Wednesday, February 21 @ 7:30 PM / NEIU — The Auditorium at NEIU — 3701 W Bryn Mawr Ave
Tickets: $10 at the door
KID GALAHAD
Directed by Phil Karlson • 1962
Welcome to Grogan’s Gaelic Gardens resort in picturesque Cream Valley, New York, home to sleazy part-time boxing promoter and full-time gambler Willy Grogan and his long-suffering “fiancée” (depending on whether you ask him or her). When a young GI played by Elvis Presley literally falls off the back of a truck into town, it doesn’t take long for Grogan to find out he’s not too bad with the gloves, or at least seems to have an extremely hard skull. The velvet-voiced newcomer begins training under Lew (a solid performance by Charles Bronson, who may look better in jeans and a sweatshirt than any man alive) in preparation for a big fight that promises to solve Willy’s money problems. Presley sings, he dances, he gets punched in the face! A lot. It was his sixth film in less than two years, so he may not have noticed. He also gets cozy with Willy’s sister, an Audrey Horne look-alike played by Joan Blackman, who receives the brunt of his ballads. Kid Galahad had behind-the-scenes assistance from real-life former light welterweight champion Mushy Callahan (“I’m having an awful time with Elvis because he looks too GOOD”) and was helmed by talented director (and Chicago native) Phil Karlson, of Kansas City Confidential and Gunman’s Walk fame. While Southern California is about as convincing at playing the Catskills as Elvis is at playing a boxer, if you let the Hollywood magic do its work you’ll be rewarded with a spirited romance filmed on location in stunning timber-chic Idyllwild, CA, a whole lot of angelic crooning, and numerous scenes of Elvis in shorts. So basically, your money’s worth. (RL)
96 min • United Artists • 35mm from Park Circus
Watch a trailer for the film here
Preceded by: Elvis trailer reel – 10 min – 35mm
NEXT UP: MESSIAH OF EVIL on Monday, February 26 at Music Box