The Big Chance

The Big Chance were it not for the presence of 13 year old Mickey Rooney in a supporting role would have been consigned to the Hollywood dustbin years ago. The film was produced by a poverty row outfit called Eagle Studios and it shows.

Johnny Darrow who plays the lead is a young boxer who's being built up as a contender by a crooked promoter with a series of set up wins. The promoter Matthew Betz has it in mind that Darrow get a match with the champion and then it would be Darrow's turn to dive. Just make it all look good.

Things do go awry when Darrow meets and falls for country girl Merna Kennedy who starts keeping company with him even though she has a bible beating father who when he first meets Darrow objects to him doing road work on the Sabbath. Kennedy's younger brother Mickey Rooney comes to idolize Darrow as well, all of these people not realizing Darrow is not on the up and up.

The Big Chance will follow in the normal parameters of boxing films. If this had been done at Warner Brothers James Cagney would have been the star. Its lack of production values don't warrant it given much of a rating. However with the presence of the eternal Mick in the cast The Big Chance will be preserved and seen for generations.