Gentleman Jim (1942)

Good boxing movie, the story of "Gentleman Jim" Corbett, one of the earliest world heavyweight champions under the Marquis of Queensbury rules.Shows very well how Corbett revolutionised the sport. Before it was pretty much a brawl or slugfest. He used his speed to dodge and wear down opponents, and made it more tactical.Reasonably accurate, historically. Some of the sub-plots are thrown in for entertainment value and can be a bit silly at times.Great performance by Errol Flynn in the lead role. Good support from Alexis Smith.

First, I admit I cannot comment on how this movie compares with the real story of Jim Corbett. Very likely, it is akin to the 1962 movie "Lawrence Of Arabia", which had little to do with the actual story of Thomas E. Lawrence, but was still acclaimed for its entertainment value. I assume this movie had the same idea-a fictionalized version of the story of the title boxer. Of course I've long expected that from Hollywood.So how is it as a movie? We begin by seeing an illegal match attended by a crowd, including a respectable judge-oooh! But then the Olympic Club, a local elite establishment, decides to use the new Marquis of Queensbury boxing rules to make boxing into a respectable sport, and Jim Corbett, a bank clerk who had come to make a delivery, is chosen to be a new boxer under the new rules. He does well, but Corbett's aggressiveness and egotism get the club members upset. At home, Jim gets into fights with his brothers, and all the locals come look every time this occurs (hence the phrase).Corbett earns fame and fortune, and shares his wealth with his family, but he still wants to be a world champion. John L. Sullivan was his childhood idol from the last boxing generation-will he end up in a fight with him, and how would it go?Great performances by the entire all-star cast and no wasted moments make the film entertaining for everybody.

It appears that, like many biopics of the era, this one has little in common with the true story of Gentleman Jim Corbett. But who cares? This is a wonderfully entertaining flick! And, it's sadly interesting that Errol Flynn had a mild heart attack during the filming.The movie begins in San Francisco before the turn of the century. Boxing is illegal, but of course, that doesn't stop it from taking place. James J. Corbett (Flynn) plays an irrepressible bank teller who likes attending fights. Through a series of coincidences, following a raid on a boxing match he is invited to join an upper class men's club, though he and his family are decidedly not upper class. His brassy attitude annoys some members of the club, and they arrange a boxing match for him with the former champion of England. He wins. And slowly he boxes more and more leading fighters...all the time having his eye on Alexis Smith, who has the same feelings, although she doesn't yet realize it. William Frawley plays his manager, who eventually gets him a fight with the world champion -- John L. Sullivan (Ward Bond). Corbett beats Sullivan and wins Alexis Smith.There are solid performances by all the principals in this film. Errol Flynn is...well...Errol Flynn, but he gives a great performance and is particularly well understated in the climax of the film -- the meeting with John L. Sullivan after Corbett has defeated him. Alexis Smith is wonderful as the romantic interest. Ward Bond is superb as John L. Sullivan...always an underrated actor. Alan Hale, Sr. is great as Crobett's father. Jack Carson must have felt cheated; although he got third billing, his role was very minor. And, there are a whole group of character actors you'll recognize...my favorite being Minor Watson (father of the child actor). William Frawley is the usual as the fight manager.Recommended for great, if not accurate, entertainment, with some great boxing scenes.

You could have given Flynn any director, setting or costume but even at this point in his career, he could still never escape his self-moulded image. To be fair though, he tries his best as 19th century boxer James J Corbett in this 'biopic' - hurr hurr, as the Warner machine does its ineluctable best to see his story told as they see fit.Hence, some of the studio's finest worked if not on historical accuracy, the splendid period recreation - characterisations and all - and Raoul Walsh sure loves pugnacity, as evidenced in his later Cagney films. It has to be said that Alexis Smith makes a splendid Olivia de Havilland.