Kid Monk Baroni

The chief apostle of calm and logic as an approach to life made a screen debut in this film Kid Monk Baroni. Leonard Nimoy who became famous as Mr. Spock of Star Trek played many a tough guy like the title role in this film.

Nimoy is a kid with a real chip on his shoulder and it's about his looks. Not exactly blessed with the looks Tyrone Power, Nimoy learns the manly art of pugilism courtesy of the neighborhood priest Richard Rober. What to do but make his temper and his new boxing skills pay off. He goes to Bruce Cabot as a manager and soon enough gets into the big time.

For all the years of being teased and ridiculed about his looks, Nimoy makes it all pay in the ring. He even gets himself a fast stepping new girlfriend in Mona Knox to the consternation of Allene Roberts from the old neighborhood.

And then he gets some plastic surgery courtesy of all the money he's made in the ring he hasn't spent on Knox. That leads to quite a change of attitude and style.

Elements of Champion are very much present in the plot of Kid Monk Baroni. Jack Larson is in the film as well in the Arthur Kennedy role as opposed to Nimoy's Kirk Douglas.

Kid Monk Baroni is a no frills independent B picture. It is a nice boxing story however and Nimoy makes an impressive debut.