The Set-Up is a great example of film noir. Like The Harder They Fall and Body and Soul , boxing takes center ring. The film stars Robert Ryan as an aging boxer who loves to fight.
The film is shot in what appears to be real time. The film doesn't attempt to be realistic. Instead Paradise City and the boxing matches are exaggerated by director Wise to great effect. The city seems too seedy and dark. The fights have no breaks in the action. No fancy footwork - just two sluggers slamming each other. The actors speak in a tough guy lingo that also seems purposely exaggerated. 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.
Ryan is perfect in the lead. I'm used to seeing him play bad guys. Before seeing this, I considered Ryan sort of a pretty-boy Sterling Hayden. But he really was a leading man with a likable quality.
The film is shot in what appears to be real time. The film doesn't attempt to be realistic. Instead Paradise City and the boxing matches are exaggerated by director Wise to great effect. The city seems too seedy and dark. The fights have no breaks in the action. No fancy footwork - just two sluggers slamming each other. The actors speak in a tough guy lingo that also seems purposely exaggerated. 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.
Ryan is perfect in the lead. I'm used to seeing him play bad guys. Before seeing this, I considered Ryan sort of a pretty-boy Sterling Hayden. But he really was a leading man with a likable quality.