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.
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.