Gentleman Jim
Released – November, 1942
Directed By - Raoul Walsh 
Starring – Errol Flynn (James J. Corbett), Alexis Smith (Victoria Ware), Jack Carson (Walter Lowrie), Alan Hale (Pat Corbett), William Frawley (Billy Delaney), Ward Bond (John L. Sullivan).
Description – This story of heavyweight boxing champion Gentleman Jim Corbett is based on James J. Corbett’s autobiography The Roar of the Crowd.
Errol Flynn is terrific as the cocky, light-on-his-feet, 1890′s fighter. In a role said to be his favorite, Flynn’s portrayal of Corbett starts with his early days as a bank teller who saves the day for Judge Geary, a member of his banks Board of Directors after a police raid.
The judge, a boxing fan who is looking to improve on the brutal nature of the sport by introducing a more appealing class of fighter along with adherence of the Marquess of Queensberry rules takes an interest in Corbett.
Corbett, welll-spoken, polished, and possessing great fighting skills is a perfect canditate for the judge. However, his cockiness irritates some of the upper class of society including the beautiful Victoria Ware who Corbett is very attracted to.
Winning his early fights with relative ease using his scientific boxing skills and fancy footwork rather than the more common brawling style has earned him a championship fight with none other than John L. Sullivan.
Can Gentleman Jim win both the championship and the girl?
NOTABLE: This was the third Errol Flynn film to gross more than $2 million dollars for Warner Brothers in 1942. Big money in those days.
Errol Flynn did all of his own boxing stunts in the film.
Although Flynn portrayed Corbett as confident and arrogant, in real life James J. Corbett was said to have a quiet personality.
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Tags: 1940's drama, alan hale, alexis smith, errol flynn, jack carson, raoul walsh, ward bond, warner brothers pictures, william frawley
