THE KID FROM KOKOMO

US, 1939, 93 minutes, Black and white.
Pat O' Brien, Wayne Morris, Joan Blondell, May Robson, Jane Wyman, Stanley Fields, Maxie Rosenbloom, Sidney Toler, Edward Brophy, Ward Bond.
Directed by Lewis Seiler.

This is an amusing story from 1939, one of the great years for Hollywood.

Pat O’Brien? is in good fast-talking form as Murphy, a boxing manager, looking for the world champion, not afraid of shady deals and frauds. Joan Blondell is his long-suffering girlfriend, former bubble dancer, rather shrewd in her dealing with Murphy’s clients, wanting to get married.

Murphy discovers Homer, farm boy from the countryside who does not want to box despite his strong right hand, who doesn’t want to travel, but only wants to find his mother who left him in the town 22 years earlier. He is played with some simple and genial charm by Wayne Morris. Jane Wyman turns up as a journalist student and the romantic lead.

While there are boxing moments, thugs trying to manipulate, bribes to take a fall…, the film is actually stolen by May Robson as a roguish old woman, shoplifter, inveterate liar, alcoholic, who has spent a long time in prison – but, on a chance, is hired by Murphy to pretend to be his protégés mother. This leads to a lot of comedy and the contrast between her trying to be like Whistler’s Mother and her own raucous behaviour – which comes to a head when she and her partner pretend to be the protégés parents and go to meet Jane Wyman’s parents – and the father turns out to be the judge from the courts.

From the past, but still entertaining in its way.

1. An entertaining 1939 small feature? From Warner Brothers? Knockabout comedy and drama?

2. Black-and-white photography, New York settings, the boxing world, management, police stations and courts, the world of the con men and women, and the countryside and farms? Musical score?

3. The strong Warner Brothers cast? Playing in type or against type? Pat O’ Brien and his tough quick talker, shady manager? The contrast with Wayne Morris as the genial and upright innocent? Joan Blondell and her dancing background, love for Pat O’ Brien, sensible? May Robson and her interpretation of the tough old broad? Jane Wyman as a romantic lead? Edward Brophy and the continued knockabout comedy?

4. The plausibility of the plot – or the comic exaggerations?

5. Murphy, the bout with Bender, his giving up, selling 200% of shares? His being pursued by the other shareholders? Doris, her continued devotion, wanting to get married? Sensible in her negotiations? Going to the country, the wrong candidate for the champion, finding Homer, his being basically nice, not wanting to fight, looking for his mother, her disappearance 22 years earlier? Murphy using this to get him to box? Doris and her shrewd appeal to his
emotions?

6. The boxing world, Homer and his initial success, the press conference, saying that he wanted to find his mother? Louis and the thugs? Bender and his wanting revenge after landing out of the ring in the laps of the reporters? His continued taunting Homer?

7. Murphy at the court, Maggie , shoplifting, tough, anwering the judge, stealing his pens? Murphy taking her, dressing her as Whistler’s Mother, introducing her to Homer, his happiness? The scenes together, her performance – and the lapses, Homer excusing them, in the bedroom, the alcohol under the covers? Murphy tracking down Malone, persuading him to pretend to be Homer’s father? The couple? Getting on well with Maggie? Homer’s belief?

8. Homer, his training, strong right hand, the buildup to the challenge? Maggie and her running up debts, the lavish lifestyle, the lavish apartment, her clothes, the horses? Malone and his being dressed up? Louis, wanting to get his money back? Persuading Homer to dive, Homer doing this to save his mother going to prison?

9. Marion, journalist student, coming to the gym, discussions, the interview with Homer, the skipping? The attraction, their going out? The plan for the various parents to meet? At the house, the irony that Marion’s father was the judge? The immediate reaction and Maggie and co running away? Deciding to face it? The humorous ambiguity of the dialogue and interactions, especially from the judge? The irony that Malone recognised him from Hell’s Kitchen and his past?

10. The buildup to the fight, Murphy and his bet, Doris and her support? Maggie coming to tell Homer the truth, his not believe in her? The fight itself, Homer willing to take a dive, going down, getting up? The inevitable taunting from Bender, Homer’s reaction, the knockout?

11. Murphy and Homer being abducted, the threats? Maggie and Malone planning to take all the money? Maggie thinking that Homer was a wonderful son?

12. Malone, his connections in Hell’s Kitchen, rounding them up, bringing them to the hotel, the attack, the brawl, and Eddie being knocked out? Murphy and his black eye?

13. The wedding ceremony, the judge, Homer and Marion happy, the requirement for Maggie and Malone to be married? Maggie stealing the pen? Doris, the documents and with the ring – and Murphy trying to escape?

14. The happy solution, with Homer suggesting that he adopt Maggie and Malone as his parents?