Scott LeBrun Robert Wise brings all of his filmmaking skill to this vivid depiction of those men who are experts of the "sweet science" of boxing. Its characters are entertaining and believable, and it refrains from any sort of melodrama, amping up the tension bit by bit. The audience will notice that it appears to unfold in "real time", as several shots settle on clocks. This is simply solid, compelling, no frills story telling (based on a 1928 poem by Joseph Moncure March), with efficient acting in every role, especially the legendary Robert Ryan in one of his best ever roles.He plays "Stoker" Thompson, a past-his-prime boxer at 35 whose record as of late hasn't been too impressive. Various unsavoury characters, including his own manager "Tiny" (George Tobias), are convinced enough that he'll lose his latest fight that they all bet against him. However, Stoker is confident that he can take his opponent (Hal Baylor), and when Tiny and corner man "Red" (Percy Helton) try to persuade him to take a dive, Stoker is determined to be a man of principle and go through this fight honestly. Meanwhile, Stokers' distraught wife Julie (an appealing Audrey Totter, herself no stranger to the film noir genre) just can't stand by anymore while her husband takes all manner of physical punishment.This tight, trim story (the movie runs a mere 73 minutes long) is focused and full of many sights and sounds, often cutting to the agitated people in the crowd, who clearly have their bloodlust boiling and are either cheering on Stoker or encouraging "Tiger" Nelson (Baylor) to wipe the floor with the older man. This goes a long way towards getting the viewer at home worked up as well. The ring action is exciting, and the finale is unbelievably tense, with a not necessarily "happy" ending. Also delivering fine performances are Alan Baxter as grim faced mobster "Little Boy", Edwin Max as his flunky Danny, Wallace Ford as Gus, Darryl Hickman as Shanley, James Edwards as Luther, and David Clarke as Gunboat.The film is a little too predictable in its outcome of the fight, but otherwise this is fine stuff and merits a viewing from any lover of boxing or the film noir genre.Eight out of 10.

st-shot Robert Wise has directed two of the most popular movies (West Side Story, The Sound of Music) in the history of cinema but he never made a film as well as The Set Up. One of the half dozen best fight films in cinema history it also a master class in film language as Wise and lens man Milton Krasner present the film in real time the moment the great (but uncredited)NY tabloid photog Arthur "Wee Gee" Fellig as timekeeper sounds the bell ringside to its powerful conclusion.The consensus of all concerned, including his manager and corner man (played to slimy perfection by George Tobias and Percy Helton)is that Stoker Thompson (Robert Ryan) is washed up. Playing on the under card in Paradise City his handlers guarantee a local thug he will take a dive against up and comer Tiger Nelson. Problem is they don't let Stoker in on it for fear he will gum up the works. They instead gamble on his rusty skills to betray him. When his main squeeze (Audrey Totter) has had enough and looks like she walks Stoker has nothing left but to prove everyone else wrong about him. A brutal bloody match ensues and when things don't go as predicted reinforcements are called in to deal with Stoker.With the clock running Wise and cinematographer Krasna economically flesh out a supporting casts of mugs and ticket buyers while establishing the state of Stoker's career in a couple of lengthy well choreographed takes. The fan's feelings are varied at first as Wise inter-cuts their reactions to the ring savagery but as it ramps up all are down with the pain being inflicted and Wise subversively includes us in as well as we root for Stoker standing alone.The fight scenes are choppily energized and fractured and Ryan's boxer build and skills bring each round a verisimilitude lost on doughier previous Hollywood boxing films. Ryan's display of emotions from confusion and anger to rage and fear rank with some of the finest acting of the era but like the film flew under the radar in its day while handsomer faces and stars like Garfield and Douglas (Champion) made glossier, bigger budgeted albeit fine fight films. But with more they lacked Wise's minimalist (no score, just ambient music,)approach awash in expressionistic portraits working within a precise time frame. From a pure finesse point The Set Up has more punching power than all its predecessors with only Raging Bull a suitable challenger to its belt in the last century.

AaronCapenBanner Robert Wise directed this interesting boxing drama that stars Robert Ryan as Stoker Thompson, a veteran boxer who is up for one more big fight, though his wife Julie(played by Audrey Totter) wants him to quit. What Stoker doesn't know is that his manager(played by George Tobias) has bet against him in the bout, but hasn't bothered to tell him, so convinced is he that his fighter is washed-up, but Stoker doesn't quit so easily, though that won't sit well with a mobster(played by Alan Baxter) who has also bet against him... Well-directed drama plays out effectively in real-time, with fine performances and believable story.

classicsoncall You know what's odd? I couldn't even tell you who the World Heavyweight Champ is today. However there was a time, and I'm referring to my own youth here back in the Fifties and Sixties, that even if you weren't a boxing fan, the names of the champion and top contenders were a ubiquitous presence in newspaper headlines and the evening news. Times sure change.This is the tale of a hanger-on, an over the hill pugilist going by the name of Stoker Thompson, admirably portrayed by Robert Ryan in one of his classic roles. At the age of forty, he's playing a thirty five year old fighter against a much younger contender on the way up, backed by a flashy gangster the townies call Little Boy (Alan Baxter). I can't say I was much impressed with actor Ryan's ring style, virtually spending the entire match in an uncomfortable looking crouch position that seemed defensive most of the time. This really hit me when I learned that Ryan actually did some boxing in his college and military service days. I've never boxed, so what do I know, except that it looked awkward for someone who wanted very much to win just one more fight.The film gets a lot of mileage out of it's supporting players. George Tobias and Percy Helton are wonderfully smarmy and duplicitous in the mismanagement of their boy Stoker. Edwin Max as Little Boy's stooge Danny also conveys a lot more with his facials than with any lines he gets to deliver. Stoker's long suffering gal Julie conveys all the desperation and fatigue of someone who stands by her man, but hopes against hope that he'll give up the fight game to join the rest of humanity. In that scene on the bridge overlooking the trolleys, the torn up pieces of her fight ticket seem to flutter away like the last remnants of desire in her heart that maybe, just maybe she and Stoker can someday have a happy life together.So it's 1949, and things were a lot simpler back then, but here's what I don't get. The money involved in the fix seemed inconsequential to me, and I don't understand how a hood like Little Boy could get so worked up over fifty bucks. Fifty bucks! Sure, he was bankrolling his girlfriend Bunny on a side wager for a C-note, but how far was that fifty dollar pay off expected to go between Tiny (Tobias), Red (Helton) and Stoker? This is what Stoker was supposed to lay down for? Maybe I'm being naive, but an average week's pay to throw a preliminary fight seemed like small potatoes to me.Anyway, you don't have to be a boxing fan to get something out of this flick. Filmed in a crisp noir style, it captures all the seedy atmosphere of small town venues and smoke filled arenas that anyone could ask for. The ticket to this match is worth every penny.