Best boxing movies of all time.

A book called '100 Greatest Sports Movies' rates Raging Bull as number 1.


This is how it placed boxing movies:

1. Raging Bull.
11. The Set-Up.
13. When We Were Kings.
18. Body & Soul.
25. The Harder They Fall.
28. Rocky.
38. Somebody Up There Likes Me.
50. Million Dollar Baby.
56. Requiem For A Heavyweight.
58. The Great White Hope.
65. Ali.
71. The Champ.
73. Gentleman Jim.

 

Here's a few more details:

1. Raging Bull (1980) - Stars Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci. The warts and all life story of Jake LaMotta (De Niro) who is ably supported by Pesci as LaMotta brother Joey.

11. The Set-Up (1949) - Stars Robert Ryan, Audrey Trotter, George Tobias. Ryan plays 'Stoker' Thompson a 35 year old, 20 yr veteran who is asked to be involved in a fix.

13. When We Were Kings (1996) - Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Don King. The story of the 'Rumble In The Jungle'.

18. Body & Soul (1947) - John Garfield, Lilli Palmer, Hazel Brooks. Originated out of a bio of Jewish boxer Barney Ross.

25. The Harder They Fall (1956) - Humphrey Bogart, Rod Steiger, Max Baer Snr. Based loosely on Primo Carnera's career, and featuring corruption, match-fixing etc. Bogart, in his last movie, plays a sports writer who teams up with the Carnera character.

28. Rocky (1976) - Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burgess Meredith. Everybody knows this one! Later II, III, IV etc.

38. Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956) - Paul Newman, Pier Angeli, Everett Sloan. The Rocky Graziano story.

50. Million Dollar Baby (2004) - Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman. Maggie (Swank) grew up knowing she was one thing: she was trash. But guided by trainer Dunn (Eastwood) and sidekick Dupris (Freeman) she becomes a somebody.

56. Requiem For A Heavyweight (1962) - Anthony Quinn, Jackie Gleason, Mickey Rooney. Mountain Riviera (Quinn) is washed up and banged up, but knows only one thing: fighting.

58. The Great White Hope (1970) - James Earl Jones, Jane Alexander, Lou Gilbert. Attempts at stopping black champ Jack Jefferson (Jones) with white boxers billed as great white hopes.

65. Ali (2001) - Will Smith, John Voight, Jamie Fox. The story of The Greatest, Muhammad Ali.

71. The Champ (1931) - Wallace Beery, Jackie Cooper, Irene Rich. Story of 'Champ' Purcell a down on his luck former boxer who has become an alcoholic and his 8 year old son who is forced by circumstance to look after him.

73. Gentleman Jim (1942) - Errol Flynn, Alexis Smith, Jack Carson. The story of James J. 'Gentleman Jim' Corbett, ably portraid by Flynn.

 

Look out De Niro!

How did the book leave that one out?

 

Yes mate, and starring your namesake, see pOST #3 above.

18.

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- John Garfield, Lilli Palmer, Hazel Brooks. Originated out of a bio of Jewish boxer Barney Ross.

 

As some of you have pointed out, the list isn't perfect. But hey, they never are!