MovieChat Forums > Kid Galahad (1962) Discussion > The Original vs The Remake

The Original vs The Remake

posted 15 years ago by mercury4
8 replies | jump to latest

I just saw the original Kid Galahad last night. I must say that I like the remake with Elvis a lot more. I'm not just saying that because I'm an Elvis fan. Usually, I always like the original better than the remake. But in this case, the Elvis movie has a lot more going for it. Kid Galahad has an all-star cast in both movies. Elvis is Kid Galahad, Gig Young is the manager, Charles Bronson is the trainer. Joan Blackman was even good as the manager's sister that Galahad falls in love with. The original stars are Edward G. Robinson, Humphrey Bogart and Bette Davis. The original story is a lot different. Galahad is a bellhop in the original and a nice kid. In the remake he's a nice kid out of the service looking for a job. While he was a farmer in the original, hoping to get his own farm one day, he's a mechanic in the remake and hopes to have his own business one day. One of the weakest links of the remake is probably Lola Albright. I just couldn't take to her. It seemed like she had the same expression on her face the whole movie and she looked like she didn't want to be there.

In the original the manager's name is Nick Donati. In the remake, his name is Willy Grogan. Donati in the original is a lot less likable than Grogan in the remake. They are both into the mob for money and they are both looking to milk Galahad for all he's worth. But Grogan doesn't actually "dislike" Galahad until he falls for his kid sister. He feels he's not good enough. Grogan is also watched by the mob because he may be a witness to a murder. In the original, Donati doesn't really like Galahad from the start and really hates him after he finds out he's going to marry his younger sister. In the original, Donati tries to get Galahad killed. He sends him into a big title fight that he's not ready for, makes him fight all wrong, and bets everything on the other guy. It's not until the end that he has a change of heart. In the remake, Grogan sets up the big title fight for Galahad and bets everything against him. But in the remake they never tell you whether Galahad is ready or not. All you know is that he could take a punch and hit like Rocky Marciano when he gets in the ring. But Grogan has a change of heart a lot sooner. The mob comes up with a plan to make sure Galahad loses the ending fight. They plan on getting one of their guys in Galahad's corner to make sure Galahad bleeds the whole fight. When they can't pay off Charles Bronson to go away, they break his hands and a fight ensues between the goons and Grogan. Galahad gets there just in time to help Grogan. After Galahad saves him, Grogan changes the way he feels about him. In the original, Donati has a change of heart late. In the remake, Grogan goes into the ring on Galahad's side from the start.

Edward G. Robinson is a great actor. I thought he gave a very good performance. Especially when his sister pleads with him in the end for him to not let Galahad get hurt anymore. The look of guilt on Robinson's face is so real. Jane Bryan was great as Marie Donati. Joan Blackman was good as Grogan's sister Rose, but she never really has a chance in the remake to ever be dramatic or have a tearful scene. Bette Davis was great as Fluff, Donati's girlfriend. Bette Davis gets a lot more to do than Lola Albright. There is a love triangle in the original. Fluff is in love with Galahad, while Galahad loves Marie. In the remake, Albright's character likes Galahad, but never falls for him. Galahad does stand up for her, just as he did in the original for the original character. Lola Albright even gives him the name Galahad as Bette Davis did, but Albright never falls for him. Only once in the movie does Grogan get jealous over his girl with Galahad, but it is never a big part of the story. In the original, Fluff leaves Donati and goes back to singing in a nightclub because she knows she doesn't really love Donati and is in love with Galahad. Galahad is just a young kid in the original that can never see it. In the remake, Albright's character leaves Grogan and goes back to her nightclub act because she is tired of waiting for Grogan to stop gambling and marry her.

