The Flanagan Boy (released in the United States as Bad Blonde) is a 1953 British film noir directed by Reginald Le Borg. It was made by Hammer Film Productions and stars Barbara Payton, Tony Wright, Frederick Valk and Sid James. It was based on the 1949 novel of the same name by Max Catto.

Plot

Shady promoter Sharkey spots young boxer Johnny Flanagan in a fairground booth fight and takes him under his wing, in an attempt to launch a comeback into prizefighting. He secures the backing of wealthy Italian Giuseppe Vecchi, but problems arise when Flanagan becomes romantically involved with Vecchi's wife Lorna. Falsely claiming to be pregnant with his child, Lorna persuades Flanagan to drown Vecchi. Flanagan's career fails and he is poisoned by Lorna, who makes it appear a suicide. Sharkey takes revenge on Lorna.

Cast

Reception

In a contemporary reviews, Kine Weekly said "Exuberant murder melodrama, containing prominent sex overtones and a fight racket fringe. ... Elegant and apposite settings appropriately complete the rugged mixture of fisticuffs, romance and crime. A meaty dish, it's bound to go down with the crowd."; Monthly Film Bulletin wrote "A lurid little melodrama, with toughly realistic portraits of boxing world characters, a solid performance by Frederick Valk as Vecchi, and Barbara Payton as a flashy sex-menace. Made in England by an American director, the film copies American 'B' models quite competently and unpleasantly."; Variety said "Lower-grade dualler toplining Barbara Payton. ... Footage is a hodge-podge of trite melodrama, unbelievable dialog and poor thesping." In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Lurid stuff, quite strongly made." Leslie Halliwell called the film: "Competent British imitation of an American B movie."

Retrospective appraisal

The Bad Blonde/Flanagan Boy’s low-budget pedigree is evident, and attributable to Hammer studio’s “draconian cost-consciousness,” according film historian Wheeler W. Dixon. Terming the film “a routine tale of murder and romantic betrayal” he adds: "The film might have been an interesting but obvious thriller, but was overlong, even at eighty minutes, and seems static and stagebound throughout its running time." Dixon merits Sid James, famous for his Carry On material, as “easily the best thing about the film.”