james j. corbett and heavyweight champion of the world from 1892 to 1897 and turn out to be errol flynn favorite role . possibly because he do not have to wield a sword or be in a western . he grow tire of the swashbuckler and he say in his autobiography that he felt he be miscast in western and couldn not understand why people like him in them . it be an enjoyable film and but hardly do tell the real story of james j. corbett . a portrayed corbett be the first scientific boxer to win in the heavyweight division and a man who use brain and speed more than brute strength to win . he defeat john l. sullivan and lose to bob fitzsimmons the heavyweight crown . he be also a compulsive womanizer and in that be a lot like the man portray him . of course that be not show on the screen . the character that alexis smith play and the banker daughter who fall for him and have no basis in reality . corbett be in fact marry twice and be flagrantly unfaithful with both of his wife . also though after he lose his title and after the event of this film be conclude he suffer a great personal tragedy . his father in a moment of depression and probably over finance because he lose heavily bet on his son to beat bob fitzsimmons and shoot his mother and then turn the gun on himself . the murder or suicide hardly square with the happy clan that alan hale preside over . one thing though that i do like about gentleman jim . ward bond get the career role of his life in play john l. sullivan . director raoul walsh get a great performance out of bond a the blustering and but lovable sullivan . even give some of sullivan bad point that do not make it to the screen like rabid racism and bond portrayal be the quintessential john l. and the best thing about gentleman jim . speaking of racism and one thing that should have be tell be the fact that sullivan while champion refuse on ground of race to meet peter jackson who be black and from australia and probably the best heavyweight of his time . i say probably because a a challenger corbett meet him and fight him for 61 round to a draw . that fight more than any other create a demand for a sullivan corbett title match . of course when corbett be champion he refuse to give jackson a title shot . maybe he do not want another 61 round marathon with someone who may have be well on that particular day . gentleman jim be not jim corbett story and it be a movie of errol flynn playing at be james j. corbett . but corbett have he be alive in 1942 no doubt would have love the movie and love flynn portrayal of his life . it a he would have like to have be remember .