You won't be disappointed!

Too much of everything

People are voting emotionally.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Humphrey Bogart died about a year after this movie was completed. That alone would give the film poignancy. But, for Bogart, this final work was a grand coda indeed! In many respects, this was a brave effort in 1956 to expose the seedy side of boxing, and it did so in a most spectacularly effective manner, likely better than any other effort that came before or after it.Near the end of the film, long after the swindle was known by the audience, as well as the protagonist (Bogart), the bookkeeper continued pouring over every tidbit of budget magic showing the details of how the boxer was skillfully swindled of his money. All of the expenses were taken out of his share, as the others in the heist took their money off the top.Other movies would have made it a swift effort, but director Mark Robson knew that the details of the swindle is what made it seedy, and so he wanted the audience to see and hear it all. And it is the details that come after the brutality that make the conclusion all the more powerful.Ultimately, the moral lesson is that the worst profession a person can undertake is one that profits off the bodies of other people. Of special note are the number of actual boxers who acted parts in the film, including Jersey Joe Walcott, who was heavyweight champion from 1951-52, and who delivered one of the best lines of the movie, when asked why their boxer didn't protect himself like he was instructed, replied, "Some guys can sell out and other guys just can't. Goodnight!" There was a lot about this movie that was ahead of its time, including the meaningful roles of black actors such as Wolcott. Max Baer was the other real world fighter who played an important role in the film. He was heavyweight champion from 1934-35, winning the title against Primo Carnera, an historical fact that was eerily paralleled in this movie. So well did Baer play the role of the bloodthirsty pugilist, that his reputation as an actual boxer was sullied by people who foolishly confused his actual boxing career with his performance in this film!It should not go without notice that two real-world heavyweight boxing champions played prominent roles in this film, which very much exposed the corruption in the sport. Today, that corruption is well known, but this film was made in 1956, when most people took the sport as being clean. Today, the film remains as relevant as ever, and Bogart's skill is a prime reason why. He expertly sells the movie with the kind of adroit and nuanced acting that was the hallmark of the legend's career. Few actors get to make such a strong statement in his final role!

about box. and moral values. great cast. high acting. and powerful emotions. a film about honesty. and a special Bogard who gives not only a good role but admirable legacy. admirable fresco of a world. cruelty and money, people as details in the interests of small circles, moral duties and the truth. one of great movies who reminds the right way. and that could be all. in fact, it is only a tool for understand reality from every day. and to admire a huge actor in his the last role, mixture of force and freshness, carefully exploring the details, using the nuances of character as precise picture for define a new Don Quijote and the American spirit. a film who must see. not only for the artistic value. but for its profound message. and for the admirable science/art to build it.

