Golden Boy | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

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Critics Reviews Audience Reviews My Rating Cast & Crew More Like This Photos Golden Boy

83%

Tomatometer

6 Reviews

46%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Handsome Joe Bonaparte (William Holden) is a fine violin player, but he decides to try boxing instead. His father (Lee J. Cobb) tries to persuade him not to throw away his musical talent, but Joe is determined to make some money. He is helped by promoter Tom Moody (Adolphe Menjou), whose girlfriend, Lorna Moon (Barbara Stanwyck) also encourages the young pugilist. Joe is successful, but he becomes disillusioned with the fight game when a tragedy in the ring leads to darker times.

Critics Reviews

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Pare Lorentz

McCall's

Odets’ incredible gift of characterization still comes through the inept direction, and bad acting, and William Holden, as the youngster, does a fair job.

Dec 27, 2023

Full Review

Elena de la Torre

Cine-Mundial

William Holden... has unreservedly succeeded under [director Rouben Mamoulian's] careful guidance. [Full review in Spanish]

May 24, 2021

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Despite a compromised version and imposed happy ending, Odets' sports melodrama still holds emotional and dramatic power due to the acting of William Holden, then 21, in a role that catapulted him to overnight stardom and Stanwyck as the dame from Newark

Rated: B+

Mar 19, 2008

Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

Golden Boy is a disappointment, but not without its moments.

Jan 3, 2008

Full Review

Bullz-Eye.com

Rated: 3/5

Nov 24, 2007

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Mamoulian's film holds together even if it can't completely overcome all its clichés.

Rated: B

Sep 6, 2006

Full Review

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Audience Reviews

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Steve D Solid but predictable boxing film with great acting. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/20/23 Full Review John M Outstanding performances by everyone! All should see this classic. When I heard Holden was in the movie, I wanted to see it and did, and when he came on the screen I did not know it was him! When the boxing actually is shown to the audience it was really thrilling and then out of no where came the fatal blow. Shocking! Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/02/18 Full Review ashley h Golden Boy is a decent film. It is about Joe Bonaparte wants to be a boxer despite his musical talent. Barbara Stanwyck and William Holden give good performance. The screenplay is a little slow in places. Rouben Mamoulian did an alright job. I liked this motion picture because of the drama and romance. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member William Holder's first movie - comes on too strong as does Lee J. Cobb. Musician becomes boxer. Stanwyck and Menjou were good. Also Caesar Romero. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member Great movie. William Holden stars in this film as a violinist turned boxer. He must choose in the end whether to follow his passion for music or to help make a wealthier life as a boxer, but being a boxer isn't as easy as it seems to be. With nice performance from Barbara stanwyck, lee j Cobb, adolphe menjou and Joseph calleia, and also, with a superb music accompanying the scenes, this, in my opinion, was a fantastic movie to watch. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/03/23 Full Review Audience Member A young man is tempted to give up his talent for the violin to start a career in prizefighting, encouraged by an unscrupulous manager and his seductive girlfriend. The screenplay is far from perfect and goes downhill from start to end. Holden and Stanwick give good performances. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Golden Boy

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Cast & Crew

Rouben Mamoulian Director Barbara Stanwyck Lorna Moon Adolphe Menjou Tom Moody William Holden Joe Bonaparte Lee J. Cobb Mr. Bonaparte Joseph Calleia Eddie Fuseli

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Golden Boy

Golden Boy (1939)

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Synopsis Handsome Joe Bonaparte (William Holden) is a fine violin player, but he decides to try boxing instead. His father (Lee J. Cobb) tries to persuade him not to throw away his musical talent, but Joe is determined to make some money. He is helped by promoter Tom Moody (Adolphe Menjou), whose girlfriend, Lorna Moon (Barbara Stanwyck) also encourages the young pugilist. Joe is successful, but he becomes disillusioned with the fight game when a tragedy in the ring leads to darker times.

Director: Rouben Mamoulian
Producer: William Perlberg
Screenwriter: Lewis Meltzer, Daniel Taradash, Sarah Y. Mason, Victor Heerman
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 22, 2016
Runtime: 1h 39m