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17 out of 23 people found the following review useful: Although Ill, Bogey Could Still Carry A Film, 30 September 2006 Author: ccthemovieman-1 from Lockport, NY, United States
This was an interesting story but not always enjoyable to watch, simply because it's a real downer in spots, and seeing an ill Humphrey Bogart was sad.Bogart, as "Eddie Willis," plays a decent guy who knows he's doing the wrong thing so he's ornery for most of the film. His conscience is getting the best of him. Not many others in here are happy, either, for that matter, in this tale of crooked boxing. Boy, filmmakers in the '40s and '50s loved making crooked boxing stories.What's also different about this is the featured boxer: a 6-foot-8 Argentinian import named "Toro Moreno" (Mike Lane), a stiff who is being groomed for the heavyweight championship via a series of fixed fights, led by the crooked promoter played by Rod Steiger.Along the way, it was interesting to see real-life fighters Max Baer and Jersey Joe Walcott. Bogart died a little a little over a year after making this film. He looked haggard, which is understandable, but he still did his normal excellent job of acting and keeping the story interesting. Like him or not, Bogart always got your interest. He, along with James Cagney, were the best at dominating a film.A decent boxing film, but nothing spectacular, to be honest. There are many, many better boxing movies, but this is still worth watching.
12 out of 17 people found the following review useful: Ringside seat for the match, 9 January 2006 Author: jotix100 from New York
"The Harder They Fall", based on the brutally real novel by Budd Schulberg, presents us with an aspect of the boxing world that no one talked about in those days. The sport was dominated by the racket men that made tremendous profits at the expense of the young pugilists that came from poor backgrounds.Mark Robson, the director, was a man that understood that underworld well. He had already directed the excellent "Champion", so he proved to be a natural for taking the helm of this movie. Mr. Robson, worked as an editor for Orson Welles and knew what worked in the cinema. Working with the cinematographer Burnett Guffey, a man who was one of the best in the business, Mr. Robson created a film that was a ground breaker. New York City in the fifties is the background for the story that was shot in real exteriors that added a drama to the film.This was the last film in which Humphrey Bogart made. In fact, Mr. Bogart shows signs of the illness that would take his life after the film was completed. Humphrey Bogart's Eddie Willis is a man that clearly wants to be fair to the poor boxer, Toro, from Argentina, who is being manipulated by the bad guys under the evil Benko. This was one of the best appearances of Mr. Bogarts in the movies.The other surprise in the film is the portrayal by Rod Steiger of the mob man that wants to use Toro for his own illegal gains. Rod Steiger stood in sharp contrast with Humphrey Bogart. Being a method actor, his technique was entirely different from the one of his co-star. Yet, when both men are seen on the same frame, one can sense two great actors doing what they did best.The interesting cast put together for the film made it better than it could have been. Under Mark Robson's direction we see a lot of New York based actors in the background. One would have liked to see more of Jan Sterling, who plays Eddie's understanding wife Beth. Also in the cast, Nhemiah Persoff, Jack Albertson, Max Baer, Jersey Joe Walcott, Mike Lane, Carlos Montalban, make good contributions to the film.The boxing sequences are masterfully staged by Mr. Robson, who gives us a ringside seat to watch the matches. This film shows the director at the top of his craft.
13 out of 19 people found the following review useful: A Satisfying Conclusion to Humphrey Bogart's Career, 11 May 2005 Author: JAtheDJ from Alexandria, Virginia
The seamy side of the boxing world is the subject of this interesting film. A third-rate amateur boxer (Mike Lane) is brought from South America to New York and exploited by a corrupt promoter (Rod Steiger).Steiger hires out-of-work columnist Bogart as a press agent for a big publicity build-up, fixing fights across the country and making a profit for Steiger and his "boxing club." The name of the game is money, and Bogart struggles with his conscience, ethics and the disapproval of his wife (Jan Sterling) as he promotes the young fighter, who is duped into thinking he is invincible.Eventually, the fighter faces the match that can't be fixed in New York with (real-life) boxing champ Max Baer. Lane is told about the previous fixed fights and knows he'll be decimated, but decides to fight Baer anyway to save face. Out of guilt and in sympathy, Bogart gives Lane his share of the purse (after he finds out that Lane has been fleeced out of his winnings), then puts him on a plane back to South America.Sadly, Bogart was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus during filming; reportedly, some of his lines had to be dubbed by others in post-production.Despite his illness, he gave an impressive performance, together with some wonderful character actors such as Edward Andrews, Nehemiah Persoff and Herbie Faye.Rod Steiger's versatility is well demonstrated here, as his role as the corrupt promoter sharply contrasts the gentle soul he portrayed in the TV version of "Marty" two years earlier.The fight scenes with Max Baer are also very well done, and the on-location shots of 1955 Manhattan and downtown Chicago add stark realism.The Harder They Fall is a film definitely worth viewing.
