Copyright 19 June 1948 by Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. U.S. release: 26 June 1948. U.K. release: 23 August 1948. No New York opening. Never theatrically released in Australia. 80 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: A boxer is framed for murder and hides out with a newly-appointed clergyman (a former football star) in a small town.
COMMENT: A distinctly minor "B" melodrama. It opens unpromisingly with some mouldy and uninteresting stock football footage. Things perk up a bit during MacRae's boxing match which is quite convincingly staged; but so far as action is concerned, that is "the big punch" of the title. As might be expected, the promised action climax fails to materialize (we are fobbed off with a short, if slightly destructive, fistic encounter between the sub-hero and the deputy villain instead!). Needless to say, the film is fleshed out with plenty of talk and yaketty-yak, including a couple of sermons!
The photographer and director sometimes use deep focus compositions effectively and we like the dissolve from Warde's pistol into a train engine, but otherwise production credits are undistinguished and routine. The church interior is an attractive set, but the others are rather tatty. The acting is nothing to write home about, though the girls certainly have an edge over the boys (they are attractively costumed too). Neither Morris nor MacRae are convincing as the clergyman and the boxer, respectively (though admittedly they are hampered by some corny dialogue). Best performance in the film comes from Jimmy Ames as "Angel".
Production values are well below average for a Warner Brothers' "B".
OTHER VIEWS: The only film directed by one-time Warner's assistant director Sherry Shourds, this is a depressingly trite story about the minister who helps the prize fighter get straightened out. The acting, direction, screenplay and photography all lack any real inspiration. In fact, the quality the film so significantly lacks is that of the title - punch! - E.V.D.
The Director: Sherry Shourds was an assistant director who worked with Curtiz on at least 16 films (marked *). Shourds was assistant director on all following: 1935: Captain Blood *, A Midsummer Night's Dream. 1937: The Great Garrick. 1938: Four's A Crowd *, Four Daughters *, Angels With Dirty Faces *. 1939: Dodge City *, Daughters Courageous *, Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex *, Four Wives *. 1940: Virginia City *. 1941: Dive Bomber *. 1942: Now, Voyager. 1943: Edge of Darkness. 1947: Possessed. 1948: Winter Meeting, June Bride. 1949: The Lady Takes A Sailor *. 1950: Bright Leaf *, The Breaking Point *. 1951: Jim Thorpe - All American *, Force Of Arms. 1952: The Story Of Will Rogers *. 1966: An American Dream, Chamber of Horrors. 1968: Chubasco. (Shourds was unit manager on these last two films).
SYNOPSIS: A boxer is framed for murder and hides out with a newly-appointed clergyman (a former football star) in a small town.
COMMENT: A distinctly minor "B" melodrama. It opens unpromisingly with some mouldy and uninteresting stock football footage. Things perk up a bit during MacRae's boxing match which is quite convincingly staged; but so far as action is concerned, that is "the big punch" of the title. As might be expected, the promised action climax fails to materialize (we are fobbed off with a short, if slightly destructive, fistic encounter between the sub-hero and the deputy villain instead!). Needless to say, the film is fleshed out with plenty of talk and yaketty-yak, including a couple of sermons!
The photographer and director sometimes use deep focus compositions effectively and we like the dissolve from Warde's pistol into a train engine, but otherwise production credits are undistinguished and routine. The church interior is an attractive set, but the others are rather tatty. The acting is nothing to write home about, though the girls certainly have an edge over the boys (they are attractively costumed too). Neither Morris nor MacRae are convincing as the clergyman and the boxer, respectively (though admittedly they are hampered by some corny dialogue). Best performance in the film comes from Jimmy Ames as "Angel".
Production values are well below average for a Warner Brothers' "B".
OTHER VIEWS: The only film directed by one-time Warner's assistant director Sherry Shourds, this is a depressingly trite story about the minister who helps the prize fighter get straightened out. The acting, direction, screenplay and photography all lack any real inspiration. In fact, the quality the film so significantly lacks is that of the title - punch! - E.V.D.
The Director: Sherry Shourds was an assistant director who worked with Curtiz on at least 16 films (marked *). Shourds was assistant director on all following: 1935: Captain Blood *, A Midsummer Night's Dream. 1937: The Great Garrick. 1938: Four's A Crowd *, Four Daughters *, Angels With Dirty Faces *. 1939: Dodge City *, Daughters Courageous *, Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex *, Four Wives *. 1940: Virginia City *. 1941: Dive Bomber *. 1942: Now, Voyager. 1943: Edge of Darkness. 1947: Possessed. 1948: Winter Meeting, June Bride. 1949: The Lady Takes A Sailor *. 1950: Bright Leaf *, The Breaking Point *. 1951: Jim Thorpe - All American *, Force Of Arms. 1952: The Story Of Will Rogers *. 1966: An American Dream, Chamber of Horrors. 1968: Chubasco. (Shourds was unit manager on these last two films).