Requiem for a Heavyweight (1956)

This a Covid-19 2021 minireview!

“Tell me, why is it so many people have to feed off of one guy’s misery? Doesn’t it… Tell me Maish, doesn’t it make you wanna die? ” – Army

Number of Times Seen – 1 (4 Aug 2021)

Brief Synopsis – A veteran boxer must deal with his injuries along with the way that the system has treated him over the years.

Bottom Line – This is a film that I came across by accident after hearing that the play was so powerful. Loved seeing Jack Palance in this lead role and he is able to easily show the everyone how great an actor he always was, even decades before he won an Oscar. The film dives into some very powerful subject matter that deal with the corruption on various levels in the boxing industry and how the lone fighter must do all he can to survive on his own since no one really cares about him or his personal future. The film’s best character tho is played by Keenan Wynn who is superb in this dramatic turn. I was expecting him to crack a joke along the way, but he never does so at all.

Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – Because Ed Wynn kept flubbing his lines during rehearsal, there was serious concern that he wouldn’t be prepared to do a live drama. Consequently, Ned Glass, who played the minor role of a bartender, secretly learned the part of Army and rehearsed privately with Jack Palance and Keenan Wynn. In the end, Ed Wynn went on and delivered a solid performance. The making of this drama was later depicted in Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse: The Man in the Funny Suit (1960), which was likewise directed by Ralph Nelson. (From IMDB)

Rating – Globe Worthy (8/10)