A stellar cast led by Anthony Quinn, Jackie Gleason and Mickey Rooney highlight this great movie about a down and out fighter named Mountain Rivera whose manager (Gleason) - deep in debt to gamblers - can't afford to let him quit even though he's well past his prime and can't fight anymore. I was expecting this to be a boxing movie, but there's really no boxing involved aside from the opening scenes. It's really a human interest story, and the story of the sad figure of the ex-boxer who can't fight but who also can't seem to let go rings true - and, with the benefit of time, perhaps it's made to seem even more real by the presence in the opening scenes of the movie of Cassius Clay, playing himself in a fictional fight against Rivera. Clay, of course, would become Muhammad Ali - perhaps the greatest fighter ever but also one who, in the end, had trouble letting go even though his body had failed him.
Quinn's performance as Rivera was, I thought, a little bit awkward at times, but he definitely captured the emotional angst of a man whose entire life had been boxing (in the days before boxers made huge dollars) and who suddenly faced the uncertainty of life outside the ring. Julie Harris plays an employment counsellor who enters his life in the hope of helping him make the transition to a new life. She played the part well, but frankly I thought the quasi-romance between the two was too contrived and just not believable. Gleason's performance as Maish overshadowed Quinn's and, to me, was the highlight of the movie. Rooney played a smaller part as Army, Rivera's cut man who thinks of Rivera as family and who is appalled when Maish comes up with the idea of making the proud Rivera a professional wrestler to pay off his gambling debts.
There was a great musical score by Laurence Rosenthal, which seemed completely appropriate to the movie, and director Ralph Watson did a great job. I especially appreciated the way the closing scenes of the movie in the ring seemed to match and contrast with the opening scenes in the ring. Overall, an excellent movie
Quinn's performance as Rivera was, I thought, a little bit awkward at times, but he definitely captured the emotional angst of a man whose entire life had been boxing (in the days before boxers made huge dollars) and who suddenly faced the uncertainty of life outside the ring. Julie Harris plays an employment counsellor who enters his life in the hope of helping him make the transition to a new life. She played the part well, but frankly I thought the quasi-romance between the two was too contrived and just not believable. Gleason's performance as Maish overshadowed Quinn's and, to me, was the highlight of the movie. Rooney played a smaller part as Army, Rivera's cut man who thinks of Rivera as family and who is appalled when Maish comes up with the idea of making the proud Rivera a professional wrestler to pay off his gambling debts.
There was a great musical score by Laurence Rosenthal, which seemed completely appropriate to the movie, and director Ralph Watson did a great job. I especially appreciated the way the closing scenes of the movie in the ring seemed to match and contrast with the opening scenes in the ring. Overall, an excellent movie