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The Harder They Fall

Jobless sportswriter Eddie Willis is hired by corrupt fight promoter Nick Benko to promote his current protégé, Toro Moreno, an unknown Argentinian boxer. Although Moreno is a hulking giant, his prospects are hampered by a powder-puff punch and a glass jaw. Exploiting Willis' reputation for integrity within the boxing world, Benko engineers a series of fixed fights that propel the unsophisticated Moreno to the #1 contender for the championship. The reigning champion, the sadistic Buddy Brannen, resents Toro's increasing publicity and vows to viciously punish him in the ring. Eddie now faces a moral crossroads: should he tell the naive Toro the truth?

Director(s)

Mark Robson

Where to watch

Amazon Video

Amazon Video

Rent

Cast & Crew

Sam Harris

Sam Harris

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

William H. O'Brien

William H. O'Brien

Ringsider (uncredited)

Edward Andrews

Edward Andrews

Jim Weyerhause

Robert Robinson

Robert Robinson

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Bob Whitney

Bob Whitney

Reporter (uncredited)

Frank McLure

Frank McLure

Reporter at Hospital (uncredited)

Irving Mitchell

Irving Mitchell

House Doctor - New York (uncredited)

Bert Stevens

Bert Stevens

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Val Avery

Val Avery

Frank (uncredited)

Steve Carruthers

Steve Carruthers

Reporter (uncredited)

Kenner G. Kemp

Kenner G. Kemp

Man at Contract Signing (uncredited)

Mathew McCue

Mathew McCue

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Carl Sklover

Carl Sklover

Referee (uncredited)

Rod Steiger

Rod Steiger

Nick Benko

Adolph Faylauer

Adolph Faylauer

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Stuart Hall

Stuart Hall

Party Guest (uncredited)

Sol Murgi

Sol Murgi

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Murray Pollack

Murray Pollack

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Fred Rapport

Fred Rapport

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Paul Frees

Paul Frees

Priest (uncredited)

Tex Holden

Tex Holden

Usher (uncredited)

Don Kohler

Don Kohler

Reporter (uncredited)

Arthur Tovey

Arthur Tovey

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Frank Hagney

Frank Hagney

Referee (uncredited)

Hal Taggart

Hal Taggart

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Bill Baldwin

Bill Baldwin

Oklahoma City Ring Announcer (uncredited)

Felice Orlandi

Felice Orlandi

Vince Fawcett

Nehemiah Persoff

Nehemiah Persoff

Leo

Harold J. Stone

Harold J. Stone

Art Leavitt, TV sportscaster

Charles Tannen

Charles Tannen

Reporter (uncredited)

Joseph La Cava

Joseph La Cava

Manager (uncredited)

Humphrey Bogart

Humphrey Bogart

Eddie Willis

Charles Horvath

Charles Horvath

Fighter (uncredited)

Cosmo Sardo

Cosmo Sardo

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Roy Jenson

Roy Jenson

Fighter (uncredited)

Brandon Beach

Brandon Beach

Party Guest (uncredited)

Fred Scheiwiller

Fred Scheiwiller

Fighter (uncredited)

J. Lewis Smith

J. Lewis Smith

Brannen's Manager (uncredited)

Mort Mills

Mort Mills

Reporter in Hospital (uncredited)

Herbie Faye

Herbie Faye

Max

George Cisar

George Cisar

Fight Manager (uncredited)

Jack Albertson

Jack Albertson

Pop

Mark Robson

Mark Robson

-

Abel Fernandez

Abel Fernandez

Chief Firebird (uncredited)

Stafford Repp

Stafford Repp

Reporter (uncredited)

William Henry

William Henry

Fight Arena Locker Room Guard (uncredited)

Tina Carver

Tina Carver

Mrs. Benko (uncredited)

Sandy Sanders

Sandy Sanders

Reporter (uncredited)

Larry Leverett

Larry Leverett

Reporter (uncredited)