13 out of 19 people found the following review useful: Outstanding, 29 June 2004 Author: Joseph Clark (jjclark611@aol.com) from Buffalo, NY
Bogart is excellent as usual in this his last performance. There are times when his eyes are puddled up and it really makes you wonder: was he in pain or really that good? My answer is "yes" to both questions. Cancer would claim him within 15 months of this movie. He has a look of weariness here and it fits the character well. A first rate ending to a distinguished career. This movie is a perfect timecapsule for the 1950's and one of the better boxing movies of the period (Check out Body and Soul also). Although the ending seems a bit too convenient the performances are all first rate and this is worth a rental or purchase if you love Bogie.
7 out of 8 people found the following review useful: "He didn't have 5 guys in the ring with him.", 13 October 2007 Author: eadoe from United States
I just saw this film and now realize that Sly Stallone must have watched it about a hundred times before staging the fight scenes in Rocky – he even recreated the subtle touch when Toro's coach cuts his eyelid in the fight to release the built-up blood (except in this film, you only see him go for the eye with a scalpel but don't see him actually cut it as you do in Rocky). The final fight at the end of this movie is THE most gruesome fight ever filmed. Stallone tried to capture this in Rocky, but it has nowhere NEAR the realism of the fight in The Harder They Fall. This is partly because it is shot in black and white, which for some reason makes everything seem more gruesome than color; partly because of the foggy, staggering way it is shot, as if you are seeing the punches through the groggy boxer's eyes; and partly because the actor who played Toro was not a star like Stallone or DeNiro in Raging Bull – they could make him look like a true wreck, a distorted, disfigured wreck – without fear of diminishing his "star" quality handsomeness.My favorite line in this movie is when Bogart angrily asks Steiger how he'd like to have his jaw broken like Toro's. Steiger's henchmen immediately start to converge on Bogart, who says, "He didn't have 5 guys in the ring with him." It's a great line that brings home how the powerful are protected from the very pain they inflict on others.The movie's title, from the old saying, "the bigger they are, the harder they fall," is also very ironic, because the "big" guys – Steiger and the corrupt fight backers – actually never "fall" – it is only the "little" guys, like Toro, who fall the hardest.By the way, it was really spooky seeing Max Baer himself re-create his historic fight with Primo Carnera in this film, which is based on Max Baer's historic fight with Primo Carnera! You can see a film of this 1934 fight online, in which Baer knocks Carnera down 11 times in 11 rounds. By round 2, Baer was actually chasing Carnera around the ring, and at least 3 times he knocked him down so hard that he actually fell on top of him!
8 out of 10 people found the following review useful: Pugilism, the Prize Ring and a fictionalized Primo Carnera-like Storyline becomes a fine Swan Song for our beloved Bogey!, 12 September 2007 Author: John T. Ryan (redryan64@hotmail.com) from Chicago, Illinois, United States
The story bursts right onto the screen, as if having been having shot there by a high tech rifle! The full volume blast of music is combined with the bright, almost annoying light of sunshine, the first sunlight of the day! We instantly recognize the back drop of cityscape as that of the 'Big Apple', New York City. The Statue of Liberty makes her presence felt, as only she can.The bright light and powerful music is fine accompaniment to the bold, rapidly presented & changing title cards. In between all of this movement, we spot the two principal characters of this early morning waterfront meeting. Torro Moreno(Mike Lane) and his Manager/Trainer Luis Agrande(Carlos Montalban) are up on deck and taking in all sights with great interest.In this day of the Airliner(1956), the two men are passengers on a sort of Tramp Steamer, a definitely 'no frills' vessel with less than 1st Class accommodations. The ship has come from South America with a big mixed Cargo of people and goods. The two Argentinians look more than a couple of pieces of chattel, than two people. And so, it shall be so, Fighters were looked at as property, like a thoroughbred or a string of poloponies! Though it is never implicitly stated, it is a weekend morning, and