The Mighty McGurk

If you're a big fan of Wallace Beery, as I am, you'll be disappointed with this rehash of the common theme that Beery is rough on the outside but sweet inside. Beery's best days were in the 30s, and by 1947 he is far too old to be playing the "Champ" or even the ex-Champ. Do yourself a favor and give this one a miss. Go back and see "The Champ" again. Among my favorite Beery films - "Dinner at 8", "Big House", "Treasure Island".. and for a hoot, "Viva Villa"

Watching a film like The MIghty McGurk and seeing those scenes between former pug Wallace Beery and young English orphan Dean Stockwell you can hardly believe you are seeing one of the great misanthropes of the last century. I can't find anyone who enjoyed working with Wallace Beery..

Still seeing The Mighty McGurk might convince you Beery was the greatest actor who ever lived knowing what we know about him. This film has Beery working for saloonkeeper Edward Arnold as a bragging bouncer on retainer. Beery gets an assignment to pick up Arnold's daughter Dorothy Patrick over from the boat from Great Britain. But he muffs it and winds up with young English orphan Dean Stockwell who has come over to be with his uncle who has taken a powder with company funds.

So the two are kind of stuck with each other. If you've seen Treasure Island or The Champ with Beery and young Jackie Cooper you know what you'll get with this film.

As for Arnold he wants the corner location of the Salvation Army has on The Bowery where former fighter and Beery protege Cameron Mitchell is running the place. He wants Beery's help to get him out one way or another. Gives Beery some critical choices to make. Aline McMahon gets the roles that usually went to Marie Dressler or Marjorie Main as the pawnbroker who Beery parks his championship belt with when he needs a few bucks.

The Mighty McGurk is a pleasant piece of turn of the last century nostalgia.

Wallace Beery who plays former heavyweight champion Roy 'Slag' McGurk encapsulates what a diversified actor must be able to bring to the large screen for not only a successful box office picture, but for a vastly entertaining one for decades of future movie goers such as myself. Beery's facial expressions and body mannerisms are priceless and he utilizes his full ensemble in this charming 1940's black and white family themed picture to draw you in and keep us all entertained.

Director John Waters not only knew what he had in a bonafide star of Wallace Beery's calibre he also surrounded his film The Mighty McGurk with a terrific supporting cast such as with the little English born orphan boy Nipper (played by the great character actor Dean Stockwell), the mean spirited bar owner Mike Glenson (Edward Arnold), a former boxing middleweight turned Salvation Army recruiter named Johnny Burden (Cameron Mitchell) and a high spirited pawn shop owner named Mamie Steeple (Aline MacMahon) round out a uniquely entertaining cast and story.

Oh, did I fail to mention that director John Waters chooses to even bring out the "big guns" in the cutest little dog nicknamed "Pat" because the orphan boy Nipper likes the way his runaway dog "pats" his little tail on the floor? It's a great family film for the ages that centers around an over the hill boxer who wants to be considered a world champion until this orphan boy named Nipper means more to him than all the money in the world and if that is not enough for you, than the dog named Pat will surely win your heart of cold hearts over.

It's a great film for 1947 and surely under rated.

The Mighty McGurk

After retiring from the ring most boxers take cushy jobs as crash-test dummies.

However, the prizefighter in this drama spends his days bouncing at a dive bar.

Former heavyweight champion Slag McGurk (Wallace Beery) now works the door at Mike's (Edward Arnold) tavern. When presented with the chance to partner on Mike's latest venture, Slag jumps at the chance to help his friend ruin the Salvation Army so Mike can expand. But as he rounds up thugs to help Slag meets an orphan (Dean Stockwell) that convinces him to stand-up to Mike.

While the story of a lovable ex-fighter finding their fire in an adoring orphan isn't all that new, this 1947 take on the dynamic is an amiable attempt that has plenty of barroom brawls to whet the appetite of fight fans.

Furthermore, this film finally proves that boxing gloves are not made out of the skins of orphans. Yellow Light

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Although The Mighty McGurk isn't a remake of The Champ, it was a really lazy casting choice to put Wallace Beery in the lead role. He plays a former prize fighter, the champion of the world! Years later, he divides his time between the saloon and the pawn shop, where he's in constant battle with the proprietress, Aline MacMahon, with selling his prize fighting belt. He goes to the dock to pick up Edward Arnold's daughter, back from a long voyage, but instead finds a young Dean Stockwell with a sign around his neck. Sound familiar? After The Green Years, it was a no-brainer to put Dean in this orphan role. He's just adorable, and I was so frustrated with Wallace that it took him so long to warm up to the sweet, little baby. If I had a little boy with Dean's curls, I would spoil him rotten! He would never have to go to bed on time, eat his spinach, or do his chores. So it's a good thing I don't.

I'm really not a Wallace Beery fan, so this isn't a movie I'll probably watch again. But I did enjoy seeing Dean and his cute little puppy. It's not a very original story, and you can draw a lot of parallels between it and Little Miss Marker of 1934. But if you liked Shirley Temple's version, you can try this one.