BODY AND SOUL
US, 1947, 104 minutes, Black and white.
John Garfield, Lilli Palmer, Hazel Brooks, Anne Revere, William Conrad, Joseph Pevney, Lloyd Goff, Canada Lee, Virginia Gregg.
Directed by Robert Rossen.
Body and Soul is considered one of the classic boxing films. It is part of a group of films on this theme from the late 40s including Robert Wise’s The Set-Up? and Stanley Kramer’s Champion. It is considered to have been a strong influence on other boxing films including Somebody Up There Likes Me with Paul Newman as well as the classic Raging Bull with Robert de Niro.
The film was directed by Robert Rossen, a writer who began directing in the late 40s and was to go on to win an Oscar for his film All the King’s Men, the best film of 1949. Rossen was interested in action and made The Magnificent Matador about bullfighting, the western They Came to Cordura and his classic film, The Hustler, with Paul Newman and Piper Laurie.
The film was written by Abraham Polonski, a prolific writer who was blacklisted and who started to direct films in the 1940s, with Force of Evil with John Garfield, but could not make another film until the late 60s with Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here, with Robert Redford and Katharine Ross.
John Garfield was nominated for his performance as a young boxer. He wins a bout, his mother (Anne Revere, mother of so many characters in films including her Oscar-winning performance in National Velvet) is unwilling for him to box but straitened circumstances demand it. William Conrad appears as the manager. However, after great success, he is put into a situation where he has a corrupt manager, is asked to fix fights, and is in a morally difficult situation.
There is a good supporting cast with Lilli Palmer, who came to England from her native Poland, and began a career in the United States at this time. Joseph Pevney also appears – but was to make his name as a director. Canada Lee, who was to appear as the reverend in Cry, the Beloved Country, is also in the cast.
1. Audience interest in boxing films, the impact of the sport, the human background? Impact in the 1940s, now? The tradition of boxing films?
2. The contribution of black and white photography, the boxing sequences especially in the final fight, life in the American city, the picturing of the background of the rackets, the wealthy life? Musical score?
3. Response to the title? Indication of theme and selling oneself body and soul?
4. The importance of the structure: the opening tracking sequence and the revelation of Charlie and his calling out 'Ben’? The repetition of this exact same sequence later in the film with our knowledge of what had happened? The effect on the audience of the repetition? The realisation of what we had learnt? Building up for the finale? Making Charlie’s final actions credible?
5. The qualities of John Garfield's performance as Charlie Davis? As representing a tough urban type, his appearance, manner of speaking, swagger? Transition from naive and ambitious young man to greedy and money-fixated punk fighter? The importance of his first learning of his response to Ben and his death, the impact of his drive and ignoring people calling him ‘Champ’, the hostile reaction of his mother, Peg and her love and her repulsion? The setting of a mystery about his attitudes and behaviour? The seeking out of Alice and her comments? The build-up to the fight and our knowledge of its being fixed, the role of Roberts and his hold over Charlie?
6. The placing of Charlie’s memories and sleeping, the dream memory? The night before the fight and the troubled conscience? The sleep immediately before the fight? How did this make the fight and his behaviour credible? Our interest in Charlie as he went to fight, the audience response to the fight itself, audience loss of interest and their booing, Charlie’s reaction to the discovery of the fix against him, the betrayal of Quinn and the others, his decision to change, his fight and achievement? Quinn and his disgust? Alice and her money and having to return to Quinn? Peg and her exhilaration? Ben's trainer and his enthusiastic congratulations? The importance of the confrontation with Roberts and the final remarks of Charlie that everybody has to die? his final achievement and the optimistic ending?
7. The portrait of Charlie as a young man and at home? Champion in the local club, fresh enthusiasm, friends? The shyness and awkwardness of his dancing with Peg? Going home with her, their chatter, the drawing, her manoeuvres, the kiss? Irma and her presence? Peg as a strong heroine for the film? Her love for Charlie, support of him? Her presence at the interview with Robert, her knowledge of the deals, Shorty's place? Her presence at the banquet and the celebration, her response to Shorty and persuading him to help Charlie, her witnessing his death? Her values and expression of these, judgement on Charlie and his behaviour? The fact that Charlie leant on her over the years? Her hopes, the return to his mother? Her reaction to the fixing of the fight? Her presence and her joy at his stance, standing beside him for so long after being rejected?
8. The significance of Charlie’s father giving him the money, should he have done this for Charlie’s benefit? The rough neighbourhood and his death? Mrs Davis and her strength, presence, her articulated dislike of boxing,
watching what happened to Charlie, observing his wealth, returning to the shop, her disgust at his behaviour, treatment of Peg? Her reaction to the knowledge of his fixing the fight?
9. The importance of filling in the background - friendship with Shorty and his help, his giving him money, Shorty's disillusionment, the fight, standing by Ben, disappointment and his death? Quinn and the poolroom, the intermediary manager? His help and presence? Roberts and his wealth, the deals, his henchmen, power? Running the rackets? How ugly a character was Roberts?
10. The contrast with Ben, his trainer, their deals and his fighting with the blood clot, illness, hospitalisation? Shorty’s sympathy and then his death? Charlie’s help, Ben's working for him and training? The ordinary friendship especially the picture of friendship of equals, between black and white in the 40s? His confrontation of Roberts, his fall and punch-drunk attitudes, pathos of his death and its effect on Charlie?
11. Charlie's early decisions against Peg, for money and the easy life? The effect of the kaleidoscope of the years with his easy life, spending the money and letting it slip through, infatuation with Alice, parties and the night after?
12. The ugly look of rackets in the sporting world and the film's presentation of them, judgement on them?
13. Themes of boxing - how much emphasis on skill, sport, endurance? The picturing of few fights? The impact of the boxing visuals?
14. The theme of American dreams, the souring of the dreams? The effect on self-seeking, selling oneself body and soul? The effect on relationships and the meaning of life? Even to death? The possibility of redemption?
