BODY AND SOUL (1947)

The great John Garfield (The Postman Always Rings Twice, He Ran All the Way) gives an Oscar-nominated performance (Best Actor, 1947) in this knockout noir tale of driving ambition. Garfield stars as Charley Davis, a strong-willed young prizefighter whose ruthless quest for a shot at the title forces him to mortgage his humanity to a corrupt boxing syndicate. But when faced with the chance to regain his self-respect, Charley climbs into the ring one last time—in an unforgettable climactic fight scene, breathtakingly shot by legendary cinematographer James Wong Howe (Pursued, The Rose Tattoo). Widely regarded as one of the best boxing pictures ever made, Body and Soul was Academy Award-nominated for its sharp script by Force of Evil’s Abraham Polonsky (Best Writing, Original Screenplay, 1947) and won for its innovative editing by Francis D. Lyon and Robert Parrish (Best Film Editing, 1947). Powerfully directed by Robert Rossen (All the King’s Men, The Hustler) and featuring Lilli Palmer (Cloak and Dagger), Anne Revere (Secret Beyond the Door), Canada Lee (Cry, the Beloved Country) and William Conrad (The Killers).