A contemporary tragedy equal to DEATH OF A SALESMAN. In this film (originally a teleplay) the death is of the spirit. Rod Serling's masterpiece shows us four people, all perfectly characterized. Only the woman, a social worker (Julie Harris), lives a stable life. The men are at different stages of a downward spiral: Army (Mickey Rooney) who makes do with the meager life he has, training boxers, Maish (Jackie Gleason), a man desperate to escape doom at the hands of a heartless mob boss to whom he owes money, and Mountain (Anthony Quinn) a has-been boxing star, now punch-drunk and despairing. The doctor says Mountain could go blind with one more fight.
Attempting to find work outside of boxing, Mountain meets the social worker, who takes pity on him and falls a bit in love along the way. Nothing in the story suggests a positive outcome, but it's not merely a grim exercise with actors of this caliber. Harris and Rooney are in top form, while Gleason and Quinn have never been better. The latter made this film during a break from LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, but you'd never know it wasn't something he'd worked up to for years. Quinn totally embodies Mountain, a moving wreck of a man. As for Gleason, he plays Maish as despicable, yet also human and trapped by his own failure.
There are many strong scenes, but one stands out between Gleason and Harris, when they meet by chance on the stairs. Any hope the social worker has to help Mountain is dashed by Maish's brutally honest, but compassionate speech to her. Ralph Nelson, known mostly for TV work, directs unobtrusively, leaving these great performers to their artistry.
Attempting to find work outside of boxing, Mountain meets the social worker, who takes pity on him and falls a bit in love along the way. Nothing in the story suggests a positive outcome, but it's not merely a grim exercise with actors of this caliber. Harris and Rooney are in top form, while Gleason and Quinn have never been better. The latter made this film during a break from LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, but you'd never know it wasn't something he'd worked up to for years. Quinn totally embodies Mountain, a moving wreck of a man. As for Gleason, he plays Maish as despicable, yet also human and trapped by his own failure.
There are many strong scenes, but one stands out between Gleason and Harris, when they meet by chance on the stairs. Any hope the social worker has to help Mountain is dashed by Maish's brutally honest, but compassionate speech to her. Ralph Nelson, known mostly for TV work, directs unobtrusively, leaving these great performers to their artistry.