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5.8/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.8/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Personality Kid remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like old-school boxing flicks, you might be tempted to put this on. Honestly, keep scrolling. It’s for folks who have a weird obsession with 1930s character actors or people who just want something playing in the background while they do laundry. If you hate characters who make the same bad decision every ten minutes, you are going to want to throw your remote at the screen.
Pat O'Brien plays Ritzy, and he is just… a lot. He’s got that fast-talking, charming-but-actually-awful vibe that I guess was supposed to be lovable back then. Now? He just feels like that guy at the bar who won't stop talking about his glory days, even though he's mostly just losing.
Don't go into this expecting a sports movie. The actual boxing scenes feel like an afterthought. They happen, sure, but they’re mostly there to get Ritzy from point A to point B. It’s more about the backstage squabbling and the way he treats his wife. Joan is the only one with any sense, but she’s constantly getting steamrolled by his nonsense.
There’s this one scene where they’re supposed to be saving money for a house or a shop or something normal. Ritzy turns around and spends it or gambles it or just acts like a total clown. It’s exhausting to watch. I found myself rooting for the other guy in the ring just so the movie would maybe shift focus to someone else.
It’s not as soul-crushing as Rain, but it’s definitely not as fun as Our Hospitality. It occupies this weird, dusty middle ground. It's a B-movie that knows it’s a B-movie, but it still acts like it’s gunning for an award.
The pacing is a bit weird. It drags in the middle when they’re in the dressing rooms, and then it rushes through the important stuff at the end. It feels like the editors were just tired and wanted to go home. I can't blame them, honestly. I felt the same way.
There’s a bit of a tangent involving a manager named Mushy Callahan, who is a real boxer, which is a nice touch if you care about that sort of thing. It adds a tiny bit of grit, but the movie immediately washes it away with more scenes of people arguing in fancy hotel rooms. It’s a shame, really.
If you’re looking for a hidden gem, this isn't it. It’s just a relic. A noisy, slightly annoying, very talky relic. 🥊
IMDb —
1933
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