There are only really two reasons why I found this film interesting and they have nothing to do with the film itself. 1) Holden is so young. I know he was about 21 when he made this film and he looks it. It's amazing to me how much his looks changed in the 10 or so years between Golden Boy and Sunset Boulevard. I hardly recognized him in Golden Boy. His voice was different and he didn't even look the same. He sort of looks like a younger, less beefy Tony Curtis. In fact Tony Curtis would have been a great Golden Boy if they had made the film in the late 40s instead of the late 30s.
I think another issue with Golden Boy is Holden's inexperience. This film was his first real role and he was having many issues during the production of this film. It was almost to the point where he was going to be replaced. Which brings me to... 2) The other reason I found this film interesting is the behind the scenes story of how Barbara Stanwyck fought for William Holden to remain in the film after the producers wanted to replace him, which began a lifelong friendship between Stanwyck and Holden.
I think the casting of Lee J. Cobb (who was only 7 years older than Holden) as Holden's immigrant father was ridiculous. Of all of the great older character actors that would have been available at the time, they had to makeup a younger person to pretend to be twice their age. It just didn't work for me. And the result was a jaw-droppingly awful performance by Cobb -(like bad on a "Sofia in Godfather III" -level scale, but in a whole different way.). Seriously, Holden owed HIM a bigger debt than Stanwyck- who should've allowed young Bill to bail on this turkey at the first open exit door he saw.
Still, I give it a five mainly because of Stanwyck, always a trooper in whatever film she was in.
I think another issue with Golden Boy is Holden's inexperience. This film was his first real role and he was having many issues during the production of this film. It was almost to the point where he was going to be replaced. Which brings me to... 2) The other reason I found this film interesting is the behind the scenes story of how Barbara Stanwyck fought for William Holden to remain in the film after the producers wanted to replace him, which began a lifelong friendship between Stanwyck and Holden.
I think the casting of Lee J. Cobb (who was only 7 years older than Holden) as Holden's immigrant father was ridiculous. Of all of the great older character actors that would have been available at the time, they had to makeup a younger person to pretend to be twice their age. It just didn't work for me. And the result was a jaw-droppingly awful performance by Cobb -(like bad on a "Sofia in Godfather III" -level scale, but in a whole different way.). Seriously, Holden owed HIM a bigger debt than Stanwyck- who should've allowed young Bill to bail on this turkey at the first open exit door he saw.
Still, I give it a five mainly because of Stanwyck, always a trooper in whatever film she was in.