I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

What a fantastic movie when you consider how boxing movies of today have been made. Errol Flynn was an icon himself and playing the character of gentleman Jim certainly didn't harm his career. Any young boxer who is considering a career should watch this, it not only happened but it helped boxing become one of the most watched sports.

There's something about Gentleman Jim which makes the film uplifting, it has a real aura of celebration to it. There's nothing better than hearing Auld Lang Sang during the opening credits of a piece of classic Hollywood filmmaking. Compare this to the many bleak biopics which portray historical figures going through unprecedented amounts of suffering, Gentleman Jim really stands out with its combination of comedy and drama which never takes itself too seriously to create something unique; historical accuracy be dammed!Errol Flynn and Jack Carson make for a fun duo as a pair of part time con-men. Flynn's reaction at the film's beginning to the pickpocket currently in the act of robbing him, just a quick "get outta there" and a slap on the wrist as he continues himself to con other people, it's so brief you would almost miss it and if it doesn't show what a great actor he is then I don't know what will; such sly confidence.Gentleman Jim is a movie full of blink-and-you-miss-them moments of subtle comedy. One of my favourite of these is the moment in which a child asks his mother during a fight "why doesn't daddy look that like in his underwear" and her response of "shh, he did once". I love the child's reaction with his eye's rolling up as if he's saying"oh, I totally get it". The movie does also have its more overt moments of humour in the form of Corbett's entertaining family of screwballs led by a scenery chewing Alan Hale. Yet even Hale's chewing of the scenery is outdone by Ward Bond as the over the top, manly force of nature that is John L. Sullivan.Gentleman Jim differs from most boxing film partially due to its time period setting. The film acts as a piece of 1890's nostalgia when there would still have been people alive in 1942 to remember this period. It is easily apparent the filmmakers put great strides into recreating the time period with its lush sets and great attention to detail. However the other aspect which makes the movie stand out amongst boxing pictures is its presentation of boxing as a real gentleman's sport, making the movie really live up to its title. This isn't a story with Rocky Balboas nor does it take place in sweaty, gritty inner city gyms. I guess somewhere along the way the sport of boxing became less sophisticated and more middle to lower class.Classic Hollywood films are generally not known for their realistic boxing scenes with their use of sped up footage and not very convincing punches. Gentleman Jim does a better job than other boxing films of the era. Flynn learned to box for the role and no body doubles where used while the fights for the most part do come off as convincing. The meeting between Corbett and Sullivan after their fight is the film's real tearjerker moment: what true gentlemen. An acceptance that your time has come to an end and that it will happen to all of us eventually.

One of Walsh's best films. It's directed with tremendous zest and gusto, yet with painstaking attention to detail. No doubles are used in the boxing scenes which all come across with edge-of-the-seat excitement. The witty script presents an array of flesh-and-blood characters instead of the usual Hollywood stereotypes. And it's not afraid to present even Corbett himself in an unflattering light. All the characters in fact are fully rounded. No attempt is made to gloss over their faults, although nearly everyone is pretty likable. The players do a sterling job in bringing these characters to life. Flynn delivers one of his best performances as the bumptious and boorishly over-confident but quick-thinking Corbett. Flynn makes us like Corbett by the sheer force of his personality (although, of course, Corbett doesn't do anything to antagonize us – if we accept his constant needling of John L. Sullivan). Production values are extraordinarily lavish with breath-taking sets, crowds of extras, gorgeous costumes – plus high camera angles to show them all off!

Those fight crowds are about the last word in boisterous enthusiasm, making this one of the noisiest films of the period. Nonetheless, the production is expertly done by a crew of Warner Bros. veterans. Note how skillfully a humorous touch is blended into the screenplay, and how smoothly Flynn plays the brashly charming Irishman. Also, I really like the romantic angle between Corbett and Victoria (Smith). It's anything but the usual sappy Hollywood romance. They trade barbs throughout, but are still able to convey an underlying affection.The movie's also a good little glimpse of how prize fighting evolved into a sport using the Marquis of Queensbury rules. Corbett is able to best bigger and stronger opponents because of the boxing skills favored by the rules, skills especially evident in his match against the brawling Sullivan (Bond). To his credit, Flynn apparently did all the boxing moves himself without the aid of a double. Of course, the movie highlight is the wonderfully played reconciliation scene between the old champ and the new. There Bond and Flynn prove that if you have a basic level of sensitivity, you don't have to be an Oscar caliber actor to effectively move an audience.Anyway, I could have used a little less mock brawling among the Corbett family. But everything is brought off in such smooth light-hearted fashion, it's hard to complain too strongly. All in all, the movie shows the kind of seamless craftsmanship old Hollywood could occasionally come up with.