Ringside Report Looks Back at The Golden Age of Boxing Films
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By Brian “The Beret” Young
I was flipping channels the other night looking for a hockey game, or basketball game or any game and I noticed something odd. There were three boxing films on TV. It made me wonder if we are entering a new “Golden Age” in film as much as we appear to be in the ring. Then it gave me an idea, do a piece on the true golden age of boxing films, the 1950’s.
Boxing and film have gone together since the earliest days. Boxing was first put on film June 14th 1894, the Leonard/Cushing fight. Followed soon by James J. Corbett Vs Peter Courtney, also in 1894. When films added plots boxing was a natural fit. Boxing is the ultimate human drama, one man (or woman these days) against the odds, pure drama.
The teens, 20, 30’s and 40’s were filled with boxing films, drama’s, comedy and actual fight films that lit up screens across the country. But the 1950’s is when the boxing film really hit its stride. There were still comedies like Abbott and Costello meet the Invisible Man, and of course Bob Hope, The Three Stooges and the like all had their own take on the fight game. But something happened to movies in the 1950’s that fit boxing like a glove (stop groaning, puns are fun), Film Noir! Darker stories, grittier realism. And what is grittier than boxing and its often seedy underworld? If you will indulge a film buff, I would like to talk about some of the great boxing films of the 50’s and why they are important and should be watched by fight fans even today.
Now there were hundreds of boxing films, and I know I will leave some off the list that our readers love. If so, please write in and tell me the films you love, this is also meant to start a discussion and introduce people to these amazing movies. So in no particular order, except the last one, let’s begin.
FLESH AND FURY-1952
This film stars Tony Curtis as Paul Callan, an amateur fighter who is discovered by a woman named Sonya and a boxing manager named Pop (aren’t they all in films?). They believe he has the talent to become champ so they take him on. One problem, Paul is deaf. Sonya is a money grubber who is using Paul. A reporter named Ann comes to interview Paul and she knows sign language, turns out Ann’s father is deaf as well. Paul starts dating Ann, gets an operation to restore his hearing, gets a title shot and is deceived by Sonya. Will he win? Will he lose his hearing again? Will he lose Ann? Definitely a film ahead of its time dealing with a handicap in a serious and compassionate way.
THE RING-1952
This film is about a young Mexican American in Los Angeles who tries to gain respect in his adopted country by taking up boxing. Even after gaining fame he finds that white America still doesn’t care about him as a man, but only as a fighter, an entertainer. He still is discriminated against based on his skin color by society. There is also a beautiful side plot where he falls in love with the daughter of an old “punch drunk” ex pug. The film’s love interest is a young Rita Moreno. This is a perfect example how boxing could be used to discuss the drama of discrimination.
KID MONK BARONI-1952
This drama is the story of a street kid with a disfigurement who has plastic surgery and becomes a pro boxer after being befriended and trained by a priest. A bit melodramatic, and possibly the weakest film on the list, but it stars a young Leonard Nimoy as Monk. That alone makes it worth watching. (No, the plastic surgery was not on his ears!)
KILLER’S KISS-1955
Killer’s Kiss is a dark crime drama directed by the one and only Stanley Kubrick. It is the story of an aging boxer named Davey Gordon, a woman who lives in his building, Gloria Price, and a taxi dancer who works for mob boss Vincent Rapallo. One night, Davey hears Vincent abusing Gloria and comes to her rescue, scaring Vincent off, but not for long. Vincent vows revenge and when Davey and Gloria attempt to escape, Davey is caught up in a murder wrap (thanks to Vincent). This film is only Kubrick’s 2nd film and the fight scenes are adequate at best, but the story is engaging and the acting is top notch. Plus, it’s fascinating to see the early work of the man many believe is the greatest filmmaker of all time.
THE SQUARE RING-1953
This is a fascinating British film that was based on a play of the same name. It takes place over the course of one night in a rundown boxing club. Five stories about five fighters, drama like a fighter who refuses to take a dive, a fighter screwed over in his fight, and even a ring fatality. A fascinating look at the darker side of the sport mostly in the locker room.
THE SQUARE JUNGLE-1955
Tony Curtis again stars as a fighter, this time as Eddie, the son of an alcoholic ex-boxer who gets arrested. Eddie fights in an amateur tournament to raise the money to bail his dad out. He wins and his father encourages him to go pro, which he does provided his father quits drinking. Sounds like a happy film, right? Wrong, Eddie becomes a great fighter but it goes to his head and that sets up a pair of fights that changes everyone’s lives. Oh yeah, and as an added bonus, Joe Louis is in the film as himself.
SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME-1956
Probably the most famous film on the list, this is the Rocky Graziano story from childhood thru the Army, to world champion. It was directed by legendary film maker Robert Wise (director of The Sand Pebbles, The Sound of Music, West Side Story, The Day the Earth Stood Still, etc.) and stars Paul Newman as Rocky. It is also one of the very first times Steve McQueen appears on screen (in an uncredited role).
MONKEY ON MY BACK-1957
This is another bio pic, this time about Barney Ross. Cameron Mitchell is brilliant as Ross even though much of this film is loosely based in reality (oh Hollywood). Its focus is not only Ross’s ring career, but his service in WWII and his severe addiction to opiates upon his return (this part is sadly true to life). This film deals so openly and honestly about drug addiction that it was feared it wouldn’t pass the film code to be released. Thankfully, it was released without the film code passing it (a big scandal at the time). This, along with 1955’s The Man with the Golden Arm (starring Frank Sinatra) are the most brutally honest films about the danger of drug addiction of the 1950s, and it is as relevant today as it was then.
IRON MAN-1951
No, this isn’t a comic book film, it’s a boxing movie. Jeff Chandler (not Joltin’ Jeff) plays Coke Mason, a coal miner who becomes a boxer pressured by his gambler brother. The only problem is, when he boxes all he feels is a murderous rage. The film is about the inner struggle and torment of Coke who can’t mentally deal with this rage. This film is also one of Rock Hudson’s early film roles.
And the last film we will look at today is my favorite boxing film of all time (well, this and Requiem for a Heavyweight, but that was released in 1962 so it doesn’t make this list).
THE HARDER THEY FALL-1956
I could dedicate an entire article to this film alone. It was written by the legendary Bud Schulberg (based on his novel) and stars Humphrey Bogart (in his very last film role), Rod Steiger and has appearances by Jersey Joe Walcott and Max Baer. The film itself is a thinly veiled telling of Primo Carnera’s story (Primo even sued for 1.5 million over the film). Toro, a giant from Argentina, is managed by mob boss Nick Benko (Steiger) who decides to “set up” a career for his find. He hires respected sports writer Eddie Willis (Bogart) to be Toro’s PR man and “sell” the giant, but untalented fighter.
Eddie is a trusted and respected man, so if he promotes the “greatness” of Toro the media and public will buy it. Eddie, however, is in need of money and agrees to sell his soul to Nick. This is the perfect boxing film; it shows the gritty realism of a sport that can be painfully ugly. It also is an examination of a good man who does a terrible thing against his own conscience. Oh my dear readers, if you only see one film on this list, The Harder They Fall should be the one.
So, there is an introduction to 1950’s boxing films. Again, I would love to hear from you. What are your favorites? Or, if you are inspired to watch any of these films, what did you think of them?
Remember to submit your questions/comments to me via the form box below by selecting Brian “The Beret” Young and follow me on Twitter @BoxingGuyBrian
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