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Surprisingly good early effort from Alfred Hitchcock. One of the only original screenplays written by Hitchcock himself, this film shows remarkable story structure. It kicks off with a rousing boxing match in which carnival champ "One Round" Jack loses to a challenger from the audience who happens to be a professional prizefighter. The movie then slows down to develop the characters and introduce a love triangle between Jack, his girl and the professional boxer. The rest of the film is a dramatic buildup to the rematch between the two men, this time for the heavyweight crown. Even in this early film, Hitchcock shows his talent for meaningful cinematography and prop placement. An armband bought for the girl by the boxer continues to pop up throughout the movie as a symbol of her unfaithfulness. The only big detractor of this film is that the art of filming a boxing match had not yet been perfected in 1927. The final match, as a result, ends up being somewhat anticlimactic. The story, though, is what carries this film through.

Ian Hunter was later to be King Richard the Lionheart in Errol Flynn's "The Adventures of Robin Hood." Here, he's the heavyweight champion. Just for the heck of it, and because he was taunted by the girl (Hall Davis) who takes tickets, he gets into the ring with "One Round" Jack (Brisson), a carnival nobody who makes a meager living fighting all comers. The ticket-taking young lady is Brisson's girl friend.

Hunter decks Brisson, as is expected, but the bout forms a certain bond between them. Hunter's win also attracts the attention of Hall Davis. Gee, a genuine champion! Hunter slips her a bracelet bought with his winnings from the bout.

Brisson then finds a manager and begins professional boxing. He marries Hall Davis in a comic scene. Hitchcock handles the scene with some deftness. An insert shows us Brisson's hand slipping the wedding ring onto Hall Davis's finger, but the bracelet from Hunter slides down her arm and confuses the simple event.

Brisson works his way up to the top and finally wins the match that will get him a title shot against Hunter. He returns home to find his pals ready to celebrate with him -- but no wife. She's out schtupping Hunter. The champagne goes flat while everyone waits for her return. One by one, the Brisson's glum buddies take their leave. Brisson has by the time caught on to the situation. When Hall Davis finally returns there is an angry exchange and Hall Davis leaves him, feeling insulted.

The night of the big fight arrives and it's exhausting. Brisson takes a pounding from Hunter. Just when it seems he can't get through another round, guess what happens. Hall Davis arrives, changes her mind, and rushes to Brisson to tell him, "I'm in YOUR corner, Jack!" That signal Hunter's KO. Happy ending.

It's a bit slow and torpid at the start but after twenty minutes or so, I found myself caring what happened to the characters. They're pretty well written. Hunter isn't an evil guy, just careless about the feelings of others and used to having any girl he has a yen for. Brisson is the obvious and oblivious protagonist, good natured, committed, naive. Hall Davis is flighty and adulterous but turns out all right in the end.

Hitchcock plays some tricks with the camera and seems to enjoy experimenting with the device. We see the world hazy and shimmering through the eyes of a drunken man. It's even worse when we get the POV of Brisson after he's been skinned alive in the ring. One of the camera's capers is unusual. At the bottom of the screen a man's hands are playing the keys of a piano, but the keys extend blurrily all the way up to the top of the screen.

It's not a great movie. Love triangles are common and the end is formulaic. Nor is the acting outstanding. I'm not sure what would constitute an outstanding performance in a silent movie, disregarding makeup.

You'll probably stay awake through it, but it's not worth repeated viewings.

An early triumph for the young Alfred Hitchcock, released in the same year as his better known "The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog", the boxing film "The Ring" deserves its own accolade as one of his more technically accomplished films from the silent movie era. Already the film features much symbolism in its name alone: there is the obvious reference to the boxing ring but the title also refers to a wedding ring, a bracelet and the love triangle that is the movie's heart. Themes familiar to Hitchcock fans are not so much in evidence here and the major attractions lie in Hitchcock's increasingly confident use of editing, montage, the camera as voyeur and development of character through action and emotion.

Jack Sander (Carl Brisson) works his way up as a boxer from fighting amateurs at country fairs to professional level. His main ambition is to succeed at boxing and earn enough money to marry the cashier Mabel (Lillian Hall Davis). However Mabel meets another boxer, Bob Corby (Ian Hunter), and falls in love with him. As Sander wins his bouts, he marries Mabel and continues to fight but gradually discovers his wife is still attracted to Bob. He vows to keep on fighting to a level where he can seriously challenge Corby. Eventually the match is arranged and everyone in town turns up to watch the match. Can Gander beat Corby and win back Mabel? Who will Mabel choose?

