The Set-Up (1949)

Director:

Robert Wise

Writers:

Art Cohn (screenplay)
Joseph Moncure March (poem)

Release Date:

10 tammikuu 1950 (Portugal)

Genre:

Film-Noir | Sport

Tagline:

I Want a Man... Not a Human Punching Bag!

Plot:

Against all odds, a worn down fading boxer, painstakingly clashes against his driven opponent, firmly refusing to accept the hearsay of a washed up career.

Plot Keywords:

Boxer | Fixed Fight | Real Time | Boxing | Underdog

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 wins

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Robert Ryan	...	Stoker
Audrey Totter	...	Julie
George Tobias	...	Tiny
Alan Baxter	...	Little Boy
Wallace Ford	...	Gus
Percy Helton	...	Red
Hal Baylor	...	Tiger Nelson (as Hal Fieberling)
Darryl Hickman	...	Shanley
Kenny O'Morrison	...	Moore
James Edwards	...	Luther Hawkins
David Clarke	...	Gunboat Johnson
Phillip Pine	...	Souza
Edwin Max	...	Danny

Runtime:

72 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Canada:18A | USA:Approved (certificate #13478) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) (cut) | UK:PG (video rating) (1987)

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

Robert Wise said he was willing to cast a black actor as the lead character (as it was originally written), but since there were no African-American leading actors in Hollywood at the time, he was obligated to switch the character to a white man.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Julie Thompson takes her walk from the gymnasium, she watches Pacific Electric interurban cars as they enter a subway tunnel. Car No. 707 is shown passing twice in a row.

Quotes:

Red: I tell you, Tiny, you gotta let him in on it.
Tiny: How many times I gotta say it? There's no percentage in smartenin' up a chump.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Fighters (1991) (TV)

A Marvelous Example of Film Noir

This film is a marvelous example of the film noir genre. Directed by Robert Wise, who learned his craft under Val Lewton, the film's settings and lighting, convey the feeling of a 40's boxing scenario - the sweaty neighborhood arena, the seedy hotel, the dark dimly lit streets.

Robert Ryan is simply superb as the washed-up fighter who refuses to compromise his principles and take a dive. Audrey Totter as his long suffering wife and George Tobias as Ryan's handler are excellent too.