The Set-Up
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Movie Reviews of The Set-Up
Movie Review: Noir at his best
Summary: 5 Stars
The Set ? Up Roberta Wisea is in my own opinion one of the best movies ever about boxing and the people in and around the ring. Although It lacks some of the standard film noir elements it nevertheless ranks as one among the best representatives of the genre. Robert Ryan gives a strong and very powerfull performance of a man who is not willing to sell his own honor and fights to the last regardless of consequences. In the fighting scenes he is very convincing, which is not surprising, since while he was in college he was 4 years heavyveight boxing champion. But his greatest momrent in the film comes when he is cornered in the dead-end alley and the four gangsters slowly approach to him. Jou can plainly read all emotions from his face, no word was necessary. Mixing of fear, worrying, desperately looking for some way out but in the same moment he clearly knows there is none. Unforgettable!
Robert Wise, known for his meticulous work, did spend some time with real boxers inside their dressing rooms, and captured very good the atmosphere among them while they are waiting for their own fight. All the worries, loose conversations, just to kill time, anticipation, hopes, expectations, naturalism to the bone, almost as if you watch some documentary. Although story is not a bit complicated, it is even predictable at a moments we should bear in mind that this movie is based on excellent narrative poem of the same title, by Joseph Moncure March.
Another intresting experiment for that time, two years prior to Fred Zinemann's High Noon, is the unfolding of the story in real time. 73 minutes in a liftime of the aged boxer, at the sunset of his career who still hopes that he's just ?one punch away? from fullfilment of his dreams. That one punch he's been waiting for thirty five years.
Truely remarkable movie!!!
Movie Review: One Last Stand
Summary: 5 Stars
I checked out this movie on TCM the other night after noting that it was listed in the "New York Times Top 1000 Movies" that came out 6-7 years ago. The plot seemed simple enough, an aging boxer refuses to throw a fight that his manager had already been paid off for. What I didn't realize was that the movie takes place in real time; we see the film in essentially the same time frame that everything happens. Every minute counts and, although the pace of events varies, the insights we get more than makes up for the periodic tedium. Much is revealed about the world of boxing, for example, by just being able to be present in the locker room as different boxers prepare for different bouts in different ways. There is a love interest that allows us to follow Stoker's lady as she struggles with her own inner turmoil. Was she really thinking what we suspect she was when she was on the bridge?
The character development in this type of a format is challenging but the writer and the director, Robert Wise, show how to make the most of events and dialogue. Some stereotyping is involved but we get to know a lot of people in a short amount of time. The cast is excellent with top honors going to the star, Robert Ryan. The more I see of his lesser-known films, the more I come to appreciate his generally under-appreciated talent. The boxing scenes are well orchestrated although boxing, in movies, always seems to move at a faster, more active pace.
I'm not sure that having a "message" is a requirement of the Film Noir genre but "The Set-up" leaves us with a statement that we can keep. It says to us that the pitfalls of success outweigh the tedium of failure even if no one but ourselves is able to appreciate what we risked.
Movie Review: Stoker: "Well, that's the way it is. You're a fighter, you gotta fight."
Summary: 5 Stars
THE SET UP is easily Robert Ryan's best performance. He was a fighter in college, so Ryan's boxing scenes are totally believeable. Clocks shown at beginning and end reveal that this story unfolds in real time.
There's a few recognizable faces here:
George Tobias ('Tiny,' Ryan's manager) was also Darren and Samantha Stevens next door neighbor, Mr. Kravitz on TV's BEWITCHED. Little Percy Helton ('Red,' his corner man) guested on many '60s TV series and the uncredited Herbert Anderson (a ringside fan) portrayed the father on DENNIS THE MENACE.
SYNOPSIS--
After girlfriend Julie (Totter) threatens to leave him, thirty-five-year-old 'Stoker' Thompson is matched against a young up-and-comer. Manager Tiny gets a small payoff to guarantee that Stoker will lie down in the third round, but never informs his fighter of this crooked deal. Stoker is convinced he can defeat 'Tiger' Nelson (Baylor), and takes a lot of punishment for his efforts. When Thompson does indeed win the bout, Tiny and Red disappear. He's left to face alone in an alley the double-crossed mobster (Baxter), his two goons AND an angry Tiger.
Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 imdb viewer poll rating.
(7.8) The Set Up (1949) - Robert Ryan/Audrey Totter/George Tobias/Alan Baxter/Wallace Ford/Percy Helton/Hal Baylor/Daryl Hickman (uncredited: Herbert Anderson)
Movie Review: Perhaps American cinema's most underrated film
Summary: 5 Stars
Simply put this is a masterpiece. Presumably the belated praise "The Set-Up" is owed will come its way with this new DVD release. Director Robert Wise has some very good films to his credit but this is tour de force. The camera work and editing are unparalleled. The film's myriad minor characters are magically revealed by short (but never choppy) camera shots. "The Set-Up" is the story of an aging boxer hoping that one last fight can turn around his career and thus his life. Shady gamblers and corrupt fight handlers have other ideas. The setting is the fictional Paradise City, a grimy, cynical fast-paced and totally unsentimental city. Much of the action takes place in the boxing arena featuring some of the best fight sequences ever shot. But a scene in a bar is memorable as are shots following the boxer's unhappy girlfriend.
The movie is shot in real time, only 72 minutes, but what a 72 minutes it is. Never has so much of a story been told in so short a time.
Adding to the value of this DVD is the accompanying commentary provided by Wise and Martin Scorsese. Scorsese is not only one of the great directors of all time but is also wonderful in the burgeoning field of DVD film commentary. He has forgotten more about film than most of us will ever know. His speaking style is not just insightful but engaging. Just listen to him explain "The Set-Up"s stylized realism.
But watch "The Set-Up" first without the commentary, then enjoy and appreciate it even more with it.
A great film lover's film.
Movie Review: No doubt about it...
Summary: 5 Stars
...this is one of the best movies about boxing that I've seen and, as a boxer myself of many years, would recommend to others. Most boxing flicks are just absolute garbage but this one really shows it like it STILL is, particularly if you are working your way up the circuit. Next to "REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT" this one of the better boxing movies out there. The other movies people mentioned are dam* fine too, don't get me wrong, it's just that I think they've been kinda overplayed already. I mean, has anyone not seen "Raging Bull" yet? Sure it's friggin' awesome, but it's a little over the top and even La Motta admitted that. My point is not to knock it all, cuz I have it in both the old and new issued format, but just to say that this film is a little more real life if dig what I'm saying. Bottom line, if you're thinking about getting it, don't. Just do it. It's an awesome movie and one you will really enjoy - whether you box or not.
And, speaking of "box"...you can also get this very same - remastered, etc. - movie as part of the "FILM NOIR CLASSIC COLLECTION" box-set, along with multiple other noir movies ("Asphalt Jungle, Gun Crazy, Murder My Sweet, Out of the Past" and then this one too) that are also, extremely good for just a little extra (like $20 bucks extra...for 4 extra *good* movies).
Hope this helped a little.