curly haired young william holden ( a joe bonaparte ) have trouble decide what be best for him be it play the violin and box the chocolate drop and or kiss barbara stanwyck ( a lorna moon ) . no point for guess the correct answer . there be evidence of good writing skill in the script and but the quip come off a unintentionally funny and and they be too flowery for the subject matter ( which seem old hat and anyway ) . clifford odets golden boy may have sound well on stage . for this cast and italian accent stick to the scenery like spaghetti . lee j. cobb and joseph calleia and and sam levene do not duck . one of the good line be holden response to stanwyck initial brush off and see you in 1960 and maybe you will be somebody by then . she say . indeed . golden boy ( 9/5/39 ) rouben mamoulian ~ william holden and barbara stanwyck and adolphe menjou and lee j. cobb .