The Bermondsey Kid (1933) - Weirdly Fun Old-School Boxing Melodrama

If you have seventy minutes to spare and love old British melodramas where people shout "Extra! Extra!", The Bermondsey Kid is actually worth a look. Modern action fans will absolutely hate it, but anyone who loves dusty, forgotten cinema will find it charming. 🥊

It's basically about a poor newsboy who has to box his own very sick best friend for a championship title. Yes, you read that right.

They make the friend look so incredibly ill from the start that you wonder why the referee doesn't just call an ambulance. He has these massive dark circles under his eyes that look like they were drawn on with charcoal.

The film reminds me a bit of The Happy Warrior, but with way more yelling and less poetic grace. It's much cruder, which honestly makes it more fun.

I love how the main guy sells papers. He doesn't just yell; he practically *screams* at the camera with his cap tilted at a ridiculous angle.

There's a scene in a gym where a guy in the background is just lifting the same tiny dumbbell for about three minutes straight. He looks so bored I thought he might fall asleep mid-curl. 💤

The actual boxing matches are hilarious because nobody seems to know how to actually punch. They just sort of flail their arms around like they are trying to scare off a swarm of angry bees.

The sound quality is pretty rough too, which actually adds to the vibe. Every time someone gets hit, there is this weird thud sound that sounds like someone hitting a dusty rug with a broom.

Esmond Knight is in this, and he's always decent, but the script doesn't give him much to do besides look worried. Everyone is constantly looking worried.

The ending is super abrupt. It just sort of... stops after the big fight, like the filmmakers ran out of tape or had to catch a bus.

Still, it’s got a weird energy that keeps you watching. It's a silly, fast-paced relic that doesn't overstay its welcome.