Directed: Alfred Santell

Year: 1927

Nominated: Best Actor – Richard Barthelmess

Plot in 25 Words: An extremely unlikable boxer is pressed into service in the American army. Wounded in battle, prayer and the American flag help his wounds to heal.

In My Opinion: Well. Hmm. Not my favourite film of the bunch, not by a long shot.

The star of the film, Richard Barthelmess, as the Patent Leather Kid plays a vastly unlikeable character. He is a smug, arrogant boxer, the sort of fighter no one wants to win. At his fights, the crowd cheers for anyone to beat him. Any winner would do – just not ‘the Kid’.

Throw in some casual racism towards his sparring partner, and some more-or-less ignored domestic violence towards his girl and you get a good idea of the calibre of the man.

I was hating him long before he refused to enlist in the army,  and even more so when he mocked his girl for volunteering. When he threw a bit more racism the way of ‘Blackie’ I was hoping he would be drafted and blown to smithereens.

It was hard to tell is Richard Barthelmess was a sleazy, rat-type actor or if he was just really committing to the part. He was nominated for Best Actor so I’d hope he was acting but either way I didn’t enjoy his performance one little bit.

The Kid gets drafted and off he goes to war. I was hoping for a violent and bloody end for him and when he was shot I thought the God of Hollywood had answered my prayers.

Sadly he survived, but on the bright side he was paralysed from the neck down. After a bit more racism and abuse aimed towards the people trying to help him, they wheel him outside to watch a parade of soldiers.

Through prayer and the American flag, he is suddenly able to walk and salute, not five minutes after a doctor told him he would never walk again.

Seriously.

Star Performer: Molly O’Day as Curley Boyle, the Kid’s girlfriend. She has spirit, and doesn’t pull any punches – both literally and figuratively.

Overall: No. Just no. Won’t be watching this film again and certainly won’t be recommending it to a soul/ Not badly acted, but a horrid character as the main focus for the film.