The Harder They Fall (1956)
No Punches Pulled! If you thought "On The Waterfront" hit hard... wait till you see this one!
- Released
- Runtime 1h 49m
- Director Mark Robson
- Genres Drama
- Rating 7.2/10 (158 votes)
Synopsis
Jobless sportswriter Eddie Willis is hired by corrupt fight promoter Nick Benko to promote his current protégé, an unknown Argentinian boxer named Toro Moreno. Although Moreno is a hulking giant, his chances for success are hampered by a powder-puff punch and a glass jaw. Exploiting Willis' reputation for integrity and standing in the boxing community, Benko arranges a series of fixed fights that propel the unsophisticated Moreno to #1 contender for the championship. The reigning champ, the sadistic Buddy Brannen, harbors resentment at the publicity Toro has been receiving and vows to viciously punish him in the ring. Eddie must now decide whether or not to tell the naive Toro the truth.
Cast
-
Humphrey Bogart
as Eddie Willis
-
Rod Steiger
as Nick Benko
-
Jan Sterling
as Beth Willis
-
Mike Lane
as Toro Moreno
-
Max Baer
as Buddy Brannen
-
Jersey Joe Walcott
as George
-
Edward Andrews
as Jim Weyerhause
-
Harold J. Stone
as Art Leavitt, TV sportscaster
-
Carlos Montalbán
as Luís Agrandi
-
Nehemiah Persoff
as Leo
-
Felice Orlandi
as Vince Fawcett
-
Herbie Faye
as Max
-
Rusty Lane
as Danny McKeogh
-
Jack Albertson
as Pop
-
Paul Frees
as Priest (uncredited)
-
William Henry
as Fight Arena Locker Room Guard (uncredited)
-
Frank McLure
as Reporter at Hospital (uncredited)
-
William H. O'Brien
as Ringsider (uncredited)
Crew
-
Mark Robson
Director
- Burnett Guffey Director of Photography
- Jerome Thoms Editor
-
Hugo Friedhofer
Original Music Composer
-
Philip Yordan
Producer
-
Philip Yordan
Screenplay
