A garage mechanic is transformed into a boxing sensation under the guidance of a small-time promoter.
Walter Gulick (Elvis Presley), a young man recently discharged from the army, finds work as a sparring partner at a training camp run by Willy Grogan (Gig Young). When Walter demonstrates a powerful knockout punch, the debt-ridden Grogan sees an opportunity. Rechristened “Kid Galahad,” Walter begins an unlikely boxing career, winning a string of fights. His success attracts the attention of mobsters who want to control him, while he falls for Grogan’s sister, Rose (Joan Blackman). Despite his growing fame, the gentle-natured Walter longs for a quiet life as a garage mechanic, a conflict that comes to a head inside and outside the ring.
A musical remake of the dramatic 1937 film of the same name, this version is tailored specifically for its star. The boxing narrative serves as a durable framework for several Elvis Presley vocal performances, including “I Got Lucky” and “Home Is Where the Heart Is.” While it lacks the grit of the original, the film functions as an effective vehicle for Presley’s persona. The production is also notable for featuring Charles Bronson in the role of Walter’s world-weary trainer, Lew Nyack, just one year before his international breakout in The Great Escape.
Production Co: United Artists / 95 minutes / 1962
Director: Phil Karlson
Screenplay: William Fay, Francis Wallace
Main Cast: Elvis Presley (Walter Gulick), Gig Young (Willy Grogan), Lola Albright (Dolly Fletcher), Joan Blackman (Rose Grogan), Charles Bronson (Lew Nyack)
