RIGHT CROSS

US, 1950, 90 minutes, Black and white.
June Allyson, Dick Powell, Ricardo Montalban, Lionel Barrymore, Tom Powers, Larry Keating, Kenneth Toby, Marilyn Monroe.
Directed by John Sturges.

Right Cross is a small-budget MGM film of 1950, directed by John Sturges who would go on to make some significant films like Bad Day at Black Rock as well as many action films like The Hour of the Gun, The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, The Eagle Has Landed.

The film is a star vehicle for June Allyson, one of the top actresses at MGM at this time, especially in musicals and comedies. It is a star vehicle for Dick Powell who had been a song and dance man at Warner Brothers in the 1930s, a hard-boiled detective in many film noir of the 1940s. He also moved into direction. While Ricardo Montalban had appeared in a number of Mexican films in the 1940s, he went to Hollywood, allegedly in the tradition of Rudolph Valentino, and was an instant success at MGM in the film, Fiesta. He would have a long career in film and, especially, television and Fantasy Island.

The film has standard boxing sequences, both training and bouts. It is also a romance with June Allyson in love with Ricardo Montalban but continually clashing with him. In the background is journalist Dick Powell who loses the girl in the film but actually married her in real life! And there is a very brief scene, yet quite striking, with Marilyn Monroe.

1. An MGM film of the 1950s, cast, black and white photography, sports and romance?

2. The focus on boxing, Johnny and his fights, champion, the promoters, the journalists, the challenges? The world of sport?

3. The film as a romance, Johnny and Pat, the ups and downs, Rick and his friendship with them both, his love for Pat, matchmaking, making reconciliations, standing back?

4. The boxing sequences, the training, the ballots, the final and Johnny being knocked out? Boxing scenes for fans?

5. Pat, her being a promoter, daughter of her father, her love for him, his career in promotion, ill, confined to a wheelchair, not allowed to smoke but defying it, at the end of his career? His dislike of Johnny, especially as a Mexican? Not wanting Pat to marry him? Her arguing with him? Rick and his visits, discussions, the smokes?

6. Pat, June Allyson’s screen presence, her figure in her job, a relationship with her father, a love for Johnny, their continually falling out, her being hurt, a concern about his career, his hand, wanting to marry him? Johnny not proposing? His wanting to change contracts? The build-up to the dinner, his explanation of himself, her being upset, going to Rick? Falling back on his support? The final fight, Johnny losing, her telling him that she loved him not just his being the champion? The happy ending?

7. Rick, newspaperman, his contacts, the out-of-work journalist with the tips, giving him the final information about the flight? His love for Pat, continually standing back, making excuses for Johnny? The clashes with Johnny, even to Johnny hitting him? His standing aside at the end? His flirtatious behaviour, the promise of spaghetti, not being able to cook it? The brief scene with Marilyn Monroe?

8. Johnny, Mexican, the influence of his mother, her criticism of the gringos, yet his love for Pat, not taking her to meet his family? His sister, the boyfriend and Johnny ousting him? His wanting to be champion, Mexican champion? Speaking Spanish at home? Wanting to beat the gringos? And the scene where his opponent referred to him as a greaser? The practice, injuring his hand, the doctor and his telling the truth, his concealing this except from his agent? The offer for a better contract? His loyalty to Sean? To Pat? Meeting with the other agent and the possibility of a deal, security for his future? His determination to win, self-confidence? Rick telling him he would lose? The fight, the knockouts, his losing? The aftermath, confrontation with Rick and hitting him? Relying on Rick to fix everything up?

9. The family, the strong-minded mother, Rick and the rumba with her, her attack on gringos? The sister and her being hurt by Johnny?

10. The world of agents, journalists, tipsters?

11. A satisfying popular blend of boxing and romance?