Spirit of Youth Reviews

Shortly after beginning his reign as world heavyweight champion, Joe Louis starred with a predominantly black cast in this weak film about a young fighter's rise from the streets to Golden Gloves competition and eventually on to the big time. Along the way the fighter (Louis) becomes smitten with a nightclub singer, falls prey to the temptations of life in the fast lane, allows his training regimen to suffer, and loses his first fight as a result. After repenting, he makes a comeback and earns a title shot, though he takes a terrible beating from the champ until he spots his old girl friend (read: true love) in the stands and musters the stuff champions are made of. Though Louis hardly distinguishes himself as an actor here, he went on to appear in a number of other films, including JOE PALOOKA, CHAMP and THE SQUARE JUNGLE. The Brown Bomber's own story came to the screen in 1953 in the well-done JOE LOUIS STORY, in which look-alike Coley Wallace gives a fine portrayal of the champ.