Karry Best movie of this year hands down!

Steinesongo Too many fans seem to be blown away

Dotbankey A lot of fun.

SpunkySelfTwitter It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

wes-connors After getting involved in a punching match, small town San Juan messenger boy Frankie Darro (as Lee Harris) is recruited by jewel thieves as a potential featherweight champ. Of course, it's a front for the criminally minded. While training for a championship bout that will never happen, Mr. Darro meets handsome and heroic mystery man Kane Richmond (as Jerry Carter). Claiming he's researching a book, Mr. Richmond acts more like a detective...Hoping to avoid "The Devil Diamond" curse, superstitious jewelers have employed the father of rooming house hostess June Gale (as Dorothy Lanning) to cut some diamonds. She and Richmond have a mutual romantic interest. Jogging, jumping, and working out on the parallel bars in his cozy sweat pants, Darro arouses attention from boy-crazy Rosita Butler (as Yvonne Wallace). She likes looking at Darro's "pretty muscles," but has trouble getting a kiss...***** The Devil Diamond (1/15/37) Leslie Goodwins ~ Frankie Darro, Kane Richmond, June Gale, Rosita Butler

MartinHafer This film often made very little sense and it made me wonder if perhaps the studio let children or lemurs. The film begins with some businessmen discussing a so-called 'Devil Diamond'--a supposedly cursed large diamond. In order to be able to sell it, they decide to secretly cut it into smaller diamonds. So far, so good. However, they are going to mail it (uninsured even) to a retired diamond cutter and have him do the work. Considering the stone was nearly the size of a doorknob, it was simply insane to imagine anyone handling it in such a cavalier manner.The scene switches to a group of crooks. They have found out about the plan and are going to the town where the diamond is being sent, as they want to steal the stone. However, and here's where it gets goofy, they create a cover story about why they are in this small town--they are there to train a young and relatively dim boxer (Frankie Darro). The only trouble is, Darro looks about as menacing as a jelly donut and the 'trainers' seem to care less about his workout regimen. To make it worse, a couple of the dumb crooks keep picking fights with Darro--making anyone with half a brain to assume they have no interest in training the guy. And, in the process, they are about as incognito as a group of strippers at a Baptist convention! Staying in the diamond cutters home are not just these guys, but a secret agent for the diamond industry (handsome Kane Richmond). Can Richmond thwart these no-goodnicks? And, for that matter, can stupid Frankie Darro figure out that he is NOT in training?! In recent months, I've seen quite a few of Darro's films--mostly ones he co-starred with Mantan Moreland. The sum total of these films sure make me wonder why Darro was a star--even for a tiny independent studio. He just came off as a bit annoying and completely lacked charisma. If I had been in charge of the production, I would have just focused on Richmond--he at least looked and sounded like a leading man. And, while I was at it, I would have tried to find a competent writer or two! Oh, and I would have found some way to make at least a single moment in this film interesting!

JohnHowardReid I was never a great fan of Frankie Darro until I realized that this feisty kid always did his own daring stunts. "The Devil Diamond" proves no exception. The rest of the players are also quite interesting, because (1) this is the last film made by the lovely Joan Gale, and (2) it's the only movie of Rosita Baker. Joan Gale's twin sister, June Gale, had a longer career but played mostly bit parts. Maybe Joan decided to quit which she was ahead. She's a most attractive and charming lass here. Then there's Rosita Baker who gives a very spirited, but entirely "natural" performance as a lovelorn pest who keeps annoying our little hero. Oddly, despite the fact that she virtually steals the movie, this is Miss Baker's only film appearance! Also deserving our attention are Jack Ingram, as the most prominent of the henchmen, and Byron Foulger in an early film role which he quite convincingly plays with a Swedish accent! Admittedly, the story is not much to get excited about, but it packs in an occasional bit of "B"-grade action and is very nicely photographed in SepiaTone.

dbborroughs Kane Richmond and Frankie Darro star in this crime story about the plot to steal a famous cursed diamond before its cut.The plot has gangsters using the notion of training Frankie for a fight as a cover to wait for the diamonds in the boarding house run by the man who's going to cut the diamond. Kane shows up, nominally to research the life of a local figure, however he's really a special agent sent by the jewelers association to keep the diamond safe. Most of the movie is Frankie battling his handlers who are waiting for word the diamond is coming their way and the romantic entanglements of Kane and Frankie.This is enjoyable romp, seemingly aimed more at the family or juvenile audience than a regular picture, this is a good way to spend an afternoon at the movies. Another film that won't win any awards this movie gets points for its humor and its mostly less than serious attitude. (If I must say something bad its that the acting of the woman Kane Richmond falls for is fair at best)