WHIPLASH

US, 1948, 91 minutes. Black and white.
Dane Clark, Alexis Smith, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden, Jeffrey Lynn, S.Z. Sakall, Alan Hale.
Directed by Lewis Seiler.

Whiplash is a mixture of a boxing film with the film noir, so popular at this period.

Dane Clark is an artist who falls in love with a mysterious woman, paints her. She disappears. He goes into depression, but when he finds her again, he finds that she is the wife of boxing promoter, Zachary Scott, who had been injured in a car accident. He becomes embittered, accepts the offer of the promoter to become a champion, later discovers the truth about the hold the promoter has over his wife. This involves her brother, an alcoholic doctor who had not been able to save the promoters legs after the accident. He is portrayed by Jeffrey Lynn. Eve Arden offers her usual comic support, S.Z. Sakall his usual style of stammering bubbly self and Alan Hale is an Irish boxing trainer.

The film is an interesting example of this kind of drama of the late 40s.

1. The impact of the film? Its title? Reference to the characters?

2. The black and white photography, the film noir, the coast, New York City, clubs, boxing gyms, the boxing tournaments? The musical score? The songs? For Alexis Smith? For the group of sisters – and their lively song?

3. The opening, the fight, Michael and his collapsing? The flashbacks? The explanations? The return to the final fight, his recovery, his win? The consequences?

4. Michael Gordon, with the kids on the beach, friendly? Painter? With Sam, the bar, Laurie buying his picture? His going to give her a refund? The attraction, the discussion, her silence, morose? His inviting her out after her appreciative words? Together, the kiss, the swim, her feeling better? In Sam’s bar? His not knowing that she was found by her husband and taken away?

5. Mike and his reaction to Laurie’s disappearance? Drinking? Unable to paint? His decision to go to New York? All the attempts to find Laurie? The landlady? His boarding with the troublesome landlady, Chris and her interventions? Her support of him? His going out with her and her boyfriend? Seeing Laurie sing? Meeting her, her disowning him? His being taken into Rex Durant’s office?

6. Rex Durant, boxing champion, his hold over Laurie? His accident, loss of his legs? Becoming a promoter? His making sure that Arnold was drinking? His control of Laurie? Her work in the club? The confrontation with Mike? His henchmen, the punches? Offering Mike the chance to train? Mike and his accepting?

7. Mike, his motivations, his antagonism towards Laurie? The fight, the bitterness? His becoming transformed? The collage of his fights, winning? In the club, the punch-drunk fighter and his appeal to Durant? The image of what Mike could become?

8. Chris, her friendship? Sardonic remarks? The rich boyfriend? The outings, supporting Mike? Supporting him at the end?

9. The trainer, Irish, blarney? His training Mike? Support of him? His concern about him in the ring?

10. Laurie, her distance from Mike? The antagonism? Her concern? Her finally telling Durant that she loved Mike? His reaction?

11. Durant, his toughs? The attack on Mike? His concussion? His decision to fight? Durant hiding the test results? The fight, Mike and his losing? The encouragement? His coming back to form, the knockout? The consequences?

12. Arnold, his drinking, the doctor? His interviews with Mike, trying to persuade him to leave? His being Laurie’s brother? His final exasperation, getting the gun? The confrontation with Durant, his being shot? His shooting Durant? Durant and his loss of control of the wheelchair, careering into the street? The anticipated shooting by the doctor – but the unexpected result with Durant’s death?

13. The reconciliation between Laurie and Mike? Her note in the restaurant, wanting him to come to stop Arnold doing anything foolish?

14. The resolution – hard times? A deserved happy ending?