Body and Soul
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Movie Reviews of Body and Soul
Movie Review: "Body and Soul (1947) ... John Garfiield ... Robert Rossen (Director) (2001)"
Summary: 5 Stars
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)
Movie Review: The Winner And Still Champion
Summary: 5 Stars
With the arguable exeption of "Rocky" and "Raging Bull" BAS is the greatest boxing film of all time -- perhaps one of the greatest films of any kind. To a young viewer, it may seem riddled with cliche's, (which is part of the fun) but realize, BAS was the prototype for such cliche's. It literally wrote the book of using boxing as a metaphor of the struggle of life itself . The depiction of the sleezy promoter, the allure of money and fame, the glorification of violence, the betrayal of those who are no longer useful, and the ultimate fall from grace caused by the cruelest of enemies -- age. It's all here. It's the most basic of morality tales -- everybody loves a winner, but nobody stays a winner for long. And in a touch of blue collar existentialism, the most profound statement of all reverberatates throughout -- "everybody dies". This was the role Garfield was meant to play. A combination of tough guy swagger with a touch of self doubt. Garfield also insisted on a scene (often cut out on television presentations) where the characters address the fact that " people like us are being persecuted in Germany." This was heavy stuff for Hollywood to handle at the time, and it makes its point more powerfully than a 3 hour documentary on the holocaust. The final fight scene is devestatingly gritty. But throughout the entire film there isn't a false step in the direction or the performances and even the score is magnificant. (People who thought Million Dollar baby was a masterpiece, take note...THIS is the way it's supposed to be done). But what I think is the most powerful aspect of this film is also what is most misunderstood. The ending of BAS is often viewed as an act of redemption, when it is not. It is an act of SPITE. (Stop here if you don't want to know the ending) Charlie fights to win not for glory or out of a sense of duty. But because he's been betrayed and would rather lose it all that to let the "evil" prosper at his expense. That is humbris times ten! And that is the action of a pure, unadulterated,prideful, arrogent, politically incorrect, "don't let them make a monkey out of you" American man from the middle of the 20th century -- the kind they don't make anymore. As is this movie. It's a must. Enjoy.Movie Review: Body and Soul
Summary: 5 Stars
Charlie Davis grew up poor but proud, a brash young kid with fists of stone and an appetite for the better life. John Garfield plays Davis in BODY AND SOUL, one of the starkest morality plays Hollywood has ever produced.
BODY AND SOUL is deeply cynical and enjoys a pessimism untainted by many promises of redemption. People don't fall in love in the world Charlie is so eager to join - they negotiate angry contracts with each other. William Conrad plays Charlie's manager who at one point loses his girl to Charlie. In a happier moment Conrad once told her, "Remember, first mink and then ermine." It's a constant theme in the movie - everything is for sale, and the more of you you shell out the better the reward. The girl's bitter fall from Charlie's grace takes her back to Conrad and his rabbit fur territory. Conrad welcomes her back with a snarled "Looks like you're back in my league." "I don't know," she says, "you're getting kind of old." Conrad ends this little woo-pitching session with the pleasant observation that "You could use a new paint job yourself." This is a Social Darwinism without much sociability and one where all the predators are keeping score.
About the only light radiated in Charlie's life come from girlfriend Peg and his mother, both long-suffering forgivers. But the lure of the Damned overshadows that of the Graced. The former dress better and have bigger toys. Besides, we imagine Charlie tells himself, I can always step away when I've had my fill....
BODY AND SOUL was custom made for its star and plays to all his strengths. John Garfield shines in this career defining role that fits him like a glove - a pugnacious and cocky kid from the wrong side of town chases the brass ring and stumbles when he runs into something tougher than his fists and immune to his wise cracks. Garfield's other great acting asset was his ability to explore the dark corners of his soul and take the audience along for a melancholy tour. Garfield is corruptible, but incapable of being corrupt. His mortal attempt to reclaim his soul is announced with one of the greatest tough guy lines in movie history: "What are you gonna do, kill me? We all gotta die."
An essential movie.
Movie Review: A wonderful movie that transcends the boxing ring!
Summary: 5 Stars
This review is for the 1999 Artisan/Republic Pictures DVD release.
Some consider Body and Soul the best boxing movie ever. It's a great movie, but to me it's more about a boxer who faces greater challenges outside the boxing ring than inside. John Garfield stars as Charley Davis, a street-wise New Yorker who moves up fast in the boxing world. Along the way he meets a beautiful, well-educated woman named Peg (played by Lilli Palmer) and they fall in love, but his boxing career creates obstacles for their relationship as well as Charley's other friends, family and business associates.
The challenges, conflicts and temptations this pugilist encounters outside that ring is what makes this movie so special. The toughest challenge is with Charley's promoter, Mr. Roberts (Lloyd Gough) who in effect "owns" Charlie and the film exposes the dark side of professional boxing that even seems relevant today. It's a sobering reminder that professional sports is more about money than competition, and athletics can be expendable or exploited for selfish gain.
The DVD released by Artisan is a disappointment. The video transfer was not restored and small specs of film deterioration are frequently seen throughout the entire movie. There are even several abrupt jumps in the movie, probably due to the film being spliced where it had once broken. The audio portion is also noisy and could have been cleaned up too. A small independent studio that is now defunct called Enterprise originally made this film. This movie is a classic and it's a shame that a major studio like Warner Brothers hasn't picked up the rights to release a fully restored version.
Movie: A
DVD Quality: C-
Movie Review: By unanimous decision: one of the best boxing movies ever
Summary: 5 Stars
The quintessential fight movie, starring John Garfield as the boxer who works his way up to becoming the champ, but sells his soul (and body) to sleezy promoters along the way. He does whatever they tell him to do, as long as he gets his money. In his last fight he's supposed to take a dive so a new champ can be crowned (Garfield even bets against himself), but at the last minute he gains his self-respect and wins the bout.
As a boxing movie there is the usual fare offered up: corruption, sleezebag fights, money grubbing - but the cast does a superb job all around and makes the picture top-notch entertainment. The whole movie has an uncommon sense of realism about it. Lili Palmer as Garfield's true love and Anne Revere as his mother are real standouts. The scenes with black actor Canada Lee (who was also a professional fighter) are also on the level for once. The script is excellent, and the photography, especially of the fight scenes, is eye-popping. And, of course, the haunting theme song occurs throughout the movie, to great effect. An excellent movie in every way; definitely worth a watch.