Bummer movie from director John Huston about two boxers, one washed up and one up and coming, and their refusal to recognize the limits of their talents.
Stacy Keach and Jeff Bridges give really good performances in their respective roles, but the whole movie is hampered by a screenplay that creates one-note characters for them to play. It's not until the film's final ten minutes or so that anything resembling a character arc appears for either actor, but by then I was so depressed by the sodden despair permeating the film that I just wanted it to be over.
Susan Tyrell gives a nails-on-a-chalkboard performance as a drunken disaster of a broad and was predictably nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her troubles. The Academy loves nothing more than to recognize hammy performances, and hammy drunk performances are all the better. The film also features Candy Clark, who would go on to score her own Oscar nomination the following year in "American Graffiti."
Grade: B-
Stacy Keach and Jeff Bridges give really good performances in their respective roles, but the whole movie is hampered by a screenplay that creates one-note characters for them to play. It's not until the film's final ten minutes or so that anything resembling a character arc appears for either actor, but by then I was so depressed by the sodden despair permeating the film that I just wanted it to be over.
Susan Tyrell gives a nails-on-a-chalkboard performance as a drunken disaster of a broad and was predictably nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her troubles. The Academy loves nothing more than to recognize hammy performances, and hammy drunk performances are all the better. The film also features Candy Clark, who would go on to score her own Oscar nomination the following year in "American Graffiti."
Grade: B-