It baffles me when I watch "The Desperate Hours" and wonder how the legendary Bogey looked better in his next and last film "The Harder They Fall". It could have been in his devotion to the role in "The Desperate Hours" that required him to be a not so wise criminal, but there was no better way to top off a 22 year career than in him playing what he plays best, a 'wise guy' as Edward G. Robinson put it in John Huston's "Key Largo" or in other words, an opportunistic man in a dark cynical world who through some uncorrupted soul, finds goodness in himself and gives a helping hand. It was that mysterious, neutral and classy aura that defined Humphrey Bogart and no film spelled it out better than Howard Hawks' "The Big Sleep", one of the most complicated films in existence, a film he also shared with his ultra cool real life spouse Lauren Bacall.
"The Harder They Fall" is no exception. It is quite utterly the most entertaining movie about sports corruption I have ever seen (better even than "Raging Bull") and considering the time the film was made, it was very tough, rough and realistic. And you couldn't have asked for a better supporting actor than the power-house performer Rod Steiger in a film reminiscent of one he starred in 2 years earlier, the masterpiece "On The Waterfront" alongside Marlon Brando and Lee J. Cobb.
Bogey and Steiger play off one another like repelling magnetic poles. There is constant tension between the two as Bogart gains a conscience around the boxing ring and the manipulation and corruption around the 'doe' generating subject, the 'boxer'.
The story is a simple one, but the topic is sad. Rod Steiger plays a mob connected business man who has just found a new heavy weight boxing potential from South America who's luck changes when an important and connected gazette writer, Bogart, loses his job. When Steiger offers Bogart a job for a lot of money, "it is an offer he can't refuse", although it's a job he usually wouldn't have even considered, but luckily for Steiger he was desperate. His job: To promote the new found heavy weight (who couldn't hurt a fly) and manipulate the public through his writings into believing he was the next world champion heavy weight boxer. His thoughts on the money, however, suppressed his conscience around the morals surrounding the game. Even with meeting the boxer who he himself could have slapped silly (disregarding his size) and with witnessing first hand how the game is a dud, a scam and a racket, he initially turns a blind eye to get his day's pay.
Once again however, what Bogey needs is someone to give him a wake-up call in this black and white, dark cynical world he lives in so as he could give a helping hand to somebody who needs it. When he begins to understand the life threatening effects these rackets have on the business' focal point 'the boxer' through certain enlightenment (including forcing the boxer to lose a game to make money), his loyalties much like in "On The Waterfront" come to question, realizing he could make a difference and become somebody real and not a product of his surroundings (it's hard not to quote the "On The Waterfont" car scene).
The ending is great, a powerful and highly satisfying conclusion to a brutal premise. The picture creates a clear message about not only sports corruption but corruption in just about every business where a lot of money is involved. And the mafia have always had a strong grip on this corruption. But again there is no better hero than Humphrey Bogart to battle the urban mafia, racket operations or the powerful and sadistic bad guy. He was the grand daddy and epitome of Film-Noir and this film painted it for the last time. It delivers a heart-wrenching document on how people's lives are destroyed around involvement with the mafia.
The film's direction wasn't something great or out of the ordinary. In other words, it wasn't an Alfred Hitchcockian thriller, a David Lean epic or a John Huston Film-Noir, but the film isn't about visuals in any way, unless you count some of the well filmed boxing scenes. The film is more of a character study, like "12 Angry Men". The dialog and the acting of the film is so riveting that you don't want anything else. Rod Steiger never fails to impress. He has entertained for decades, whether it be in films like "Doctor Zhivago", "A Fistful Of Dynamite" or "On The Waterfront", he can sure pack a punch with those striking eyes that look right through you. Also, I really liked the actor they chose for the Boxer who wasn't meant to be. He was a giant, who gave an impression he was stupid but never-the-less human so well, I was convinced. The whole cast did a splendid job. And the music? Not much at all, but again to establish an atmosphere, and I liked it.
I guess you have worked out how much I like the film. So go borrow it and enjoy. Sports fans and Bogey fans alike, this is the best of both of your worlds. It is a classic.
"The Harder They Fall" is no exception. It is quite utterly the most entertaining movie about sports corruption I have ever seen (better even than "Raging Bull") and considering the time the film was made, it was very tough, rough and realistic. And you couldn't have asked for a better supporting actor than the power-house performer Rod Steiger in a film reminiscent of one he starred in 2 years earlier, the masterpiece "On The Waterfront" alongside Marlon Brando and Lee J. Cobb.
Bogey and Steiger play off one another like repelling magnetic poles. There is constant tension between the two as Bogart gains a conscience around the boxing ring and the manipulation and corruption around the 'doe' generating subject, the 'boxer'.
The story is a simple one, but the topic is sad. Rod Steiger plays a mob connected business man who has just found a new heavy weight boxing potential from South America who's luck changes when an important and connected gazette writer, Bogart, loses his job. When Steiger offers Bogart a job for a lot of money, "it is an offer he can't refuse", although it's a job he usually wouldn't have even considered, but luckily for Steiger he was desperate. His job: To promote the new found heavy weight (who couldn't hurt a fly) and manipulate the public through his writings into believing he was the next world champion heavy weight boxer. His thoughts on the money, however, suppressed his conscience around the morals surrounding the game. Even with meeting the boxer who he himself could have slapped silly (disregarding his size) and with witnessing first hand how the game is a dud, a scam and a racket, he initially turns a blind eye to get his day's pay.
Once again however, what Bogey needs is someone to give him a wake-up call in this black and white, dark cynical world he lives in so as he could give a helping hand to somebody who needs it. When he begins to understand the life threatening effects these rackets have on the business' focal point 'the boxer' through certain enlightenment (including forcing the boxer to lose a game to make money), his loyalties much like in "On The Waterfront" come to question, realizing he could make a difference and become somebody real and not a product of his surroundings (it's hard not to quote the "On The Waterfont" car scene).
The ending is great, a powerful and highly satisfying conclusion to a brutal premise. The picture creates a clear message about not only sports corruption but corruption in just about every business where a lot of money is involved. And the mafia have always had a strong grip on this corruption. But again there is no better hero than Humphrey Bogart to battle the urban mafia, racket operations or the powerful and sadistic bad guy. He was the grand daddy and epitome of Film-Noir and this film painted it for the last time. It delivers a heart-wrenching document on how people's lives are destroyed around involvement with the mafia.
The film's direction wasn't something great or out of the ordinary. In other words, it wasn't an Alfred Hitchcockian thriller, a David Lean epic or a John Huston Film-Noir, but the film isn't about visuals in any way, unless you count some of the well filmed boxing scenes. The film is more of a character study, like "12 Angry Men". The dialog and the acting of the film is so riveting that you don't want anything else. Rod Steiger never fails to impress. He has entertained for decades, whether it be in films like "Doctor Zhivago", "A Fistful Of Dynamite" or "On The Waterfront", he can sure pack a punch with those striking eyes that look right through you. Also, I really liked the actor they chose for the Boxer who wasn't meant to be. He was a giant, who gave an impression he was stupid but never-the-less human so well, I was convinced. The whole cast did a splendid job. And the music? Not much at all, but again to establish an atmosphere, and I liked it.
I guess you have worked out how much I like the film. So go borrow it and enjoy. Sports fans and Bogey fans alike, this is the best of both of your worlds. It is a classic.