Drama starring Barbara Stanwyck and William Holden. Joe is a gifted violinist who becomes a boxer to pay for music lessons. But his ruthless manager is determined to make a fighter of Joe, even if it's at the expense of his musical ambitions.
A very famous play in its time - copied and parodied ever since - this tale about a violinist who also boxes (truly!) was once considered a daringly left-wing and extremely courageous work, bringing international fame and acclaim to its author Clifford Odets. But, in this watered-down movie version, the play's usual sting is largely missing. The once-grimy New York tenement setting is sanitised out of all recognition, and Lee J Cobb's performance as William Holden's dad is one of the worst pieces of character overacting in movie history. It's cliché-ridden and very dated, and the only real reasons for watching now are the notable leads, with Barbara Stanwyck showing the ropes to an amazingly innocent Holden in the role that made him a star.
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Lorna Moon | Barbara Stanwyck |
| Joe Bonaparte | William Holden (2) |
| Tom Moody | Adolphe Menjou |
| Mr Bonaparte | Lee J Cobb |
| Eddie Fuseli | Joseph Calleia |
| Siggie | Sam Levene |
| Roxy Lewis | Edward Brophy |
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Director | Rouben Mamoulian |
