This 1949 noirish fight film shows exactly what a good director can do with a couple of sets, an excellent cast, a great script, and a clear cut vision. Director Robert Wise (THE HAUNTING) makes a boxing film that ranks with some of the best fight films ever made. Shot in real time & exclusively on sets, this little known classic totally surprised me. The viewer comes away feeling the anguish of Robert Ryan as an over the hill boxer looking for one more win. Audrey Totter is his girl and provides an emotional base for the story. Some people - the ones who don't like B&W movies - may not like this, but man... it hooked me out of the box and held my interest throughout its run time. The disc also features a great commentary track with Robert Wise & Martin Scorcese.
Rating: 4 out of 5
~ Thom Carnell
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