early as we have stated. The streets are too empty to be any other time. Where shown the various players in this meeting, all hurrying, scurrying about, but converging on a Fight Gym.We travel to the Apartment of Eddie Willis(Humphrey Bogart), an out of work Sports Columnist and his Missus,Beth(Jan Sterling)looking very beautiful, bright and . In seeking employment, Eddie is sought after by the Head of a Crooked Boxing club, one Nick Benko(Rod Steiger). There is to be a look-see at this huge South American. He will be tested early, before anyone else arrives.Benko's entourage includes Bookkeeper, Leo(Nehemiah Persoff),Corner Man Max(Herbie Faye),Danny McKeogh(Rusty Lane) and Thug Vince Fawcett(Phil Orlandi).The use of real life retired Boxers is a really neat little touch. The first one who we meet is George, played by former World's Heavyweight Champion, Jersey Joe Wolcott. George's job with the team is to scout the opponent to help formulate strategy and specific training regimen. He also spars with Torro on the morning of this first meeting in order to ascertain just what the Giant South American had."A powder-puff punch and a glass jaw!", quips Eddie Willis upon seeing Torro's punches doing nothing to the 53 year old George;and George causing the younger Argentine to buckle, stumble and collapse with body punches and one last one on 'the button'(face).After some haggling, Eddie Willis and Nick Bemko come to terms. Benko and Leo guarantee that 'the kid' won't get hurt. The fights he gets will be either push-overs or set-ups. Willis sets the campaign to start off in California, working its way through the West, South and Mid West in a rolling Home-Away-From-Home, a customized king-sized bus,replete with 2 huge silhouette "cut-outs" of Torro in a fighting pose. As the caravan progressed, Torro's record is recorded on the sides. (a great little Latin American-like musical queue from the film's composer and former Oscar Winner, Hugo Friedhofer.) The heart of the story unveils the trials and tribulations of maintaining a traveling Boxing show troupe and what happens when a "Tank Artist" has change of heart. Eddie winds up in charge and has to pull in some old favors with Nationally Renowned Sports Columnist and T.V. Sports Commentator, Art Leavitt(Harold J. Stone), to have him give a questionable fight benefit of the doubt with the California State Athletic Commission.Lastly, Torro wants out of his Bout with Champ Buddy Brannon(Max Baer) after former Champ Gus Dundee(Pat Comiskey)dies after bout with Torro. Torro is brought around to taking the fight against the brutal Champ, Brannon, when he is given the truth about the perpetrated fraud that he has been at the center.It was our great pleasure to meet Actor Abel Fernandez (best known as Agent Bill Youngfellow on the original THE UNTOUCHABLES TV Series). The occasion was a Bud Courts' Hollywood COLLECTIBLES Show, here in Chicago several years back. He spoke at length about portraying a G-Man in Prohibition Era Chicago. He was also more than happy to discuss and answer any questions about working on what turned out to be Bogey's 'Last Turn at Bat', THE HARDER THEY FALL.He told us that plans had called for his portraying Torro Moreno. He was a real life Prizefighter, having competed as a Light Heavyweight as well as a Drama Major in school. He had been on a weight gaining training routine, when the powers that be at Columbia Pictures decided on using Pro Wrestler Mike 'Tarzan' Lane as the Giant Argentine.The role that he portrayed as Oaklahoman Chief Firebird, was pivotal to the story and gave Mr. Fernandez a chance to really act. There is a still from the film featuring Abel and Boagey together in the the Locker Room, that tells the whole story at a glance.As alluded to earlier, good use of real ring veterans was a high point. We had Former Heavyweight Champion of the World. Max Baer as the brutal Champ Buddy Brannon. Former Heavyweight Contender, Pat Comiskey portrayed the doomed Ex-Champ Gus Dundee. We've already mentioned Ex-Champ Jersey Joe Walcott and Pro Grappler Mike Lane.The story is obviously (at least partially)inspired by the Boxing career of "the Ambling Alp", Primo Carnera. And oddly enough, it was Max Baer who whipped Carnera for the Heavyweight Crown!The Movie, categorized as Film Noir, is bleak, brutal and somewhat disturbing-definitely not a light escapist entertainment! And it comes wrapped up in the great and briefly previously mentioned Original Musical Score by the talented Mr. Hugo Friedhofer.
