An ex-sportswriter is hired by a shady fight promoter to promote his latest find, an unknown but easily exploitable rising star from Argentina.An ex-sportswriter is hired by a shady fight promoter to promote his latest find, an unknown but easily exploitable rising star from Argentina.An ex-sportswriter is hired by a shady fight promoter to promote his latest find, an unknown but easily exploitable rising star from Argentina.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 2 nominations total
- Luís Agrandi
- (as Carlos Montalban)
- Fighter
- (uncredited)
- Oklahoma City Ring Announcer
- (uncredited)
- Boxing fan at Dundee fight
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
In addition to Bogart's fantastic performance, Rod Steiger chews the scenery nicely as a corrupt manager. Their scenes together are really well done, and very well written. I particularly enjoyed the scene after the big fight where Bogart presses to find out how much their fighter will ultimately wind up for getting so badly beaten in the ring.
There are probably a good dozen very, very good fight films, and this belongs to their number. The tension in the film derives from the ultimate conflict between Bogart's inherent decency and Steiger's unmitigated exploitativeness. The two had great on screen chemistry in their scenes together. They employed very different acting styles, Steiger being one of the first Method actors to enjoy success in the movies. Bogart was strictly old school, but he not only held his own, he dominated their scenes together.
Humphrey Bogart's last movie was a triumph! His acting was terrific! Excellent movie!
Bogart is terrific as the morally conflicted Eddie. It's impressive considering he was unwell and this is his last film. He still carries the movie. Steiger is incredible as the bombastic croaked promoter. It's also a fine morality tale. The fight game has always been corrupted and this takes it to the extreme.
My favorite line in this movie is when Bogart angrily asks Steiger how he'd like to have his jaw broken like Toro's. Steiger's henchmen immediately start to converge on Bogart, who says, "He didn't have 5 guys in the ring with him." It's a great line that brings home how the powerful are protected from the very pain they inflict on others.
The movie's title, from the old saying, "the bigger they are, the harder they fall," is also very ironic, because the "big" guys Steiger and the corrupt fight backers actually never "fall" it is only the "little" guys, like Toro, who fall the hardest.
By the way, it was really spooky seeing Max Baer himself re-create his historic fight with Primo Carnera in this film, which is based on Max Baer's historic fight with Primo Carnera! You can see a film of this 1934 fight online, in which Baer knocks Carnera down 11 times in 11 rounds. By round 2, Baer was actually chasing Carnera around the ring, and at least 3 times he knocked him down so hard that he actually fell on top of him!
Did you know
- TriviaJoe Greb has a small and uncredited role as a brain-damaged boxer who gives an interview about the damaging effects of the sport. In reality, Greb had a 12 year career as a boxer and fought in 119 bouts during that period. Greb suffered irreparable brain damage from his time as a boxer and was a vocal proponent of fighter safety. In essence, he plays himself in this film.
- GoofsIn the opening, when Eddie hires a cab, initially it's a '55 Plymouth; in the next scene, as they're driving off, it's a '54 Ford.
- Quotes
[Willis tells Toro to throw his fight with Buddy Brannen to avoid getting hurt]
Toro Moreno: I don't know, I don't know. What would people think of me?
Eddie Willis: What do you care what a bunch of bloodthirsty, screaming people think of you? Did you ever get a look at their faces? They pay a few lousy bucks hoping to see a man get killed. To hell with them! Think of yourself. Get your money and get out of this rotten business.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Great Performances: Bacall on Bogart (1988)
- How long is The Harder They Fall?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- La caída de un ídolo
- Filming locations
- New York International Airport, Jamiaca, New York, USA(New York International Airport, now John F. Kennedy International Airport)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $1,350,000
- Runtime1 hour 49 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1