Going Glove to Glove With Some Greats

“Ali,” Michael Mann’s sprawling biographical film about “the Greatest”--former heavyweight champion boxer Muhammad Ali,--is just the latest film set in the world of boxing. Perhaps no other sport lends itself to film as well, in both its dramatic, one-on-one confrontations and elemental physicality.

Filmmakers have been exploring the sport and its denizens since the beginning of cinema, with such short films as “Boxing Match” (1894), “Boxing Cats” (1898) and “The Bewitched Boxing Gloves” (1910) among some of the earliest examples.

Wallace Beery (“The Champ”) and Robert De Niro (“Raging Bull”) won Oscars for playing boxers. Charlie Chaplin went a few rounds in his classic 1931 comedy “City Lights.” Even Jerry Lewis entered the ring in 1952’s “Sailor Beware.” And in the dreadful 1978 comedy “Matilda,” a kangaroo put up his dukes.

Here is a look at some of the best fight pictures, divided into biographies, dramas and comedy:

Biographies

“Gentleman Jim” (1942): Errol Flynn is perfectly cast in this slick, glossy biopic about the 19th century boxer Gentleman Jim Corbett. The fanciful role was supposedly his favorite. The boxing sequences are lively and fun, and Flynn is surrounded by a great supporting cast, including Alexis Smith, Alan Hale and Ward Bond as the champion, John L. Sullivan.

“Somebody Up There Likes Me” (1956): After making a disastrous film debut in 1954’s “The Silver Chalice,” Paul Newman got a chance to strut his stuff in this gritty, biographical film about prizefighter Rocky Graziano that traces his life from hood on the mean streets of New York to champion in the boxing ring. Robert Wise directed this fast-paced, well-acted tale that features Joseph Ruttenberg’s Oscar-winning black-and-white cinematography and a sophisticated script by Ernest Lehmann. Pier Angeli also stars. And look for a very young Steve McQueen as one of Rocky’s gang of friends.

“The Great White Hope” (1970): James Earl Jones became the second African American to receive a best actor nomination for his remarkable, sympathetic portrayal of Jack Johnson--here called Jack Jefferson--the champion pugilist of the early 20th century. Jane Alexander is equally effective as his white mistress. The two had both won Tony Awards for their roles in Howard Sackler’s Broadway play of the same name. Sackler also wrote the screenplay adaptation. Robert Webber, Beah Richards and Hal Holbrook also star in this tragic tale, directed by Martin Ritt.

“The Greatest” (1977): Muhammad Ali has actually had two films made about his life. The first was this misguided effort in which he plays himself. Directed by the late Tom Gries and Monte Hellman, the sappy drama also stars Ernest Borgnine and Robert Duvall.

“Raging Bull” (1980): Considered by most critics to be the greatest film of the 1980s, “Raging Bull” is Martin Scorsese’s brilliant character study of legendary prizefighter Jake La Motta, who proved to be his own worst enemy inside and outside the ring. Scorsese turns this biopic into a tragedy of operatic proportions. Robert De Niro gives the performance of his life--he won his second Oscar for the role--as the fiery-tempered La Motta. Cathy Moriarty and Joe Pesci excel in supporting roles. Michael Chapman provided the amazing black-and-white cinematography, which captures the violence and poetry of the sport.

“The Hurricane” (1999): Denzel Washington won the Golden Globe and received a best actor Oscar nomination for his larger-than-life, moving portrayal of Rubin “the Hurricane” Carter, the pugilist who was unjustly imprisoned for murder. Norman Jewison directed this rather old-fashioned biopic that ran into a lot of controversy because some alleged it strayed from the facts of Carter’s life. But it’s worth watching for Washington’s stellar performance.

Dramas

“The Champ” (1931): King Vidor directed this tear-jerker of all tear-jerkers, which may be a bit too much for modern filmgoers but does feature Wallace Beery’s Oscar-winning turn as a washed-up boxer who returns to the ring. A darling Jackie Cooper plays his devoted young son. The film was remade--and was somehow made even sappier--in 1979 with Jon Voight and Rick Schroder.

“The Life of Jimmy Dolan” (1933): Douglas Fairbanks Jr. is a bit too scrawny to be a prizefighter, but he still manages to give a decent performance in this entertaining little film in which Fairbanks goes on the lam after he thinks he’s killed a reporter, and hides out at a school for disabled kids. Loretta Young, a very young Mickey Rooney and John Wayne, who plays a boxer, also star. The movie was remade just six years later as “They Made Me a Criminal” with John Garfield as the boxer on the lam.

