Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962)

I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

Don't listen to the negative reviews

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Which is your favourite Anthony Quinn film? (100 today) My candidate would be this one, a thorough debunking of the whole boxing business, with noteworthy appearances of the young Cassius Clay, Mickey Rooney and Jackie Gleason as his managers, one human and the other one seemingly corrupt but in fact the only realist, and Julie Harris as his one female friend, while Anthony Quinn as the wreck of a finished and humiliated boxer is one of the strongest characterizations ever made on film in almost unbearably straightforward realism. Note in the beginning and opening scene, that you never see his face until he himself sees it in the mirror. Add to this a fantastic music score by Laurence Rosenthal. The Swedish boxing champion at the time Ingo Johansson wanted every Swede to see this film, but this is not only for boxers. It's a universal study in humiliation, and no one is spared, humiliation is a fact of life, and there is nothing more difficult to handle. The film mercilessly displays all the ingredients, like shame, guilt, treason, failure, hypocrisy and defeat, and the chalice is emptied to the last drop. Still, in all his humiliation, ruin and disgrace, Anthony Quinn's failure of a boxing character in the end still stands on the floor as some kind of a victor by accepting his self-humiliation. It's a grotesque tragedy but an impressing abyssal dive and fall into fathomless humanity with infinite richness in spite of its extreme confinement in the small ugly corrupt world of the gladiator sport of boxing.

Ralph Nelson's hard hitting adaptation of Rod Serling's teleplay features a grotesque performance by Anthony Quinn as a punched drunk boxer struggling to come to terms with the fact that his career is over. He's helped (in vain) by employment placement specialist Julie Harris and stymied by shifty manager Jackie Gleason. The film is all about the acting and it's top notch. Quinn, who at times is a bit inaudible, carries the film and is in virtually every scene. Harris is terrific in an unlikely role and Gleason is very potent as a degenerate gambler facing mounting financial woes. The stunning B&W cinematography is by Arthur J Ornitz and there's a dynamite score by Laurence Rosenthal. Mickey Rooney, Stanley Adams and Madame Spivy (as "Ma") co-star.

Aged boxer Luis 'Mountain' Rivera (Anthony Quinn) is knock-outed by Cassius Clay. He is in bad shape and the doctor says he can't fight anymore. The bookie is after his manager Maish Rennick (Jackie Gleason) when Mountain lasted 7 rounds instead of 4. In addition to a $1500 bet, the bookie lost a bundle which he wants paid back. His trainer Army (Mickey Rooney) takes Mountain around trying to get a job. Social worker Grace Miller (Julie Harris) takes pity on the poor sap. Mountain has to swallow his pride and wrestle to save Maish's life. Anthony Quinn is amazing and so is Jackie Gleason. It is an unrelenting sad dark movie. It can also drag at times but the performances are so compelling.

With a title like "Requiem for a Heavyweight" you certainly aren't expecting an upbeat movie! But, here, there ends up being little point to watching the film. The film starts with the heavyweight of the title, Anthony Quinn, badly losing a fight. The fight doctor declares him unable to fight anymore, since he could lose sight in his left eye if he goes back in the ring.What follows is the expected downward spiral, instigated by the thoroughly unscrupulous manager played by Jackie Gleason. He's deep in debt to bookies and has no issue in using Quinn's fighter in any way he can to make a buck. He certainly plays a reprehensible character very well.I love black-and-white cinematography, and it is beautifully done here, on location in New York. Unfortunately, we get to see little of the city during the course of the movie, since the drama takes place almost entirely in interiors.The script is by Rod Serling, who always showed skill with various genres. The movie is staged well by Ralph Nelson, a veteran TV director, who helmed the original TV version of the story in 1956.The performances are excellent all around. It is amazing to see how beaten up Mickey Rooney looks at 42! His appearance definitely sells him as the worn-down "cut man" of the team. The make up is by Dick Smith, to me the greatest make up artist ever in film. He is most famous for creating Brando's "The Godfather," as well as doing make up effects, like in "The Exorcist." Here, he's billed as Richard Smith.Overall, an interesting movie for what it is. But, you can see all the beats coming before they happen.****** (6 Out of 10 Stars)