The Big Picture

• Humphrey Bogart shines in The Harder They Fall as a down-on-his-luck sportswriter navigating the seedy underworld of boxing promotion.
• The scathing indictment of the boxing industry reflects real-life scandals, with Rod Steiger as conniving Nick Benko complementing Bogart's performance.
• Bogart's final film showcases his professionalism and enduring legacy, portraying a character who fights for justice against all odds.

Humphrey Bogart is one of Hollywood's most legendary icons. From the world-weary Rick Blaine in Casablanca (1943) to the cold-hearted Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon (1941), Bogart brought an uncanny mix of sad-eyed cynicism and moral fortitude to each role he played. Those same qualities are on display in his final film, The Harder They Fall (1956), a gritty noir about corruption in the sport of boxing. Cinematographer Burnett Guffey earned an Oscar nomination for his raw, unflinching look at the brutality of boxing. His dynamic camera angles and suffocating closeups of the in-ring action clearly influenced the intense fight scenes in Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull (1980). Boxing fans will also love seeing former heavyweight champions Jersey Joe Walcott and Max Baer in supporting roles. However, even with the dazzling camera work and notable cameos, the film's true marquee attraction is Bogart delivering another classic performance in the face of tragic personal circumstances.

Humphrey Bogart Takes a Swing at Boxing In 'The Harder They Fall'

In The Harder They Fall, Bogart plays Eddie Willis, a down-on-his-luck sportswriter who is forced into working for crooked boxing promoter Nick Benko (Rod Steiger) after his newspaper folds. Benko uses the promise of a big payday to lure Eddie into providing publicity for his new fighter, a hulking heavyweight from Argentina named Toro Moreno (Mike Lane). The naive Moreno looks like a star. The only problem is that he has a powder puff for a punch and a glass jaw. That doesn't matter to Benko, who intends to fix Moreno's fights all the way to the top. Eddie goes along for the ride until his conscience gets the better of him. After Moreno absorbs a vicious beating in the first legitimate match of his career, an unsuccessful title fight against champion Buddy Brannon (Baer), Eddie gives Moreno all the money he earned during the scheme and puts him on a plane back to Argentina. He then stands up to Benko before taking to his typewriter to reveal the truth, placing his own life in grave danger.

The film actually had two endings. The first version called for abolishing the sport of boxing, a stance that infuriated Budd Schulberg, the author of the novel upon which the film was based. Schulberg, an avid boxing fan, merely wanted to see the sport regulated by a national commission. This sentiment is closer to the revised ending, which features Eddie writing that Congress must get involved to rid boxing of "the evil influence of racketeers and crooked managers."

'The Harder They Fall' Is Classic Bogart

An often overlooked classic in Bogart's more than 80 career films, The Harder They Fall packs a punch and is a scathing indictment of the boxing industry, drawing inspiration from the sordid details of heavyweight champion Primo Carnera's questionable rise to fame during the 1930s. While Rod Steiger is brilliant as the conniving Benko, Bogart is the film's heart, playing Eddie as a good man beaten down by life who still finds a way to answer the bell. Even though he succumbs to the temptation of easy money, Eddie never loses his soul. He battles his darker instincts each step of the way, trying his best to make his deal with the devil as honorable as possible.

Bogart shines in the film's dramatic final scene, in which Eddie spits righteous anger at Benko, vowing to unravel his criminal enterprise and bring justice to an unjust sport. The contrasting acting styles of the two stars create a fascinating exchange. Steiger was from the emerging school of Method Acting, whose disciples strive for sincere, expressive performances rooted in a deep understanding of the character's inner motivations. Meanwhile, Bogart was Old Hollywood cool, letting his star power and natural charisma breathe life into his character. This clash of old vs. new adds extra dynamite to an already explosive confrontation.

Where 'The Harder They Fall' Ranks Among Humphrey Bogart's Films

Despite its emotional fireworks, that final scene is actually what keeps The Harder They Fall from reaching the lofty heights of Bogart's greatest films, such as The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) and the aforementioned Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon. The ending is just too neat and tidy. Eddie refuses to pay back the $26,000 he gave to Moreno and threatens to ruin Benko, making his criminal business practices front-page news. The mob-affiliated Benko reacts with shocking passivity, scoffing at Eddie's belief in the power of the press and simply going on his merry way. Eddie then sits down to write his boxing exposé under the watchful eye of his adoring wife Beth (Jan Sterling). A less uplifting ending, one in which Eddie pays the ultimate price for his moral conviction, would have elevated the story.

As it is, The Harder They Fall still fits comfortably among such second-tier Bogart gems as Dark Passage (1947), High Sierra (1941), and Key Largo (1948). It's also reminiscent of Deadline – U.S.A. (1952), in which Bogart plays the intrepid Ed Hutcheson, another crusading journalist defending the truth against murderous gangsters. Similarly, Eddie Willis belongs among Bogart's more memorable characters. His decision to sacrifice for the greater good is in line with Rick Blaine surrendering his love for Elsa at the end of Casablanca and with Sam Spade having Brigid O'Shaughnessy arrested at the end of The Maltese Falcon, contributing to Bogart's legacy of characters who adhere to strict moral codes even at the expense of personal loss.

Sadly, The Harder They Fall was Bogart's last film. He was suffering the effects of esophageal cancer during production, and he passed away less than a year after the film's release. In the book 25 Years of Celebrity Interviews from Vaudeville to Movies to TV, Reel to Real by David Fantle and Tom Johnson, co-star Rod Steiger praised Bogart's professionalism on set and marveled at his toughness during such a trying time. That same determination showed on screen. In Eddie Willis, Bogart found the perfect role to embody his willingness to fight the good fight against insurmountable odds. Eddie's insistence upon doing the right thing in a corrupt, unforgiving world serves as a fitting tribute to Bogart's life and career.

The Harder They Fall is available to buy or rent on Apple TV+ in the U.S.

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