the millionaires are stunned when, displaying fancy footwork and natural skills, Corbett knocks out the professional. A drunken brawl at a post-fight social event lands Corbett and friend Walter Lowrie (Jack Carson) in Salt Lake City, penniless. Boxing provides a means to buy train tickets home, and the realization that, through pugilism, he can 'break into' society. A legendary career is thus begun...

Boxing, at the turn of the century, was a far more brutal sport than today, with the fighters seldom wearing gloves, and the fights running 30 rounds, or more, yet Corbett scores victory after victory, without a scar on his handsome face. Becoming a celebrity, he even stars in a popular stage show, dressed in a top hat and tails, and quoting Shakespeare, taking advantage of his nickname, 'Gentleman Jim'. While Victoria professes hating his cockiness, she feels drawn to him, although he has a way of always saying the wrong thing!

Meanwhile, in another stage show, the World Boxing Champion, legendary John L. Sullivan (Ward Bond, in one of his greatest screen roles), jumps rope and displays his prodigious strength to his adoring fans. Corbett goads the older man, constantly, finally forcing the champ to meet him in the ring. In an epic bout that would test both men's endurance, Sullivan 'meets his match', and Corbett learns humility...

Director Raoul Walsh obviously enjoyed working with Flynn (this was their third of eight teamings), and the actor felt far more comfortable with him than Michael Curtiz, whom he despised, despite their star-making work together. GENTLEMAN JIM was the best collaboration between Walsh and Flynn, and the film accurately captures the 'feel' of the era, striking a perfect balance of humor and drama. It, unfortunately, also marked the last major 'peak' in Flynn's Warner Brothers career; despite good reviews and box office, the WB, anticipating a public backlash over Flynn's highly-publicized rape trial, would move him into a series of war films, gradually lowering the quality of his productions.

The halcyon years for Errol Flynn were, sadly, coming to an end, even as he savored his greatest personal triumph...