The story is hokey in its details but Hitchcock was more interested in the love triangle and the characterisation of Mabel, the most developed character, than in portraying boxing as a career in the 1920s. It's a given in many of Hitchcock's films that the main female character should be the most complex of the cast, no matter what the plot, and "The Ring" is no different here. Mabel is torn between the shallow, fun-loving life-style that Corby as an established professional boxer can offer her and the plainer, down-to-earth and genuine life that is Jack's to give. The inner conflict that Mabel experiences is most vividly expressed in the climactic boxing scene where she is seen racing from Corby's side to Jack's side and back again. Hall Davis is quite effective as Mabel and has a lovely beauty in several shots. Unfortunately her career in films was short-lived; the arrival of talkies cut short her success and she committed suicide in 1933. Brisson brings to his role an imposing physical presence and height, and experience as an amateur boxer; he's not much of an actor but he has a frank and open sincerity that makes him perfect as a wronged man. Ian Hunter as Corby hasn't much to do apart from playing suave and seductive; he was to have a long film career that lasted nearly 40 years.

The film shows German Expressionist influences in a number of scenes and although the plot can be quite involved, it is skilfully relayed so as to rely on very few titles cards and the flow of the narrative is not disrupted as a result. Throughout his career, Hitchcock never forgot his roots in silent film and a number of his later movies, even famous ones made in the late 1950s and early 1960s like "Vertigo", "North by Northwest" and "Psycho", feature extended scenes where nothing is said. The boxing scene where Sander and Corby settle their differences once and for all uses clever edits and a dream-like sequence simulating the effect of slight concussion to draw out and heighten the inner and outer conflicts of the two men: they are fighting not only for their reputations and careers, they are fighting for the love of a woman. There are scenes throughout the film where the camera is used as a voyeuristic device that lets us see how the rivalry between Sander and Corby develops and escalates.

It is a slow film in its first half and doesn't accumulate pace and tension until Mabel's adultery with Corby becomes overt and Sander's anger at her betrayal threatens to get the better of him. Minor characters such as Sander's trainer provide light relief and pause in the tension. Overall "The Ring" is recommended to Hitchcock fans to see how their favourite director was refining his signature style.

The fact this is Alfred Hitchcock's one sports movie may, along with it being a silent film, may put some Hitch fans off. That's too bad, because "The Ring" presents a solid blend of romantic intrigue and comedy that shows the young director beginning to master his craft. Whatever your interest in the Master going in, it's worth a view.

"One Round" Jack Sadler makes a decent living as a fairground pugilist, his gimmick being if a customer can last a round with him, they get a prize. Few enough do so that Sadler can plan on marrying his sweetheart Mabel (Lilian Hall-Davies), the ring's ticket collector. But he's about to get a rude awakening when the big time comes calling, in the form of Australian heavyweight champ Bob Corby (Ian Hunter), who likes Sadler's style but likes Mabel even more.

Hitchcock makes you feel the sweat and sawdust of the fair in setting up the opening scene. He also does a clever thing with introducing Corby, as someone who looks out of place and is apparently gulled into facing One-Round by Mabel's coy glances and come-hither gestures. You actually worry for the guy, until you and One-Round get the first of many surprises in this crafty movie.

The title of the film means several things, including the boxing ring, One-Round's wedding ring, and an arm bracelet that Corby gives to Mabel for which she shows much affection. There's also a ring of cards, a spinning record, glasses of champagne, and a horseshoe that falls on a fortune teller's head, angering her to throw up some early sparks. Hitch has a lot of fun playing with these and other optics, like point-of-view shots of besotted partiers.

He also gets a great performance from Brisson, who doesn't overact nearly as much as he did in Hitchcock's later "The Manxman" but instead plays his scenes with a balance of sympathetic hurt and anger, not to mention the natural physical gifts of a real-life boxer. He projects a quality of amiable menace that moves us into his corner against the sly Corby, whom Hunter underplays very well. When we see Mabel and One-Round marry, there's a quick cut to Corby letting out a yawn that tells us everything we need to know about the character. Mabel may care for him, but the feeling is only returned in a casual, opportunistic way.