There are two kinds of boxing movies. The inspirational depicts the boxer as a modern-day hero who translates in the ring, man's struggle against adversity, "taking the hits but moving forward". The disillusioned story shows the other, uglier, side of the coin, where "taking the hits" implies a crooked manager taking the dough, where the boxer gambles his life the Casino, always wins. The boxer is a modern-day gladiator destroying himself for sheer entertainment. And while Romans wanted blood and victory till death, people want knock-outs, that are how civilization has progressed over the course of centuries.Boxing is torn between the agony of being the prey of an angry crowd, the puppet of a greedy mobster, and the foil of heartless journalists, and the ecstasy of victory, of being an idol, a worshiped individual who gets rich and famous, without working. The paradox of Boxing makes it one of the most cherished sports in Cinema, the one that inspired the greatest movies, and it's not surprising that the two voted most iconic American Sports movies were "Raging Bull" and "Rocky", and even less surprising that each one shows one of the two facets of the game : the bad and the beautiful.And from its title, "The Harder they Fall" sets the tone, it belongs to the dark-side category. The film was written by Budd Schulberg, whose name might ring a bell for classic movie fans. Indeed, when you watch "The Harder they Fall", you can feel the vibes of his more prestigious work "On the Waterfront". In the iconic taxi cab scene, Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando) blamed his brother Joey (Rod Steiger) for preventing him from being "a contender", "somebody, instead of a bum". In "The Harder they Fall", Terry Malloy could've been any of these boxers asked to dive by their crooked managers, to let the newcomer Toro Moreno, win the fight. Yet this Moreno is a bum, his only 'strength', so to speak, is his gigantic size, a natural talent (a euphemism for freak). Convinced that a guy of Moreno's size can attract the crowds, promoter Nick Benko calls a famous sports journalist. He won't refuse the offer, he's broke after his newspaper went under. The dynamics between Rod Steiger as Benko and Humphrey Bogart as Eddie are as exciting as the boxing scenes. In the dishonest side of the ring, we have a man often flying off the handle but within his own crookedness, competent and convincing. Steiger, probably drained the stressful energy of his amazing performance from Lee J. Cobb in "On the Waterfront".And while Steiger is terrific as the voice of twisted reason, Bogart plays the voice of tormented conscience. His mission is to turn the untalented and slow-witted Toro, into a sensation, and convince the world he's a real challenger for Heavyweight championship. People wouldn't a man of that size to be weak. But he is, and the task reveals harder but Eddie handles it well, with an advertising bus touring around California, the best location for freak-shows and with his connections. He convinces a TV sports host friend (Harold G. Stone) to close his eyes, out of friendship, he accepts but not without showing him a heart-breaking interview of an ex-prize fighter whose life has fallen down. That scene foresees the future of many boxers sacrificed on the arena, certainly not what Eddie wishes for Toro, who despite his naivety is the typical gentle giant, friendly and trusting.The interviewed boxer says "champs stay forever but managers come and go", but in a poignant irony, the following scene where Eddie invites boxing managers to a conference, asking them to buy 1000 dollars their boys' pride, they're all reluctant, treating their 'protégés' like bums or dirt, one says "boxers come and go, but managers stay", that's the gap between two visions, and this is where Eddie reveals his well-meaning motives. He wants to make it the easiest for boxers, including Toro. The way he sees it, that little scheme will earn Toro money and a reputation, both useful when he'll be back to his country, it has to be a win-win situation. Naturally, it's an ethical dilemma and his wife exhorts him to quit, but everything is money in that world, for athletes and managers, and he's no exception, the show must go on. But we know the title, and we wait, with our hearts pounding, to see the titular fall.Like another Bogart movie "Kid Galahad", "The Harder they Fall" paints a gloomy portrait of sports' backstage, with the real fights being transactions between promoters, sponsors and journalists, pulling the strings of puppet-like boxers, with the gripping realism of the 50's deprived from any romantic subtext, a dynamite-script and a magnificent cinematography, the film is even more impressive example of the sport-business genre, a sort of common link between sports and gangster movies à la "Raging Bull" and "On the Waterfront", and the climactic sequence is one of the most brutal and nasty fights ever … and I don't know whether that or the following aftermath is uglier. When you realize how boxers are treated and rewarded, when you see how low a boxer's life can sink when he loses a match, how harsh can a crowd be, you got to wonder why this sport even exists.The film is extreme on its take on boxing and former Heavyweight champion Primo Carnera sued the film, as he felt it an attack against his (controversial) career, but nonetheless, it's a film with a message to deliver and whether we accept it or not, we know these things exist, and we'll always keep our guard while watching a boxing march. And if the film didn't reach as an iconic status as all the masterpieces I mentioned in this review, it'll forever belong to posterity as, Bogie's last movie. Bogart went as high as his talent could put him without ever falling.

Watching Humphrey Bogart's final film is interesting on a number of levels. From the Saul Bass inspired opening credits to the jazzy music score, it's unique to see Bogart in a more contemporary 1950's film. I imagine if he lived longer and stared in movies for at least a few more years they would have been in a similar vein aesthetically to The Harder They Fall. In a period in which opening credits where becoming more interdict, the movie uses them to set up the plot; as soon as they're over we are right into the heart of the story. The film features a generational clash between Bogart and Rod Steiger; Bogart being of the old theatrical style of acting while Steiger being of the modern method style of acting. However I've always found Bogart to be an adaptable actor and he seamlessly blends into these unfamiliar surroundings. Bogart's role as Eddie Willis is one of the most interesting heroic performances of his career, a character dealing with his moral and ethical conscience throughout the film. He may take part in the corruption game but he never fully believes in what is doing and tries to make it as unscrupulous as possible. Likewise Rod Steiger portrays corrupt sports promoter Nick Benko, a villain who believes his actions are justified. A villain who isn't evil for the sake of it but throughout the film I get the sense he actually believes in what he's doing. Steiger hams it up from time to time but in a good way.The Harder They Fall deals with corruption in boxing and how promoters exploit athletes regardless of their health or well being while also celebrating the power of writing as a force to fight wrong and enforce positive social change, proving once again the pen is mightier than the sword, or should I say boxing glove. I'd be hard pressed to find a film which presents a more in depth look at corruption in boxing. It's an informative experience into who pulls the strings and how. The fight scene themselves look like the real deal, no speed up footage or obviously faked punches. Likewise the grime and sweatiness of boxing arenas and training gyms never fail as effective subjects to capture on film, especially in black and white. Also what's the deal with that bus with the cardboard cut outs attached to it? It's almost like a character in itself.I had sense of melancholy during the movie's closing shots knowing this was the last time Bogart appeared on screen. Bogart was in poor health during the film's production, suffering from lung cancer (although ironically it doesn't stop him from lighting up during the movie), but thankfully doesn't affect his ability to deliver a great performance. The Harder They Fall proves to be a worthy conclusion to in my opinion, one of the most impressive careers every held by any actor in the history of cinema.