The Harder They Fall

The Harder They Fall

No Punches Pulled! If you thought "On The Waterfront" hit hard... wait till you see this one!

1956 en 109 minutes

Rating: 7.1

Plot

Jobless sportswriter Eddie Willis is hired by corrupt fight promoter Nick Benko to promote his current protégé, an unknown Argentinian boxer named Toro Moreno. Although Moreno is a hulking giant, his chances for success are hampered by a powder-puff punch and a glass jaw. Exploiting Willis' reputation for integrity and standing in the boxing community, Benko arranges a series of fixed fights that propel the unsophisticated Moreno to #1 contender for the championship. The reigning champ, the sadistic Buddy Brannen, harbors resentment at the publicity Toro has been receiving and vows to viciously punish him in the ring. Eddie must now decide whether or not to tell the naive Toro the truth.

Trailer

Cast

Humphrey Bogart

Humphrey Bogart

Eddie Willis

Rod Steiger

Rod Steiger

Nick Benko

Jan Sterling

Jan Sterling

Beth Willis

Mike Lane

Mike Lane

Toro Moreno

Max Baer

Max Baer

Buddy Brannen

Jersey Joe Walcott

Jersey Joe Walcott

George

Edward Andrews

Edward Andrews

Jim Weyerhause

Harold J. Stone

Harold J. Stone

Art Leavitt, TV sportscaster

Carlos Montalbán

Carlos Montalbán

Luís Agrandi

Nehemiah Persoff

Nehemiah Persoff

Leo

Felice Orlandi

Felice Orlandi

Vince Fawcett

Herbie Faye

Herbie Faye

Max

Rusty Lane

Rusty Lane

Danny McKeogh

Jack Albertson

Jack Albertson

Pop

Paul Frees

Paul Frees

Priest (uncredited)

William Henry

William Henry

Fight Arena Locker Room Guard (uncredited)

Frank McLure

Frank McLure

Reporter at Hospital (uncredited)

William H. O'Brien

William H. O'Brien

Ringsider (uncredited)

Bert Stevens

Bert Stevens

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Arthur Tovey

Arthur Tovey

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Brandon Beach

Brandon Beach

Party Guest (uncredited)

Joanne Arnold

Joanne Arnold

Pretty Girl (uncredited)

Val Avery

Val Avery

Frank (uncredited)

Al Baffert

Al Baffert

Fighter (uncredited)

Bill Baldwin

Bill Baldwin

Oklahoma City Ring Announcer (uncredited)

Walter Baldwin

Walter Baldwin

Boxing fan at Dundee fight (uncredited)

Emily Belser

Emily Belser

New York Reporter (uncredited)

Julie Benedic

Julie Benedic

Statuesque Blonde (uncredited)

Phil Berger

Phil Berger

Boxer Kayoed in Bakersfield (uncredited)

Eve Bernhardt

Eve Bernhardt

Newspaper Reporter (uncredited)

Tony Blankley

Tony Blankley

Benko Son (uncredited)

Penny Carpenter

Penny Carpenter

Benko Daughter (uncredited)

Marian Carr

Marian Carr

Alice (uncredited)

Steve Carruthers

Steve Carruthers

Reporter (uncredited)

Tina Carver

Tina Carver

Mrs. Benko (uncredited)

Edwin Chandler

Edwin Chandler

Chicago Television Announcer (uncredited)

Winnie Chandler

Winnie Chandler

Fight Fan (uncredited)

George Chester

George Chester

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

George Cisar

George Cisar

Fight Manager (uncredited)

Pat Comiskey

Pat Comiskey

Gus Dundee (uncredited)

Lillian Culver

Lillian Culver

Mrs. Wilson Harding (uncredited)

Jack Daly

Jack Daly

Reporter (uncredited)

Patricia Dane

Patricia Dane

Shirley (uncredited)

Vinnie De Carlo

Vinnie De Carlo

Joey (uncredited)

Elaine Edwards

Elaine Edwards

Vince's Girlfriend (uncredited)

Matty Fain

Matty Fain

Fight Manager (uncredited)

Adolph Faylauer

Adolph Faylauer

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Abel Fernandez

Abel Fernandez

Chief Firebird (uncredited)

Gil Frye

Gil Frye

Minor Role (uncredited)

Robert Fuller

Robert Fuller

Minor Role (uncredited)

Ralph Gamble

Ralph Gamble

Reporter (uncredited)

Tommy Garland

Tommy Garland

Fighter (uncredited)

Eddie Garr

Eddie Garr

Fight Manager (uncredited)

Charlie Gibbs

Charlie Gibbs

Minor Role (uncredited)

