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Small French movie poster for the 1939 film titled
L'Esclave aux mains d'or, which translates to Golden Boy in English. The film stars Barbara Stanwyck, Adolphe Menjou, and in his first major role, William Holden.
Synopsis
The movie is a drama based on a 1937 play by Clifford Odets. It tells the story of Joe Bonaparte (William Holden), a talented concert violinist who is also a skilled boxer. He is torn between a career in music, which his father supports, and a potentially lucrative, but dangerous, path in prizefighting.
The Conflict: Joe pursues boxing for money, risking injury to his hands, which are essential for his music.
The Relationships: His manager, Tom Moody (Adolphe Menjou), and Moody's girlfriend, Lorna Moon (Barbara Stanwyck), try to keep Joe in the ring. Lorna eventually falls in love with Joe.
The Climax: Drawn into the world of a local gangster, Joe accidentally kills an opponent during a big fight.
The Resolution: Shaken by the tragedy, Joe leaves boxing and returns to his music with Lorna by his side.
This film is also notable for cementing a lifelong friendship between Stanwyck and Holden; Stanwyck reportedly advocated for Holden to stay in the film when the studio wanted to fire him during production. |
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