Now finally comes Galahad in both versions. Galahad is the good all-American kid in both versions. There's also some of that naivety. But Elvis is much better as Galahad. Elvis is a better actor and has so much more charisma than Wayne Morris, the original Galahad. The boxing scenes are even better in the remake. In the original, there are some good moments, but most of the movie you can tell they sped the film up. It looks like the fights are in fast motion. In the remake they go into Galahad more. They show how he trains and gets better and better. In the remake they show you how the punches never bother him and he has a dynamite right hand he uses to knock guys out. In the original he does have a great right hand and can knock guys out, but he never has the ability to take punishment like Rocky. In the original, the mob isn't as worried about Galahad feeling he's too young and not ready for the big fight. In the remake, they worry that Galahad is ready. I love the soundtrack to Kid Galahad and I love the beginning with Elvis riding on the back of the truck singing. I love when Elvis sings in the movie and one of my personal favorites is the song Elvis does called "I Got Lucky." Elvis looks better in the boxing scenes than Morris and is way more believable as a heavyweight. Wayne Morris is good at playing the nice kid and is okay in the original, but he just doesn't have the charisma of Elvis. When Elvis is on screen, you know he's there. Elvis gave a much better performance. Morris sounded a little fake at times. I recommend both movies. But don't miss the remake. Don't let it stop you that Elvis is in it. It is a well made movie. Even though it's a musical, that doesn't matter because they did a good job on the drama and music.

Another thing the remake has going for it is the beautiful setting the story takes place in. The original is mostly in the city and only a little bit takes place out in the country. The remake is filmed in Idyllwild, California and set in a place called Cream Valley, New York. Cream Valley resembles Catskills, New York and you would think it was filmed there. The scenery was beautiful. Another big thing that really helps me lean more toward the remake is the ending. The ending to the Elvis version is a much better ending. For one, it's a happy ending.

[–] califtom 12 years ago

Sorry but I could not disagree with you more. I thought the original was FAR better than this fluffy remake complete with cheezy songs that took away from the seriousness of the story. The cast and acting in the original was so much better its laughable.

[–] gullwing592003 12 years ago

I too disagree with the original poster. This Elvis version was the 3rd time this story was told making it the 2nd remake. It was first remade in 1941 as "The Wagons Roll At Night" with Humphrey Bogart who was also in the original 1937 version. It's a great story & it's easy to see why it was getting recycled but the songs which are ok were a distraction from the serious story. This version isn't bad for an Elvis film & it's better than usual but the original & the 1941 remake are both superior & better than this musical version.

[–] Mitchel926 12 years ago

No, Elvis' remake is MUCH better. Elvis does a good job in this role and I would much prefer to watch his movie than the other two versions.

[–] gullwing592003 12 years ago

It's ok & one of Elvis's better movies of the 60's but compared to the original 1937 version & even the '41 remake it's a bit cheesy & the direction & pacing was a bit slow.
The songs were getting in the way of the story & don't belong in a boxing drama. And there wasn't enough emphasis on the fight scenes. It's not bad but it would've been better without the music. Overall it has some good moments but it lacks consistency & the romance & the musical aspect was cheesy & unnecessary.

[–] mercury4 11 years ago

Well, Elvis was in the movie and his fans wanted to see him sing. Yes there was music. But the movie had fine dramatic actors like Gig Young and Charles Bronson. Elvis Presley was really good too. Even though it's an Elvis movie, Gig Young is in a large portion of the movie. I have to agree with mitchell926, the Elvis version was more enjoyable. It had a lot going for it. Not just the acting, but the script was decent, the boxing scenes were better, the scenery was beautiful. The drama was even handled well.

By the way, I saw The Wagons Roll At Night. I didn't think that was as good as Kid Galahad 1962. Although that movie wasn't about a fighter. Eddie Albert played a lion tamer and Bogart was sending Albert in with a dangerous lion that was going to kill him. I noticed they kept the line in when his sister says to him in the end, "Don't hate him for loving me." I thought it was a dumb ending. You know the lion is going to rip you apart and you go in with a gun that shoots blanks? Bogart couldn't get a real gun or a real weapon? I would've went in there with a damn axe if I had to. Bogart knew the lion was a killer.

[–] gullwing592003 11 years ago

Elvis never wanted to sing in the movies he wanted to act & movies like "Flaming Star" & "Charro" & "King Creole" really showed his acting side. And so did this remake a serious boxing drama showing Elvis the actor but as soon as he breaks into a song....here we go again. Even though the emphasis was more on the drama & less on the music if Elvis had his way there would've been no songs at all.

