Early into this movie, I realized that this film was familiar. The John Garfield film "They Made Me a Criminal" is essentially a remake of "The Life of Jimmy Dolan".
The film begins with Jimmy Dolan (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.) winning the light-heavyweight championship. We tells the reporters that he owes it all to clean living and credits his mother as his inspiration. But he's a total phony. In a drunken party later that night, he admits he doesn't even have a mother! Unfortunately, one of the guests is a reporter and when Jimmy finds out, he slugs him! The guy falls backwards--dead! And soon after, Jimmy falls down--drunk! Jimmy's two 'friends' make a getaway but are themselves killed, as the driver (Lyle Talbot) was drunk. When Jimmy awakens later, he learns that the man he hit has died AND the two who died in the fiery car wreck have been identified as Jimmy and his girlfriend! So, Jimmy decides to stay incognito--otherwise he might go to jail for the killing. The only person who thinks the charred man is NOT Dolan is an old cop--who everyone thinks is a nut (Guy Kibbee).
Broke and on the run, eventually Jimmy ends up in the middle of nowhere (Utah) and is taken in by Aline MacMahon and Loretta Young who live on a farm and take care of handicapped kids. It's all very tough to believe, but since it was made by Warner Brothers, it's also quite fun--and well worth seeing. Fairbanks does his usual excellent job and MacMahon is amusing as a pugnacious Scot!
By the way, one weakness that this film and the remake both have is that you'd think if someone is a champion boxer that some people would soon recognize him--even in the country. Also, the two films end VERY differently and in the remake the boxer did NOT actually kill the guy--he just thought he did!! Apparently the new Production Code required the leading man actually not be a killer!
look for the kids on MacMahon & Young's property--that's Mickey Rooney and Allen 'Farina' Hoskins (from the Little Rascals). Also, look closely for a bit part by Edward Arnold as a cop and John Wayne.
The film begins with Jimmy Dolan (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.) winning the light-heavyweight championship. We tells the reporters that he owes it all to clean living and credits his mother as his inspiration. But he's a total phony. In a drunken party later that night, he admits he doesn't even have a mother! Unfortunately, one of the guests is a reporter and when Jimmy finds out, he slugs him! The guy falls backwards--dead! And soon after, Jimmy falls down--drunk! Jimmy's two 'friends' make a getaway but are themselves killed, as the driver (Lyle Talbot) was drunk. When Jimmy awakens later, he learns that the man he hit has died AND the two who died in the fiery car wreck have been identified as Jimmy and his girlfriend! So, Jimmy decides to stay incognito--otherwise he might go to jail for the killing. The only person who thinks the charred man is NOT Dolan is an old cop--who everyone thinks is a nut (Guy Kibbee).
Broke and on the run, eventually Jimmy ends up in the middle of nowhere (Utah) and is taken in by Aline MacMahon and Loretta Young who live on a farm and take care of handicapped kids. It's all very tough to believe, but since it was made by Warner Brothers, it's also quite fun--and well worth seeing. Fairbanks does his usual excellent job and MacMahon is amusing as a pugnacious Scot!
By the way, one weakness that this film and the remake both have is that you'd think if someone is a champion boxer that some people would soon recognize him--even in the country. Also, the two films end VERY differently and in the remake the boxer did NOT actually kill the guy--he just thought he did!! Apparently the new Production Code required the leading man actually not be a killer!
look for the kids on MacMahon & Young's property--that's Mickey Rooney and Allen 'Farina' Hoskins (from the Little Rascals). Also, look closely for a bit part by Edward Arnold as a cop and John Wayne.