The Harder They Fall

Noir Alley host Eddie Muller’s introduction and comments following The Harder They Fall, 1956.

TCM's Dave Karger introduces The Harder They Fall, 1956.

Ben Mankiewicz introduces The Harder They Fall, 1956.

Opening from The Harder They Fall, 1956, features Toro (Mike Lane) arriving in Manhattan, Rod Steiger and goons in transit and Humphrey Bogart, in his last film, popping out of an apartment in Peter Cooper Village, written and produced by Philip Yordan, from the Budd Schulberg novel.

Crooked promoter Benko (Rod Steiger) puts on a show of concern at the hospital, after his stooge fighter Toro (Mike Lane) has possibly killed an opponent who wasn’t fit to fight, getting advice from Eddie (Humphrey Bogart), the press agent he’s corrupted, in The Harder They Fall, 1956.

Press agent Eddie Willis (Humphrey Bogart), now in charge of the tour promoting a bogus boxer (Mike Lane), tangles with the managers of fighters paid to lose, led by Weyerhaeuse (Edward Andrews), Nehemiah Persoff his doubting colleague, montage following, in The Harder They Fall, 1956.

Ex-journalist turned press agent Eddie (Humphrey Bogart) tries to persuade L-A TV sports reporter Art (Harold J. Stone), his one-time protege, not to reveal that the guy he’s promoting won a fixed fight, then is shown an interview with Joe Greb, a real ex-boxer, in The Harder They Fall. 1956.

Crooked promoter Benko (Rod Steiger) tries to sell ex-boxing columnist Eddie (Humphrey Bogart) on being press agent for his incompetent new property Toro (Mike Lane), Carlos Montalban his coach, former heavyweight champ Jersey Joe Walcott sparring, in The Harder They Fall, 1956.