11 out of 16 people found the following review useful: A decent insight into the business of boxing!, 4 February 2007 Author: unreasonableboy from Dallas, Texas
Although this movie is now 50 years old I think that it is more relevant now than it was then in 1956. Prize fighting has moved on leaps and bounds since then, some of it positive and some negative. Of course it depends on your point of view about boxing and in some respects the message that this movie sends is totally dependent on that view. Some might say that it is anti boxing but I would say that it is a realistic portrayal of the business of professional boxing.In this movie a boxing promoter Nick Benko (Rod Steiger) hires a washed up sports writer Eddie Willis (Humphry Bogart) to help talk up and help with the promotion of a new boxing sensation called Toro an Argentinean giant (6' 8" and 270 Ib.) "the wild man of the Andes". Unfortunately, Toro despite his size couldn't punch his way out of a wet paper bag and even worse, has a chandelier jaw to match. Any decent fighter worth his weight would turn Toro's legs into linguine with a decent combination of punches. Despite this obvious problem Benko is not perturbed and along with his crooked associates stage a series of fights where Toros opponents are bribed to throw the fights after a couple of rounds. The ultimate goal is to make Toro look much better than he really is.The result of a string of wins against some decent opponents allows Toro to build up an impressive boxing resume and consequently his stock value in the world of boxing rises too. The tragedy is that Toro starts to believe in his own ability and Willis who feels he has a sense of responsibility towards Toro because he is partly responsible for the hype has a genuine feeling of affection for Toro who in reality is a naive gentle giant who only wants to go back to Argentina and buy his parents a home with his money.The ending of the movie is perhaps somewhat predictable but not without honor and your belief in humanity is some what left intact.In offering full disclosure I think that boxing can be one of the most entertaining and exciting sporting events. The 1981 welterweight unification bout between Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns and the 1989 commonwealth title fight between middle weights Michael Watson and Nigel Benn both spring to mind. Fights are no more intense and exciting as these two and both lived up to pre-fight hype. However, on the down side boxing is riddled with miss matches and over hyped fighters. Frank Bruno a British heavyweight and world contender in the 1980's and early 1990's was one. Blessed with a well chiseled physic he built up an impressive KO record, yet when he came up against anybody half decent or not payed to take a dive he was found out and not nearly as powerful as we were led to believe. Also there is an alphabet soup of world bodies who claim to represent a world champion, phony fights and "Mexican road sweepers" who fall over when instructed too.It's also important to note that boxing is also entertainment but more importantly a business and this movie portrays this very well. Yes big business, which goes some way to explain why there is so many promoters, world bodies, fighters, world title fights of some description. Boxing is like any other business it's marketed, promoted and sold to the public as entertainment and consequently to sell out crowds and large PPV TV audience or else exclusive TV rights. It's big money and there's a lot to be made, there are a lot of snouts in the trough claiming a cut of the money.When you hear of a boxer getting paid $30 million a fight, by the time all of the expenses are taken into account, all the entourage get their slice the fighter gets considerably less. The fighter in effect is just one cog in the giant machine of the business in boxing, although an important part never the less he can't get the big fights unless they are a team player and play ball with the promoters. This movie in particular portrays this very well! I have no problem with the business nature, entertainment or the violence of boxing. As for the public or TV companies who are fooled into believing the hype of up and coming fighters and are willing to pay so much to watch fights under false pretenses -that's too bad. What I'm concerned with the welfare of the fighters when so many people are filthy rich out of prize fighting. In the end of the movie Eddie Willis concludes that boxing should be banned. That's the anti boxing message, however boxing can't be banned! The scandal is the fighters who end up seriously injured and broke either through the trauma of one fight i.e Gerald McClellan or through a succession of fights like the Quarry brothers who both ended up with brain damage and consequently in assisted living accommodation.There are too many fat cats in boxing who are not accountable for the injuries that their fighters suffer while in the ring, this needs to be addressed and sorted out. To me this is what the movie is saying!
11 out of 16 people found the following review useful: Bogart goes out with a bang, 23 August 2005 Author: blanche-2 from United States
What a wonderful way to end one of the all-time great careers. Bogart's last film, "The Harder They Fall" is a tough, uncompromising, cynical look at the fight world, and Bogart is magnificent as a down and out reporter who sells out to crooked boxing promoters.One of the things so excellent about the film is that Bogie is surrounded by fantastic performances, particularly that of Rod Steiger as a vicious, greedy promoter, Mike Lane as the big dumb lug Steiger uses to accomplish his goals, and Max Baer as an egomaniacal champion."The Harder They Fall" spares us nothing - not the violence in the ring, the treatment of individuals like merchandise, the preying on the downtrodden. And it doesn't spare us Bogart's haggard looks, either. However, his energy is great and his characterization of a writer turned press rep, a man who looks the other way, is a powerful one.There's a story often told about Bogart in his last days. Friends would come over to visit in the afternoon, and Bogart would climb into a dumbwaiter in order to get down to the first floor. He was that small (80 pounds) and that weak. But there was never anything weak about the mind, the will, or the persona.
