The Set-Up (1949)

The Set-Up

The Set-Up (1949) is a lean, hard-hitting film-noir about aging prizefighter Bill "Stoker" Thompson, who insists he can still win even as everyone around him — including his worried wife Julie and his crooked manager Tiny — doubts him. Unbeknownst to Stoker, Tiny has accepted a bribe from a ruthless gambler to make Bill throw the next match. What follows is a night of mounting tension as Stoker prepares for the fight, driven by pride and denial, while the web of corruption and threats tightens around him. Seeing the movie, you’ll experience a taut, gritty atmosphere: terse dialogue, claustrophobic backstage corridors, and visceral ring sequences that put you in the middle of each round. The drama is as much psychological as physical — the film explores desperation, betrayal and the cost of dignity — and builds toward an emotionally charged, morally ambiguous climax. Expect strong, affecting performances and a noirish, unglamorous portrait of the sports underworld that leaves a lingering sense of hard-won realism rather than easy resolution.

Actors: Robert Ryan, Audrey Totter, George Tobias

Director: Robert Wise

Runtime: 73 min

Genres: Crime, Film-Noir, Sport

Filmaffinity Rating 7.6 /10 IMDB Rating 7.8 /10 Bmoat Rating 7.7 /10