Everett Glass

Everett Glass

Minister (uncredited)

Bennie Goldberg

Bennie Goldberg

San Diego Referee (uncredited)

Mickey Golden

Mickey Golden

Cornerman (uncredited)

Dorothy Gordon

Dorothy Gordon

Las Vegas Showgirl (uncredited)

Michael Granger

Michael Granger

Gus Dundee's Doctor (uncredited)

Joe Greb

Joe Greb

Joey Greb - Fighter (uncredited)

Frank Hagney

Frank Hagney

Referee (uncredited)

Stuart Hall

Stuart Hall

Party Guest (uncredited)

Tommy Herman

Tommy Herman

Tommy (uncredited)

Joe Herrera

Joe Herrera

Referee (uncredited)

Vic Holbrook

Vic Holbrook

Fight Fan (uncredited)

Tex Holden

Tex Holden

Usher (uncredited)

Bob Hopkins

Bob Hopkins

San Diego Ring Announcer (uncredited)

Charles Horvath

Charles Horvath

Fighter (uncredited)

Roy Jenson

Roy Jenson

Fighter (uncredited)

Don Kelly

Don Kelly

Minor Role (uncredited)

Kenner G. Kemp

Kenner G. Kemp

Man at Contract Signing (uncredited)

Don Kohler

Don Kohler

Reporter (uncredited)

Joseph La Cava

Joseph La Cava

Manager (uncredited)

Pat Lawler

Pat Lawler

Vince's Girlfriend (uncredited)

Peter Leeds

Peter Leeds

Dundee Fight Ring Announcer (uncredited)

Larry Leverett

Larry Leverett

Reporter (uncredited)

Harry Lewis

Harry Lewis

New York Ring Announcer (uncredited)

Mark Lowell

Mark Lowell

Minor Role (uncredited)

William Marks

William Marks

Minor Role (uncredited)

Mathew McCue

Mathew McCue

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Joseph Mell

Joseph Mell

Ring Announcer (uncredited)

Mort Mills

Mort Mills

Reporter in Hospital (uncredited)

Frank Mitchell

Frank Mitchell

Dundee Referee (uncredited)

Irving Mitchell

Irving Mitchell

House Doctor - New York (uncredited)

Diana Mumby

Diana Mumby

Vince's Girlfriend (uncredited)

Sol Murgi

Sol Murgi

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Matt Murphy

Matt Murphy

Sailor Rigazzo (uncredited)

Richard Norris

Richard Norris

Reporter (uncredited)

Jimmy O'Gatty

Jimmy O'Gatty

Milk Fund Referee (uncredited)

Ted Pavelec

Ted Pavelec

Fighter (uncredited)

Murray Pollack

Murray Pollack

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Fred Rapport

Fred Rapport

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Stafford Repp

Stafford Repp

Reporter (uncredited)

Alan Reynolds

Alan Reynolds

Reporter (uncredited)

Eli Rill

Eli Rill

Minor Role (uncredited)

Joanne Rio

Joanne Rio

Las Vegas Showgirl (uncredited)

Robert Robinson

Robert Robinson

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

William Roerick

William Roerick

Mrs. Harding's Lawyer (uncredited)

Jack Roper

Jack Roper

Fighter (uncredited)

Wally Rose

Wally Rose

Salinas Referee (uncredited)

Abe Roth

Abe Roth

Referee (uncredited)

Sandy Sanders

Sandy Sanders

Reporter (uncredited)

Cosmo Sardo

Cosmo Sardo

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Fred Scheiwiller

Fred Scheiwiller

Fighter (uncredited)

Mark Scott

Mark Scott

Reporter (uncredited)

Carl Sklover

Carl Sklover

Referee (uncredited)

Gene Smith

Gene Smith

Minor Role (uncredited)

J. Lewis Smith

J. Lewis Smith

Brannen's Manager (uncredited)

Angela Stevens

Angela Stevens

Girl (uncredited)

Hal Taggart

Hal Taggart

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Charles Tannen

Charles Tannen

Reporter (uncredited)

Ferris Taylor

Ferris Taylor

House Doctor - Chicago (uncredited)

Pat Valentino

Pat Valentino

Milk Fund Fighter (uncredited)

Bennie Washington

Bennie Washington

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Russ Whiteman

Russ Whiteman

Reporter (uncredited)

Bob Whitney

Bob Whitney

Reporter (uncredited)

Ulysses Williams

Ulysses Williams

Boxer Being Knocked Out in Salinas (uncredited)

James Wilson

James Wilson

Oklahoma Referee (uncredited)

Sam Harris

Sam Harris

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Dennis Moore

Dennis Moore

Reporter (uncredited)

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