The major weakness is Mabel. Hall-Davies does solid work with what she's given, but it's hard to care for someone as fickle as she. To the extent we do, it's because One-Round's happiness is tied exclusively to her affections. I wish the script, Hitch's only solo effort in his film career, did more with the ambiguity of her character. Designing women were a forte of Hitchcock's, but later on.

Still, this is a classy, fast-moving picture that gives us much flavor for the period and the sweet science in grittier days. You get plenty of fun moments, many of them from Gordon Harker as One-Round's dogged, grubby trainer. He serves a thematic purpose, too. When we see him as best man at the wedding, picking his nose before handing the minister the ring, you have to wonder who would want to touch that thing. Something of that sordidness carries through the rest of the film.

The climax won't surprise many, but it's still great entertainment, delivered with a visceral quality that puts you in the ring with One- Round in the fight of his life. Like jennyhor2004 says in her September 2012 review, this is a film for Hitch fans to see their man crafting his "signature style," but even without the name on the title, "The Ring" makes for a worthy entry in the film canon, silent or otherwise. There are finer boxing films, even silent ones (Buster Keaton's "Battling Butler" for one), but "The Ring" stands up to the punches of time quite well.

A British International Picture, released in the U.K. through Wardour Films. Not copyrighted in the U.S.A., the film opened in New York on 24 December 1927. London trade show: October 1927. 112 minutes at correct speed. (Available on a 10/10 LaserLight DVD).

SYNOPSIS: Two professional boxers are in love with the same girl.

NOTES: "You might say that The Lodger was the first true Hitchcock movie. Well, The Ring was the second. No crime ingredients, but a really interesting movie. There were all sorts of innovations in it. The critics loved it, but it was not a commercial hit." — Alfred Hitchcock.

COMMENT: Dullsville. Admittedly, the climactic fight has a bit of zing, but it is way outclassed by dozens of fight films made subsequently, even though the principals do most of their own slugging. And such principals! Ian Hunter (who made a career of playing the good- mannered but dullsville "other suitor") is as ho- hum as ever, but Carl Brisson is likewise a bore. Gordon Harker, even at this early stage of his career, can't resist hamming up his role, while the support characters come across as little more than woeful caricatures.

True, the girl, the lovely Lillian Hall-Davis, makes a strong impression. And yes, there are some pleasing Hitchcockian touches but not enough to justify sitting through this film. Despite Miss Hall-Davis's pleasing performance and a fair-sized budget which allows Jack Cox some typically atmospheric cinematography, watching The Ring is something of a chore.

The title has many meanings - the boxing ring, where differences and grievances are fought out, a wedding ring, where Mabel feels trapped and Jack feels his troubles will be over and the cause of the trouble, a ring-like bracelet that Bill gives Mabel as a love token.

Former professional boxer, Danish Carl Brisson, was given his start in films by Alfred Hitchcock in "The Ring". A very young Ian Hunter, who went on to have such a long career in movies, plays Bob Corby, who catches the eye of a pretty girl, Mabel (Lillian Hall Davis) at a fun fair. She happens to be engaged to "One Round" Jack Sander (Carl Brisson) but that doesn't stop her flirting with Bob. Bob is persuaded to go "one round" with Jack. He goes several rounds and wins - he is a professional boxer and he and his manager have come to the fair to find out if Jack is as good a fighter as they have heard. He offers to take Jack on and Jack goes off, along with his boorish trainer (the great Gordon Harker) to make his fortune with plans to marry Mabel when he makes good. Jack wins his fight and marries Mabel the next day, but the deep attraction that she and Bob feel for each other is still there. Jack is suspicious and puts everything into his training so he can fight Bob for his wife.

At last a boxing movie where the hero doesn't go off the rails - Bob behaves himself and does everything he can to be a champion - if only Mabel acted in the same way!!! She has left him for Bob - and the fight at the end is a mighty one. It is intensely realistic - it occupies the last 20 minutes of the film. From being raw and enthusiastic, Jack is almost knocked out - then between rounds, reuniting with Mabel, gives him the courage to triumph. The question is why would he even want her back - from the start she thought nothing of starting an affair with Bob - why wouldn't she do it again?