4 out of 4 people found the following review useful: " I wouldn't give 26. cents for your future ", 13 October 2008 Author: thinker1691 from USA
Most important athletic events where money is involved are fertile fields of exploitation for Hollywood. Boxing is no exception. Some of the best fights scenes in 'The Champion' and 'Somebody Up There Likes me' have inspired bigger movies, like ' Rocky ' or 'Raging Bull.' This film is a tribute to those who wish they could outlaw the sport of Boxing altogether. "The Harder They Fall" is to say the least an expose of the brutal sport of boxing. The story centers on Eddie Willis (Humphrey Bogart) a down-on-his-luck sports writer. Unable to sell his talent, Willis trades his unsoiled reputation. His ruthless employer is Nick Benko (Rod Steiger) an unscrupulous boxing promoter who with the help of his unsympathetic organization seek to make a fortune off their newest discovery. That unfortunate victim is an enormous Argentinian boxing giant named Toro Moreno ( Mike Lane). With the help of Willis, Benko sets Toro up to fight the established contenders in boxing gaining a legendary reputation of invincibility all the way up to the Top. What Toro does not know is that all his fights are staged, that is, all but the title fight where the heavy weight champion of the world Buddy Brannen, (Max Baer) is not in on 'the fix.' Willis discovers his innocent friend Toro is in mortal danger, tried to help him escape with some dignity. His dignity, nor the boxer's life is not important to Benko who has plans of reselling his 'property.' The movie is a statement on the state of professional Boxing in the U.S. and it's showing is a wake-up call to anyone who'd like to see the raw brutality it has become. Top notch acting by Jan Sterling as Beth Willis and Harold J. Stone is a bonus. ****
4 out of 4 people found the following review useful: Too Sour for Its Time, 15 October 2007 Author: dougdoepke from Claremont, USA
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
It's 1956 and everybody trusts Ike, Rocky (Marciano), and the sports pages. Ozzie and Harriet are on TV, "Somebody Up There Lkes Me" is intheatres, and the notorious "credibility gap" is still 10 years away. So how did this little cup of bitter brew escape the Hollywood Dream Factory. Likely it was on the heels of novelist Shulberg's 1954 smash "On the Waterfront". After all, one good expose deserves another, and who better to serve it up than writers Yordan and Shulberg, actors Steiger and Bogart, and the gritty black-and-white gutters of New York City. Nonetheless, the movie was a box-office flop.But that was pre-Vietnam. Now audiences can appreciate the rank corruption of a professional sport. In Bogart's case, his soul sells cheap for a weekly pay-check and a percentage. Buying it back, however, proves almost as costly. Yet the turn-around comes as no surprise for that icon of wounded idealism. Lordly Steiger presides over an empire of corruption from east to west and top to bottom. Nonetheless, underneath the silk suit and high-priced hookers, he remains a loud-mouth bully. The movie stands as an unrelenting look at suckering the public. Boxers are "dirt", managers are sharks, and everyone has his price. There's cynicism even down to the shapely arm that cuts off Bogart's phone-in to his wife, proving that even his stricken conscience is not immune to seductions of the road. And whose brilliant stroke was the interview with brain-damaged Joe Greb. It's an authentic 90 second look into boxer's dementia, a splash of cold water that continues to chill 50 years later.Despite the top-to-bottom cynicism, the ending remains problematic, a typical turn of 50's reassurance. And to my recollection, the original typed message urged the sport's abolition, not some p-r version of reform. Nonetheless, this remains one of the best, if not the best, look at professional boxing. Perhaps it was too unvarnished for that era and too hopeful for this one. But then, "the sweet science" has long since faded as a major attraction. At the same time, however, another form of jiggering the odds has arisen. This time it's popped up across the athletics spectrum-- sports doping, with an even bigger casualty list now than then. Thus the film's basic theme continues-- big money and sports-- it's a toxic brew.
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