The Harder They Fall (1956)

I am pleased to say that Humphrey Bogart got the swansong he deserved with this 1956 drama. The signs were not good when I came across the DVD. Director Mark Robson - who he? IMDB informs me he directed Inn of the Sixth Happiness, Von Ryan's Express and Earthquake, all of which signals middle-of-the-road, but this is a surprisingly punchy drama (sorry, I swear I chose that adjective before I noticed the pun).

The story is typical noir, starring Bogey in a typical role. He is Eddie Willis, a sports writer desperate to do more than earn his crust, and struggling to rise above the seediness and corruption of the boxing world. He strikes a deal with shady New-York boxing promoter Nick Benko, played by Rod Steiger in just the sort of role he relishes. Willis becomes press agent to Toro Moreno, a South American boy of poor stock, whose seven-foot-plus stature makes him ripe for stardom, despite the fact he can't throw a punch. It becomes increasingly apparent that the promoters are taking Toro for a ride in order to make their bucks, and Willis takes pity on him.

There's warmth in Bogie's struggle to reconcile the cynicism he needs to get by in a dark and merciless world with his humanitarian instincts. The boxing scenes are photographed and edited in an effectively pacey and hard-hitting manner (if there are too many unintended puns here, that is only a reminder how often we writers use 'fighting' language to describe the impact of art). The final showdown is disarmingly brutal.

The one false note is the final shot; the movie held up on its own without having to labour a political point.

Nevertheless, a gutsy movie, and it was satisfying to know that while Bogart's career ended prematurely, it did not, like so many, end with a whimper.

My rating? * * * * * (4/5)