The film is loaded with symbolism. Jack, shaking hands with the promoter, changes to Mabel's hands accepting a bracelet from Bob. When Jack puts the ring on Mabel's finger, Bobs bracelet slips down her arm. At the end Jack sees Mabel's reflection in a ringside water bucket and that gives him the confidence to go on. This is an excellent film that will not disappoint you.

Highly Recommended.

. . . or jewelry designed to resemble the slithering reptiles, such as the near-fatal bracelet worn by Lilian Hall Davis as "Mabel" in this steamy love triangle Silent Pic. I've watched THE RING twice, and Mabel seemed more sinister the second time around. No one wants to believe that a blonde can be born bad; it's much easier to just echo Adam's mate, Eve, and blame it on the snake. THE RING's boxing hero protagonist, Jack, is faced at every turn by the epitome of Evil, pugilist Bob, Mabel's seducer. From the moment Bob insinuates the snake bracelet onto her wrist, viewers have the feeling that this story will not have a happy ending. THE RING represents director Alfred Hitchcock at his best, before he got all Fancy Schmancy with red filters on a later version of a Femme Fatale, MARNIE. Lil Mainwaring, who played Sean Connery's would-be lover in that film, says that Hitchcock literally fingered her face to achieve the exact expression he wanted her to have when she looked out the window of her "adopted" mansion at Sean and Marnie (Tippi Hedren). Hitchcock, who started in the film business writing title cards, always wanted to manipulate his actresses to the maximum extent possible, and it was a big help to reduce Ms. Davis' utterances as "Mabel" here to title cards, rather than having to deal with her vocal inflections, had this film been a "talkie."

Hitchcock always does good direction and adds nice touches that enhance the enjoyment of the film, but this story, written by Hitch himself, is hard to swallow. Jack and Mabel are engaged to be married. Jack boxes at a sideshow. Boxing champ Bob and his manager come along and decide Jack is good enough to be employed as Bob's sparring partner - and fight some minor fights. While Jack and the manager work out the details, Bob is off with Mabel kissing her. He also gives her a bracelet that she treasures. Sure, Jack and Mabel do get married, but while Jack's working his way up in the boxing ring, Mabel is out partying with Bob. She doesn't hide much from Jack either - her arm around Bob at a party, playing piano while staring at a photo of Bob (and Jack is looking over her shoulder and she knows it!), even going over to Bob and talking at length to him after a sparring session, not to her husband. Sure Jack is jealous, but he does nothing except look angry. Supposedly he'll get his "revenge" in the ring one day when he's won enough matches and worked his way up to a match with the champ. In the meantime, Mabel continues going out with Bob. What can Jack be thinking? It all comes to a head one evening after Jack has finally won the match that will qualify him to fight the champ. Mabel comes home late after partying with Bob (Jack sees her from an upstairs window get out of a car, then go back to it leaning in the window and obviously kissing someone goodnight.) In the heat of the fight, Mabel picks up the photo of Bob that Jack threw on the floor, runs from Jack to the bedroom and locks the door. Jack goes to "the club" (there's always a "club" in the films) where he confronts Bob, slugs him and says Bob can get his revenge in the ring if he wants to. When Jack goes home, Mabel has left him with a note saying she's going to people who treat her properly. What does that mean - that she's going to Bob? You would think Jack would write her off at this point and never have anything to do with her. But wait. The night of the big match comes up. We see Mabel go into Bob's dressing room. Hitchcock wisely does not let us know what is said, but from the looks she's giving, she's still "mooning" over Bob. Here's where it gets very cliché and hokey. Jack is losing the fight - literally knocked out until saved by the bell. At his worst, Mabel goes to the barely conscious Jack in his corner between rounds and tells him she's in his corner, she's with him. I'll bet you can't guess what happens next? Yep, he gets up and wins the fight. What a surprise! And further still, the two of them are reunited. Jack, you're an idiot! Oh, and we are to suppose that because Mabel takes off the bracelet after Jack wins the fight and drops it on the floor that, symbolically, it's now over with Bob? Sorry, but it's hard to believe any man could be the willing cuckold Jack is in this movie. Rather than cheering for Jack and wanting to see them get back together, you spend your time wanting to knock some sense into Jack and tell him to go find someone else who he can trust when his back is turned!