The Set-Up (1949 film)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Set-Up | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | Robert Wise |
| Produced by | Richard Goldstone Uncredited: Dore Schary |
| Written by | Poem: Joseph Moncure March Screenplay: Art Cohn |
| Starring | Robert Ryan Audrey Totter George Tobias Alan Baxter Wallace Ford |
| Music by | C. Bakaleinikoff |
| Cinematography | Milton R. Krasner |
| Editing by | Roland Gross |
| Distributed by | RKO Radio Pictures Inc. |
| Release date(s) |  March 29, 1949 |
| Running time | 72 min. |
| Country | |
| Language | English |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
The Set-Up (1949) is an example of film noir. Like other films noirs The Harder They Fall, Champion and Body and Soul, boxing is the main theme. The film stars Robert Ryan (Ryan was a boxing champion while a student at Dartmouth College) as Stoker, an aging boxer who lives to fight. His manager is sure he will lose his last match so he takes money for a "dive" from a tough gambler, but doesn't tell Stoker. Suspense builds when Stoker is coming on in the fight hoping to beat Tiger Nelson. Based upon a narrative poem published in 1928 by Joseph Moncure March. The film is shot in what appears to be real time. Martin Scorsese admits on the movie's DVD commentary that The Set-up inspired many elements in the Scorsese-directed Raging Bull while the Bruce Willis character of boxer Butch Coolidge in the 1994 film Pulp Fiction is believed by some to have been inspired by Ryan's character.
Contents |
[edit] Main cast
- Robert Ryan as Bill "Stoker" Thompson
- Audrey Totter as Julie Thompson
- George Tobias as Tiny
- Alan Baxter as Little Boy
- Wallace Ford as Gus
- Percy Helton as Red
[edit] Movie Quote:
Red: "I tell you, Tiny, you gotta let him in on it." Tiny: "How many times I gotta say it? There's no percentage in smartenin' up a chump."
[edit] Awards
The film won Best Cinematography (Milton R. Krasner) and the FIPRESCI Prize (Robert Wise) at the 1949 Cannes Film Festival.
[edit] Remake planned
In 2002, Variety reported that Sidney Lumet had adapted a remake of The Set-Up, which he would direct; Benjamin Bratt was attached to star as the boxer, with James Gandolfini also attached and Halle Berry in negotiations. [1]
However, that package fell apart, and in 2004 it was reported that the remake would be directed by Franc. Reyes (who had directed Empire). [2][3][4]
In 2005 it was reported that Reyes would begin shooting in April 2005 in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. [5][6]
[edit] BBC Two Airing
On November 19th,2001,just after BBC Two Scotland shown their Excalibur ident for the final time and BBC Two and BBC Two Northern Ireland aired their Paint ident for the final time before CEEFAX and/or Learning Zone, The Set-Up aired,after that for BBC Two Northern Ireland and BBC Two,trailers aired.
And in Scotland,CEEFAX began their nighttime reports.
At 3:00 AM,during Learning Zone,BBC Two showed their still version of the Blade ident for the final time. And 4 hours later,the BBC Two 2001-2007 idents began their 6-year tenure!
[edit] See also
- List of film noir
- List of sports films#Boxing
- Boxing in popular culture#Boxing in the entertainment media
- List of films based on poems
- Real-time (media)