“Kid Galahad” (1937): Michael Curtiz directed this enjoyable story starring Wayne Norris in his film debut as a naive young man who is turned into a top fighter by a promoter (Edward G. Robinson). Bette Davis offers strong support as Robinson’s gal, who falls for Norris. Humphrey Bogart also stars in this film, which is also known as “The Battling Bellhop.” “Kid Galahad” was remade in 1962 as a drama with music starring Elvis Presley and Gig Young. The original is much better than the Presley version.

“Golden Boy” (1939): This film adaptation of Clifford Odets’ landmark Broadway play is best known for introducing William Holden to the screen. He cuts a striking figure in the ring, but the film seems dated today. Holden plays a young music student who becomes a prizefighter. Barbara Stanwyck and Adolphe Menjou also star.

“City for Conquest” (1940): Get out your hankies for this wonderful, sentimental pic directed by Anatole Litvak. It stars James Cagney in a scrappy performance as Danny Kenny, a.k.a. Young Samson, a truck driver-turned-boxer who is devoted to his younger brother Eddie (Arthur Kennedy), a brilliant music student. Danny ends up being blinded by accident by an opponent’s boxing gloves during a fight. His former manager ends up financing a newsstand for the now-blind Danny, and Danny uses what little income he has to pay for Eddie’s education. Ann Sheridan is a perfect match for Cagney as his girl Peg, and the final scene between the two is one of the all-time great cinema endings. Donald Crisp, Frank McHugh, Elia Kazan (in a rare acting role) and Anthony Quinn also star.

“The Killers” (1946): Burt Lancaster made his auspicious film debut--and looks great in boxing trunks--as a doomed fighter in this exceptional film noir based on Ernest Hemingway’s short story. Directed by Robert Siodmak, the film also stars a stunning Ava Gardner, Edmond O’Brien and William Conrad. Miklos Rozsa supplied the evocative score.

“Body and Soul” (1947): This boxing classic still packs a wallop because of James Wong Howe’s amazing black-and-white cinematography--he wore roller skates while carrying the camera in the ring so he could capture all the action, thus bringing authenticity and realism to the brutal boxing sequences--Abraham Polonsky’s literate script, Robert Rossen’s taut direction and John Garfield’s gangbuster of a performance as Charley Davis, a poor kid from New York who becomes the world champ and then is asked to take a dive. Lilli Palmer, Anne Revere and Canada Lee also star. The film contains one of the greatest lines: “Whaddya goin’ to do? Kill me? Everybody dies.”

“Champion” (1949): Kirk Douglas received his first Oscar nomination for this compelling, downbeat tale about a boxer, totally without morals or scruples, who punches his way to the top, leaving friends and family in his wake. Mark Robson directed the drama, which, like “Body and Soul” features incredible boxing sequences. Ruth Roman and Arthur Kennedy also star. Harry Gerstad received an Oscar for his crisp editing.

“The Set-Up” (1949): Robert Wise directed this taut melodrama featuring a wonderful performance by Robert Ryan--who was a boxer in college--as a pugilist on the skids who refuses to throw a fight. The gripping tale plays out in real time--the movie is only 72 minutes. Audrey Totter and George Tobias also star.

“The Harder They Fall” (1956): Humphrey Bogart--in his final film--stars in this disturbing 1956 drama penned by Budd Schulberg of “On the Waterfront” fame. Just as “On the Waterfront” explores corruption in the dockworkers’ union, this hard-hitting film looks at how managers mistreat boxers. Bogie plays a world-weary sportswriter-turned-press agent. The final boxing sequence featuring Mike Lane as a doomed fighter tugs at your heart. Jan Sterling and Rod Steiger also star.

“Requiem for a Heavyweight” (1962): A young Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, knocks out an aging boxer (Anthony Quinn) in the opening moments in this tough boxing melodrama adapted by Rod Serling from his seminal 1956 “Playhouse 90” drama. Quinn is quite wonderful as the washed-up boxer who enters a downward spiral of degradation; Jackie Gleason is his unscrupulous manager and Mickey Rooney is his trainer--both top-notch. Julie Harris also stars as a social worker who tries to help Quinn. Ralph Nelson directed.

“Rocky” (1976): This underdog movie about an underdog fighter became a true phenomenon in 1976, beating out “All the President’s Men” and “Network” for the best film Oscar. Sylvester Stallone wrote and starred in this sentimental and endearing tale of a loser who gets his a chance to shine in the ring, and for the first time in his life achieves dignity and self-respect. John G. Avildsen, who received the best director Oscar, elicits wonderful performances from his cast, including Carl Weathers (as Apollo Creed), Talia Shire, Burgess Meredith and Burt Young. Bill Conti’s vibrant score adds to the proceedings.