Compare this to "Body & Soul" with John Garfield & "The Harder They Fall" with Bogart, very gritty movies showing the fighters getting a savage beating. It would've been great if Elvis really took a beating complete with black eyes, split lip & cauliflower ears like John Garfield & Mike Lane just getting beat to a pulp. As for the Bogart remake "Wagons" it was one of his earliest films as a leading actor & it was well paced & filled with action & at least they kept it serious & was almost as good as the original.

Towards the end where Bogart sends Eddie Albert in the cage with the deadly lion a revenge driven Bogart intentionally gave Albert a gun loaded with blanks knowing Albert would be rendered powerless against a ferocious lion with a gun that only shoots blanks. Making Albert think he's fully armed & it's only from the pleading from Joan Leslie & Sylvia Sidney that Bogart has a change of heart & grabs a gun loaded with bullets to save the kid & it's Bogart that gets attacked & killed by the lion which is tragic.

It was sad that both Robinson & Bogart dies in the end & yes Gig Young & Charles Bronson were good & helped elevate the Elvis version.

[–] mercury4 11 years ago

It's funny you should mention Body and Soul. I just watched it last night. Great movie. The Harder They Fall was great too. Did you ever see Cinderella Man? I just watched that one not too long ago. That was a good one.

I know Elvis didn't like the singing. I loved him in Flaming Star. That was a powerful movie. It was a good Western filled with action and drama. But did you know that the scene in Flaming Star when he's singing was added in later? Test screen audiences wanted to see him sing. I'm not saying it's what he wanted, but the fans wanted him to sing. I agree that Gig Young and Charles Bronson helped elevate the movie. Kid Galahad with Elvis wasn't just some silly Elvis movie. He made a lot of silly ones, but that wasn't one of them. I still have to say that the Elvis version is better. The Galahad in the original was pretty bad. I feel like Elvis was perfect for the part. I also liked the ending a lot better. Charro was good too by the way. I liked the theme and he didn't sing in the movie. It could've been better. Imagine of Sam Peckinpah made Charro with Elvis. That would've been cool.

In The Wagon Rides at Night I thought Bogart went in with the gun shooting blanks. Didn't he? Doesn't he start shooting to scare the lion away from Eddie Albert? I thought it was dumb. I would've went in there either with a loaded gun or some kind of weapon. Even if it was an axe. After the lion mauled Bogart, I remember Eddie Albert trying to save him. He picks him up and he starts shooting the gun with the blanks.

I gave the original Kid Galahad a chance. I love the classics. I actually thought the original Scarface was better than the remake with Pacino. I still love the Pacino version though. But I just didn't like the original Galahad. One of the weakest things about it was the guy playing Kid Galahad and in my opinion, the Elvis version has so much going for it.

[–] gullwing592003 11 years ago

I'm not trying to change your mind about liking the original version better than the Elvis remake. I'm a fan of Bogart & Robinson & of Elvis & I agree this is one of Elvis' better movies & it's not as formulated. It respects the original while trying to please the "fans". No I didn't know that the one scene where Elvis sings was added in later in "Flaming Star". I didn't mind Elvis singing in the beginning of the movie b4 the drama & action & violence. It fit because it was a birthday party scene & it's better than singing "Happy Birthday".

What I did learn was the success of "G.I. Blues" gave Elvis some control over the making of "Flaming Star", the scene where Elvis & Steve Forrest are on horseback heading to the general store well hollywood & Tom Parker wanted Elvis to sing a song called "Britches" while riding a horse but Elvis refused & said no because he thought it would look silly. I think he was right we've already had the "singing cowboys". As for "Charro" it's a decent western with no songs in the movie it reminds me of a Clint Eastwood style western I liked how Elvis really got into his role of a lawman with a beard & mustache. It was good but it could've been better but at least Elvis got to act & be serious.

No I haven't seen "Cinderella Man" I'll have to look for it. Yes the original "Scarface" is better than the remake in my opinion because I saw the original first long before the remake existed & I love the old classics. I'll have to watch the Bogart version "Wagons" again to see if he grabs a gun with bullets or blanks.