Body and Soul

Rating:
Summary: Lots of Soul
Review: 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 tough guy performances. These abilities are on superb display in this boxing melodrama, one of the liveliest on that sinister sport. The best parts are those dealing with the struggle for Davis's (Garfield) soul, with Lloyd Goff's super-slick fight fixer as Satan. It's the classic contest pitting money against virtue, and while Davis is quick to grasp the rules of the ring, he's slow to understand the price he is paying. Not exactly cutting-edge material, but slickly and memorably done. The weakest parts are a seemingly miscast Lilli Palmer, a shade too refined to be believable, and Ann Revere's hair that looks like a flour-spraying crop duster gave it a quick pass. The film contains one truly memorable scene, when the washed-up black fighter, Canada Lee, at last confronts his tormentors. It's an emotion packed opportunity that really reaches gut-level. I guess the reason so many from cast and crew were later blacklisted is because of the film's communist inspired message -- that money is not the most important value in life. Good thing those investigators never got around to the religious community.

Rating:
Summary: Lots of Soul
Review: 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 tough guy performances. These abilities are on superb display in this boxing melodrama, one of the liveliest on that sinister sport. The best parts are those dealing with the struggle for Davis's (Garfield) soul, with Lloyd Goff's super-slick fight fixer as Satan. It's the classic contest pitting money against virtue, and while Davis is quick to grasp the rules of the ring, he's slow to understand the price he is paying. Not exactly cutting-edge material, but slickly and memorably done. The weakest parts are a seemingly miscast Lilli Palmer, a shade too refined to be believable, and Ann Revere's hair that looks like a flour-spraying crop duster gave it a quick pass. The film contains one truly memorable scene, when the washed-up black fighter, Canada Lee, at last confronts his tormentors. It's an emotion packed opportunity that really reaches gut-level. I guess the reason so many from cast and crew were later blacklisted is because of the film's communist inspired message -- that money is not the most important value in life. Good thing those investigators never got around to the religious community.

Rating:
Summary: A fighter gets drawn into the corruption of the boxing world
Review: 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. John Garfield does an excellent job in the role, which, I understand, parallels some of his own early life growing up on the streets of New York. Lilli Palmer, cast as his "nice" girlfriend does a good job too. But Hazel Brooks, his sultry gold digger girlfriend seems to be overacting the whole time. And his mother, played by Anne Revere, doesn't come across as Jewish, which is what the role calls for. But yet, the film moved quickly and held my interest throughout and the tension was there the whole time. Will he or won't he throw the fight? It's not until the very end, after a scene using the best film editing and cinematography available at the time, that we finally find out. I also like the song "Body and Soul" which was played in the background throughout and I found myself humming the tune all the next day. This is a tight, well-done video, and certainly worth seeing. I do recommend it. I just stop short though of rating it a #5.

Rating:
Summary: A fighter gets drawn into the corruption of the boxing world
Review: 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. John Garfield does an excellent job in the role, which, I understand, parallels some of his own early life growing up on the streets of New York. Lilli Palmer, cast as his "nice" girlfriend does a good job too. But Hazel Brooks, his sultry gold digger girlfriend seems to be overacting the whole time. And his mother, played by Anne Revere, doesn't come across as Jewish, which is what the role calls for. But yet, the film moved quickly and held my interest throughout and the tension was there the whole time. Will he or won't he throw the fight? It's not until the very end, after a scene using the best film editing and cinematography available at the time, that we finally find out. I also like the song "Body and Soul" which was played in the background throughout and I found myself humming the tune all the next day. This is a tight, well-done video, and certainly worth seeing. I do recommend it. I just stop short though of rating it a #5.

Rating:
Summary: Body and Soul
Review: This is an Excellent movie produced by Bob Roberts. It is a timeless classic about boxing, and I loved it. Be sure to see other movies produced by Bob Roberts like Touch of Evil, which is great also!