Body and Soul (1947 film)
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| Body and Soul | |
|---|---|
 Body and Soul movie poster |
|
| Directed by | Robert Rossen |
| Produced by | Bob Roberts |
| Written by | Abraham Polonsky |
| Starring | John Garfield Lilli Palmer Hazel Brooks Anne Revere William Conrad |
| Music by | Hugo Friedhofer |
| Cinematography | James Wong Howe |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) | August 22, 1947 (U.S. release) |
| Running time | 104 min |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Body and Soul is a film made in 1947 film noir film which tells the story of a boxer who becomes involved with a corrupt promoter. It stars John Garfield, Lilli Palmer, Hazel Brooks, Anne Revere and William Conrad.
The movie, written by Abraham Polonsky and directed by Robert Rossen, is a cautionary tale where the pursuit of money becomes the focus that derails a common man in his quest for success.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Charley Davis, against the wishes of his mother, becomes a boxer. As he becomes more successful the figher becomes surrounded by shady characters, including an unethical promoter named Roberts, that tempt the man with a number of vices. Charley finds himself faced with increasingly difficult choices.
[edit] Reaction
The film received positive reviews when first released. Some modern film reviews finds the film's message heavy handed today but most reviewers continue to praise Garfield's performance. [1]
TV Guide's review notes "The fight sequences, in particular, brought a kind of realism to the genre that had never before existed (James Wong Howe wore skates and rolled around the ring shooting the fight scenes with a hand-held camera). A knockout on all levels." [2]
It's known for its fight scenes which influenced the Scorsese classic Raging Bull.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| John Garfield | Charlie Davis |
| Lilli Palmer | Peg Born |
| Hazel Brooks | Alice |
| Anne Revere | Anna Davis |
| William Conrad | Quinn |
| Joseph Pevney | Shorty Polaski |
| Lloyd Gough | Roberts |
| Canada Lee | Ben Chaplin |
| Art Smith | David Davis |
[edit] Trivia
Not to be confused with the 1931 film featuring Humphrey Bogart in his third screen role.
[edit] Awards
It won the Academy Award for Film Editing and was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (John Garfield) and Best Writing, Original Screenplay.
