Laughing Irish Eyes: A boxing movie that forgot to box

If you are looking for a gritty sports drama, look literally anywhere else. Laughing Irish Eyes is the kind of movie that thinks a good boxing match needs a musical interlude, and if you hate old-school sentimentality, you should stay far away from this one.

The premise is classic: loud American promoter shows up in a sleepy Irish village, spots a guy with big shoulders, and decides he is going to make him a star. It is basically a cartoon version of Ireland. Everyone is either singing or being very stubborn about something.

Phil Regan plays the blacksmith with a lot of sincerity, which is almost annoying given how goofy the script is. He keeps refusing to box, and honestly, I found myself siding with him. Who wants to get punched for money when you have a perfectly good anvil?

There is a weird energy here that reminded me a bit of the awkwardness in Merlusse, though they are obviously totally different animals. The movie really struggles to balance the fighting with the singing. It’s like it’s trying to be two different movies at the same time and failing at both.

The boxing scenes? Forget about them. They have all the intensity of a gentle hug. It is clear they were more interested in the songs than the hooks. Sometimes a guy gets hit and he looks more surprised than hurt. It is kind of charming in a low-budget, messy way, I guess.

The pacing is all over the map. One minute we are in a pub, the next we are at a training camp, and everything just feels like a stage play that someone forgot to edit. There is one shot of a crowd looking excited that stays on screen for about five seconds too long. You can see the extras wondering if they should keep clapping or just go home for lunch.

It is not a good movie by any stretch. But if you have a soft spot for weird, forgotten 30s fluff, it might kill an hour. Just do not expect the visceral, clockwork perfection of Modern Times or anything like that. This is strictly for people who like their cinema with a side of over-the-top accents and unnecessary ballads.

• The blacksmithing scenes look like they were filmed in a closet.
• The promoter is so loud you might want to turn your volume down halfway through.
• Why is there so much singing? Seriously.
• The ending is exactly what you expect, which is somehow both comforting and depressing.