A waste of 90 minutes of my life

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Blistering performances.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

This is truly one of the best from Elvis! Not only is the story great, but the songs are all terrific. Elvis shines in his portrayal of Walter Gulick, a now former soldier who becomes a boxer.In Kid Galahad, you will see the true actor in Elvis...from the very first time i saw this film, i've been convinced that Elvis can act as well as sing. Unfortunately, he was not given too many chances to do so. His performance is credible, noteworthy, and unforgettable. The scenery is beautiful, the veteran actors also in the movie- GIG YOUNG, CHARLES BRONSON, ED ASNER, all give outstanding performances.This movie could have been a breakout role for Elvis, but he was not allowed to show his full dramatic range. His image as a happy-go- lucky, safe entertainer had to be maintained at the expense of a strong dramatic performance. In short, Elvis was not allowed to develop and explore the dramatic depths of his character. Compared to ROCKY, the movie falls way short. Nevertheless, Elvis gives a good, convincing performance as the rising boxing star.The songs might only be a few, KING OF THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD, I GOT LUCKY, etc, but still Elvis gives it his best. This movie is one of my personal favorites. Worth Watching...

the pearl was never fully finished and the polish wears off quickly...but here we have a very credible remake of a 1937 boxing flick, livened up by some really terrific songs.there's a lot of the expected Elvis: moody, two fisted stranger, with a good heart...a lot of talent...and interest in pretty ladies. yes, there's the older lady, Beverly Garland, girlfriend of struggling manager Gig Young, and there's the early 20ish JOan Blackman, who is immediately enchanted by the 27 year old "killer". we even get an incredibly embarrassing singing-in-the-car sequence...notice Charles Bronson in the backseat...obviously in pain, as Elvis croons "Riding the RAinbow".what really sends this movie above the mediocre mark is that we have just six songs, spaced out nicely...and a very strong performance from Elvis. Even when he yells out, "I'm a grease monkey who doesn't slide so easily" he is locked in and convincing. He also adds some needed nuance...he finds he can fight as good as he can change spark plus n' sing...and he hates it.a nice companion to FOLLOW THAT DREAM...which was a real comedy with music; here we have a real light drama with music. one of about 7 Elvis pictures which sustains nicely past the millennium.

Pretty ordinary Elvis vehicle patterned after the 1937 film of the same name. Presley is a drifter just out of the army who takes on a job as a sparring partner working for a gambling louse (Gig Young) who's in hock over his head. Naturally, Elvis becomes a boxing sensation when he knocks out his partner and Young spots a chance to settle some outstanding debts by highlighting him as the new champ. Charles Bronson (did this man ever look young?) is on hand as the trainer who's loyal to Elvis. Of course, the King sings too - but there were no outstanding songs for me this time around. ** out of ****

At the start, Walter is fresh from the army and hitchhiking on the back of a moving van (not something anyone should attempt in real life, but it looks good here). And he's singing! Walter arrives in the small scenic New York community of Cream Valley, where he was born. After his parents died he was raised by an aunt in Kentucky (which explains the accent). In the army he worked in the motor pool, and he loves restoring cars, so he hopes to get a job as a mechanic.Unfortunately, the only job available is sparring partner for one of several boxers training in the community. At least Walter boxed in the army. He isn't that good, until ...Willy runs Grogan's Gaelic Gardens, which is trying to compete with Lieberman's Shangri-La as a tourist attraction. But Willy has a gambling problem, and Otto and his goons constantly remind him he needs to pay up. Dolly, who used to sing at Lieberman's, is Willy's impatient fiancée, and she helps take care of the place. And Rose is Willy's younger sister and business partner. The minute Walter sees Rose, we all know what's going to happen with them. Of course, Willy turns out to be quite overprotective.Walter's boxing talent just may turn out to be the solution for Willy's problems. The usual formula for movies like this applies, though, and it won't be that easy.I haven't seen but a few Elvis Presley movies. But I didn't know what I was missing. Even Elvis admitted (as portrayed on TV by Jonathan Rhys Meyers) that his movies were fluff, but this one was just a little more.Elvis gives us his usual impeccably polite all-American boy, and shows his singing talent in a few scenes (though this is not what I would call a musical). He is also good at looking tough in the boxing ring, and he really seems to be able to take a punch or two or three. But in the scenes where he loses his temper (because women shouldn't be treated that way), it becomes clear Elvis was hired for his popularity, not his acting ability.What makes this film more than ordinary is the talent surrounding the King. Lola Albright as Dolly, Robert Emhardt as Maynard, and David Lewis as Otto in particular. I wasn't that impressed with Gig Young as Willy, but he was easy to like.And I have to single out Charles Bronson as boxing trainer Lew. When he was in pain in one scene, it was truly disturbing. And that's what put this movie over the top and made it more than just the usual.Ed Asner (from the Manhattan district attorney's office) had a bald spot even way back then! I've liked him for years. I didn't see much from him here to be impressed with, though.I did like the music, and the classic cars, which of course were brand new or only a few years old. Walter himself liked the vintage car he restored better than I did.I would call this good, clean family fun, but of course Elvis does get beat up a lot and he does bleed. And there is some violence even outside the boxing ring. But in the early 60s, violence wasn't as big a concern as it is today.If you like Elvis, this is certainly one to watch.