THE PRIZEFIGHTER AND THE LADY

US, 1933, 118 minutes, Black and white.
Myrna Loy, Max Baer, Jack Dempsey, Primo Carnera, Walter Huston, Otto Kruger.
Directed by W.S. van Dyke.

The Prizefighter and the Lady is one of the earliest Hollywood boxing films. It featured Max Baer who was a champion at the time as well as champions Jack Dempsey and Primo Carnera as himself.

The film began a long line of boxing films that included such features as Body and Soul, The Set- Up, Champion, The Harder They Fall and later classics like Raging Bull, Million Dollar Baby and Cinderella Man.

Cinderella Man is particularly relevant because actor and fighter Max Baer appears as a central character in that film. The final culminating fight is between James Braddock (played by Russell Crowe) and Baer (played by Craig Bierko) - who bears a strong resemblance to Baer). Baer appears as an obnoxious character in the film, full of himself, insulting to Braddock and his wife.

In this light, the plot of The Prizefighter and the Lady does seem to bear some similarity to Baer’s own life and celebrity – although the events in Cinderella Man took place two years after this film was made and released. In Cinderella Man, there is also reference to Primo Carnera and his fights with Braddock.

This film has the conventional story of the young man seen by a has-been promoter (a good performance by Walter Houston) who sees his potential and brings him up to championship standard. However, the fighter is his own man, arrogant, wayward, even with his loving wife who had been the girlfriend of a gangster boss (Otto Kruger). Given the circumstances, the gangster boss behaves in a very gentlemanly and good-sporting way. Myrna Loy is the star and the gangster’s girlfriend – and has the opportunity to sing.

The film shows the development of sound films during the first half of the 30s. The director is W.S. van Dyke, director of many films at MGM at this time – including the Thin Man stories which was about to start, featuring Myrna Loy and William Powell.

1.The popularity of boxing films? The long tradition of boxing films? This film as a pioneer film?

2.The black and white photography, the cinema styles of 1933? Editing and pace? The angles for the boxing? The boxing choreography? The musical score – and the song Downstream Drifter? Its meaning for the characters?

3.The title, the tone? The clash of classes?

4.A film about boxing, boxing as a sport in the 1930s, during the Depression? The Champions? Max Baer himself, Jack Dempsey, Primo Carnera and the others? The fact that they would also appear in films? The training, the bouts, the fights? Tactics? Referees?

5.The focus on Belle, the accident? Her being Nick’s girlfriend? Singing at the club? The arrangement with Nick? The rescue by Steve Morgan? The bargain to come to his fight? The attraction? Nick and his dominance? His being prepared to let her go? Her marrying Steve? Her keeping away from the fights, the Professor’s advice? Her love for Steve, at home? His philandering? Her discovery of the truth, facing it? Her being upset? His being obtuse – her realising he was immature? The final straw, going back to Nick, singing at the club? Going to the fight, her saying she didn't want him to win, her still being in love with him, support, the draw? The reunion?

6.Steve, strong, the Professor noticing him? His being a sailor, not professional? Interested in the invitation? The training, the bouts? His becoming a celebrity, press conference? Taking himself too seriously? Women’s attentions? His flirting? The marriage, his love for Belle? Her absence? Going out, the gifts? His being caught? His reaction, the build-up to the fight, letting the Professor go? The bouts, the support? The Professor and Belle coming to his assistance, the draw? An appropriate ending for the fight theme? A future with Belle?

7.The Professor, his drinking, remembering the old days, noticing Steve, signing him up, going to the promoter, looking at the set-up fight, Steve and his ability to KO people? The Professor training him, entering him in the competitions, Steve insulting him? Steve using him as an excuse to be out with the girl instead of at home, Belle knowing the truth, telling him? The Professor and his upset? Helping him in the final fight?

8.Nick, the suave gangster, the club, the relationship with Belle? Jealousy of Steve? Threatening him? Good manners and letting Belle go? Her returning to him, the fight, his letting her go again?

9.The world of boxing, trainers, referees? The public? Avid desire to watch bouts? The assistants?

10.An interesting drama – from the early sound era? Creating a precedent for Hollywood boxing films?