Body and Soul

 

 

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United Artists presents "BODY AND SOUL" (9 November 1947) (104 min/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- The fight film to which all others are compared. John Garfield portrays Charlie Davis, a Jewish prizefighter whose parents want him to hang up the gloves and get an education --- When his father is killed in a bomb explosion, however, the proud Charlie prevents his mother (Anne Revere) from accepting government relief, turns pro, and by hook and crook, rises quickly to the top, winning the championship from Ben (onetime welterweight Canada Lee), who is left with a life-threatening blood clot in his brain --- As the champ, Charlie slides into a dissipated lifestyle and throws over his artist girlfriend, Peg Born (Lilli Palmer), for a floozy (Hazel Brooks), falling deeper into the clutches of the gangster who owns him (Lloyd Goff) in the process.

The results are not unexpected but highly satisfying --- When Davis leaves the ring he's threatened again by his mob handler.

"Get yourself a new boy. I retire."
"What makes you think you can get away with this?"
"What are you gonna do? Kill me? Everybody dies."

Garfield's riveting, Oscar-nominated performance lifts this film to the masterpiece level, as do Robert Rossen's superb direction, the marvelous photography of James Wong Howe and the Oscar-winning editing --- The fight sequences, in particular, brought a kind of realism to the genre that had never before existed (Howe wore skates and rolled around the ring shooting the fight scenes with a hand-held camera) --- A knockout on all levels.

Academy Award for Best Film Editing. Academy Award Nominations for Best Actor & Original Screenplay.

Under the production staff of:
Robert Rossen [Director]
Abraham Polonsky [Original Screenplay]
Bob Roberts [Producer]
Hugo Friedhofer [Original Film Score]
James Wong Howe [Cinematographer]
Robert Parrish [Film Editor]
Nathan Juran [Art Direction]

BIOS:
1. Robert Rossen [Director]
Date of Birth: 16 March 1908 - New York City, New York
Date of Death: 18 February 1966 - Hollywood, California

2. John Garfield [aka: Jacob Julius Garfinkle]
Date of Birth: 4 March 1913 - New York City, New York
Date of Death: 21 May 1952 - New York City, New York

3. Abraham Polonsky [Original Screenplay]
Date of Birth: 5 December 1910 - New York City, New York
Date of Death: 26 October 1999 - Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California

the cast includes:
John Garfield - Charley Davis
Lilli Palmer - Peg Born
Hazel Brooks - Alice
Anne Revere - Anna Davis
William Conrad - Quinn
Joseph Pevney - Shorty Polaski
Lloyd Gough - Roberts (as Lloyd Goff)
Canada Lee - Ben Chaplin
Art Smith - David Davis
James Burke - Arnold
Virginia Gregg - Irma

Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 5 Stars
Performance: 5 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 5 Stars
Overall: 5 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]

Total Time: 104 min on DVD ~ United Artists ~ (08/14/2001)

I bought this videotape because I like boxing and heard this movie was one of the best boxing movies ever made along with "Raging Bull". The movie was pretty good but lacks the artistic depth of "Raging Bull". In fact, the movie really isn't even about boxing but is a straight morality play. The boxing is incidential. In the movie, the characters are either good or bad, with little grey, except for the Garfield character. Of course, good triumphs and the hero gets the girl. This makes the film a little boring on both an intellectual and emotional level. Anyone more interested in boxing, and being challenged intellectually and emotionally, is better off with "Raging Bull".

"Body and Soul" was the pride and joy of Enterprise Productions, an independent company located just off Melrose Avenue near RKO and Paramount. It was dedicated to developing productions for its superstar, John Garfield. This is a morality play in which New Yorker Garfield, playing a role not unlike his own life, rises above temptation, reclaims his respectability, and bows out his professional boxing career as winner and still champion.

After his father is killed, an accidental victim of a turf war involving New York gangland elements, Garfield turns to the world of professional boxing despite his mother Ann Revere's admonitions against it. His mind is made up after a government official shows up at their apartment to ask Revere questions concerning going on relief, or in today's parlance, welfare. Garfield finds the process dehumanizing, evicts the government worker, and enters the professional boxing realm, aided by the area's noted boxing manager, William Conrad.

