The Harder They Fall (1956)

Directed by Mark Robson. Starring Humphrey Bogart, Rod Steiger, Jan Sterling, Mike Lane, Edward Andrews, Nehemiah Persoff, Carlos Montalbán, Harold J. Stone, Felice Orlandi, Max Baer, Jersey Joe Walcott.

Sportswriter-turned-PR-specialist Bogart (in his final film role) accepts a job from unscrupulous boxing promoter Steiger: drum up interest in a hulking, Argentinian fighter (Lane) who’s imposing to look at, but a tomato can in the ring. Won’t offer any surprises to those even slightly knowledgeable in the corrupt nature of the prizefighting industry, but still contains some moments of powerful drama and solid performances. The finale, although slightly open-ended, is hard to swallow, but if the story had followed through on the same cynically-observed reality the filmmakers had been putting across in the previous two hours, audiences probably would have revolted. Most compelling outside the ring, yet the boxing bouts are ultimately more hard-hitting, among the most brutal and vigorously staged/photographed of its era. Real-life professional fighters Walcott, Joe Greb, and Baer have small roles, the latter playing a fictional heavyweight champ…and looking way too old for the part; Jack Albertson also shows up briefly.

73/100