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The Harder They Fall

Play trailer Poster for The Harder They Fall 1956 1h 49m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 14 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Broke and without work, newspaper reporter Eddie Willis (Humphrey Bogart) agrees to work for the corrupt boxing promoter Nick Benko (Rod Steiger) to help hype his new boxer, Toro Moreno (Mike Lane). While Toro is beastly in appearance, he has no actual boxing talent, and all his fights are fixed. When Toro gets a shot at the title against the brutal Buddy Brannen (Max Baer), Willis is faced with the tough decision of whether to tell Toro that his entire career is a sham.
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The Harder They Fall

Critics Reviews

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Richard Brody The New Yorker Jul 18, 2022
Packs the ambient violence of a sports world and a media scene that are infested with gangsters; it’s an exposé not just of boxing but of the American way of business. Go to Full Review Bosley Crowther New York Times Mar 25, 2006
This hard-punching boxing-business picture... comes out swinging from the very beginning and doesn't stop until just before the end. Go to Full Review George N. Fenin Film Culture Mar 28, 2022
Robson and Yordan have fulfilled their aesthetic objectives, making The Harder They Fall one of the most honest American films in recent years. But in accordance with the limitation of their vision, they only scratched the corrupted crust of [boxing]. Go to Full Review Hoshi Soffen Shin Nichibei/New Japanese American News Nov 22, 2019
A lousy racket lurking around some of the prize fighting arenas of the country is being depicted in one of the most gripping films to come out of Hollywood crucible. Go to Full Review Prairie Miller NewsBlaze Dec 25, 2011
Honored as the greatest male star in the history of American cinema by the American Film Institute, the late iconic Humphrey Bogart is now similarly memorialized with the re-release of this screen classic compilation. Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Jul 5, 2011
B+
In this noir sports melodrama, which is his final screen role, Bogart gives a powerful performance. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jack P @RT09552425 Jan 12, 2026 The movie is worth just watching Humphrey Bogart and Rod Steiger, two of the greatest actors ever, play off each other. See more Martin B @RT44235356 Dec 17, 2025 One of the finest 50's era films I can recall seeing. Bogart at his weary mid life best playing a weary writer at his mid life best was brilliant. See more Russ G @RT78760655 Jul 24, 2025 Bogie's swan song; I believe it was self-financed or heavily backed with Bogie's own money, similar to "Beat the Devil," though I could be wrong. Worth a watch but it's not Mr. Bogart's best work and it's dark. See more Jed M. @Jed76 Jul 20, 2025 Bogearts last film before his death, great noir film about the boxing industry in the 40’s and 50’s. See more acsdoug D @acsdoug Oct 28, 2024 Bogart was deathly sick while filming this one. Perhaps he looked a little tired, but other than that you would never know it. The movie is a good one as well. See more Richard G. R @RT42990905 May 25, 2024 Bogart's last movie before his death, and a good one at that. Very strong performances by Bogie and Rod Sterling about the seedy side of professional boxing. See more Read all reviews
The Harder They Fall

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Cast & Crew

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Mark Robson

Director

Humphrey Bogart

Eddie Willis

Rod Steiger

Nick Benko

Jan Sterling

Beth Willis

Mike Lane

Toro Moreno

Max Baer

Buddy Brannen

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The Harder They Fall

The Harder They Fall (1956) The Harder They Fall (1956) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Broke and without work, newspaper reporter Eddie Willis (Humphrey Bogart) agrees to work for the corrupt boxing promoter Nick Benko (Rod Steiger) to help hype his new boxer, Toro Moreno (Mike Lane). While Toro is beastly in appearance, he has no actual boxing talent, and all his fights are fixed. When Toro gets a shot at the title against the brutal Buddy Brannen (Max Baer), Willis is faced with the tough decision of whether to tell Toro that his entire career is a sham.
Director
Mark Robson
Producer
Philip Yordan
Screenwriter
Budd Schulberg, Philip Yordan
Distributor
Columbia Pictures, Columbia TriStar Home Video
Production Co
Columbia Pictures Corporation
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 9, 1956, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 16, 2012
Runtime
1h 49m
Sound Mix
Mono
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