Eventually Garfield hits the big time and wins the world championship, but sells his soul in a Faustian bargain to unscrupulous promoter Lloyd Gough. In the process his decent, highly ethical girlfriend Lillie Palmer drops him, saying she will not deal with him as long as the unsavory Gough guides his destiny. After that he takes up with opportunistic night club singer Hazel Brooks, who lives for luxury in the fast lane.

Gough hits his lowest point when matching Garfield with the talented and popular champion Canada Lee, whose manager beseeches him to quit due to brain damage. One more extra hard blow can do the champion in, he has been warned by doctors. Gough explains that Lee need not worry, and that he will tell Garfield that he should carry him and not land any hard blows. He then purposely neglects to tell Garfield, with Lee almost losing his life in the process. Garfield, feeling terrible, then gives Lee a job as a trainer.

Eventually Gough decides that it is Garfield's turn to lose to the up and coming young contender from Texas. Garfield is pressured to accept the dive. He even bets his entire purse on his challenger.

The championship bout is so boring that fans boo and taunt. Garfield pulls his punches and spends much time clinching. Then, in the next to last round, Gough initiates his doublecross by giving the go ahead to the challenger to use full strength on Garfield as he pummels the surprised champion and knocks him down.

"I'll kill him, I'll kill him," Garfield promises. By the time the round ends he has cleared his head. In the final round he devastates the challenger, knocks him out, and receives a standing ovation. He wins Palmer back and rejects an advance from Brooks.

When Gough tells Garfield afterwards that he has run a great risk in crossing him, the champion coolly replies, "What are you gonna do, kill me? Remember what you told me, 'Everybody dies.'"

James Wong Howe's photography of the fight scenes were staggeringly real. He did them while on roller skates, enabling him to keep up with the flow of action.

Director Robert Rossen and screenplay author Abraham Polonsky had a difference of opinion on the film's ending for awhile. Rossen, favoring a more realistic ending befitting a fighter who has crossed a major mob figure, shot a sequence of Garfield walking down a dark New York street, being gunned down, then shoved into a garbage can to serve as an example to anyone who dared cross the mob. Polonsky favored the ending that was ultimately used as Rossen told him after viewing both endings, "You were right. Your ending is better."

Enterprise made one more great film, with Polonsky adapting his own script and making his directorial debut in "Force of Evil," with Garfield playing a mob lawyer who reforms.

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4.0 out of 5 stars ONE OF THE BEST BOXING FILMS
Body and Soul is a gripping tale about one of the most corrupt sports, both now and then: boxing. As we watch "the Champ" emerge from poverty, aching to hit the big time, we... Read more

Published on Jan 21 2002 by The philosopher

4.0 out of 5 stars A fighter gets drawn into the corruption of the boxing world
Produced in 1947, this film received three Oscar ominations. It's a story of a fighter who gets drawn into the corruption of the boxing world. Read more

Published on Jan 10 2002 by Linda Linguvic

5.0 out of 5 stars Tough Guy Garfield at his Peak
Body and Soul gets my vote as the best boxing film ever. This dark film noir masterpiece is still hard hitting (If somewhat dated)in the new millenium. Read more

Published on July 10 2001 by Karl E. Hegman

5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of Soul
No movie actor inflects lines from the script better than John Garfield. That plus a flawlessly staccato delivery, which can cut through dialogue like a buzz saw, distinguish his... Read more

Published on Jun 29 2001 by Douglas Doepke

5.0 out of 5 stars Body and Soul
This is an Excellent movie produced by Bob Roberts. It is a timeless classic about boxing, and I loved it. Read more

Published on Mar 13 2000

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic John Garfield, Classic Fight Film
John Garfield offers one of his most memorable roles in this thrilling boxing expose. He's up and coming fighter Charley Davis, a tough kid being pulled in opposite directions by... Read more

Published on Sep 24 1999 by jahertzb@students.wisc.edu

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