Robert Fuller

Robert Fuller

Minor Role (uncredited)

Joseph Mell

Joseph Mell

Ring Announcer (uncredited)

Ferris Taylor

Ferris Taylor

House Doctor - Chicago (uncredited)

Frank Mitchell

Frank Mitchell

Dundee Referee (uncredited)

Jack Daly

Jack Daly

Reporter (uncredited)

Michael Granger

Michael Granger

Gus Dundee's Doctor (uncredited)

Patricia Dane

Patricia Dane

Shirley (uncredited)

Jack Roper

Jack Roper

Fighter (uncredited)

Ted Pavelec

Ted Pavelec

Fighter (uncredited)

Wally Rose

Wally Rose

Salinas Referee (uncredited)

Harry Lewis

Harry Lewis

New York Ring Announcer (uncredited)

Joe Herrera

Joe Herrera

Referee (uncredited)

Jimmy O'Gatty

Jimmy O'Gatty

Milk Fund Referee (uncredited)

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

Carlos Montalbán

Carlos Montalbán

Luís Agrandi

Rusty Lane

Rusty Lane

Danny McKeogh

Joanne Arnold

Joanne Arnold

Pretty Girl (uncredited)

Al Baffert

Al Baffert

Fighter (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)

Edwin Chandler

Edwin Chandler

Chicago Television Announcer (uncredited)

Winnie Chandler

Winnie Chandler

Fight Fan (uncredited)

George Chester

George Chester

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Pat Comiskey

Pat Comiskey

Gus Dundee (uncredited)

Lillian Culver

Lillian Culver

Mrs. Wilson Harding (uncredited)

Vinnie De Carlo

Vinnie De Carlo

Joey (uncredited)

Elaine Edwards

Elaine Edwards

Vince's Girlfriend (uncredited)

Matty Fain

Matty Fain

Fight Manager (uncredited)

Gil Frye

Gil Frye

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)

Joe Greb

Joe Greb

Joey Greb - Fighter (uncredited)

Tommy Herman

Tommy Herman

Tommy (uncredited)

Vic Holbrook

Vic Holbrook

Fight Fan (uncredited)

Bob Hopkins

Bob Hopkins

San Diego Ring Announcer (uncredited)

Don Kelly

Don Kelly

Minor Role (uncredited)

Pat Lawler

Pat Lawler

Vince's Girlfriend (uncredited)

Peter Leeds

Peter Leeds

Dundee Fight Ring Announcer (uncredited)

Mark Lowell

Mark Lowell

Minor Role (uncredited)

William Marks

William Marks

-

Diana Mumby

Diana Mumby

Vince's Girlfriend (uncredited)

Matt Murphy

Matt Murphy

Sailor Rigazzo (uncredited)

Richard Norris

Richard Norris

Reporter (uncredited)

Alan Reynolds

Alan Reynolds

Reporter (uncredited)

Eli Rill

Eli Rill

Minor Role (uncredited)

Joanne Rio

Joanne Rio

Las Vegas Showgirl (uncredited)

William Roerick

William Roerick

Mrs. Harding's Lawyer (uncredited)

Abe Roth

Abe Roth

Referee (uncredited)

Mark Scott

Mark Scott

Reporter (uncredited)

Gene Smith

Gene Smith

Minor Role (uncredited)

Angela Stevens

Angela Stevens

Girl (uncredited)

Pat Valentino

Pat Valentino

Milk Fund Fighter (uncredited)

Bennie Washington

Bennie Washington

Fight Crowd Spectator (uncredited)

Russ Whiteman

Russ Whiteman

Reporter (uncredited)

Ulysses Williams

Ulysses Williams

Boxer Being Knocked Out in Salinas (uncredited)

James Wilson

James Wilson

Oklahoma Referee (uncredited)

Dennis Moore

Dennis Moore

Reporter (uncredited)

Details

GenresDrama
Runtime1h 49 mins
Released on08 May 1956
Languageen
Produced InUnited States of America