The Square Ring

The Square Ring is a 1953 British film produced by Michael Relph, directed by Basil Dearden and made at Ealing Studios. It stars Jack Warner, Robert Beatty and Bill Owen. The film, based on a stage play by Ralph Peterson, centres on one night at a fairly seedy boxing venue and tells the different stories of the various fighters and spectators.

The Square Ring
Directed byBasil Dearden
Produced byMichael Relph
executive
Michael Balcon
Written byRobert Westerby
additional dialogue
Peter Myers
Alec Grahame
Based onthe play by Ralph Peterson
StarringJack Warner
Robert Beatty
Joan Collins
Maxwell Reed
Kay Kendall
Bernadette O'Farrell
Bill Owen
Music byDock Mathieson
CinematographyOtto Heller
Edited byPeter Bezencenet
Production
company
Distributed byGFD (UK)
Release date
  • 13 July 1953 (1953-07-13) (UK)
Running time
83 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Premise

Five stories that take place mainly in the locker room prior to and after various bouts during a single evening at a cheap boxing stadium: an ex champion, Docker Starkie, trying to make a comeback; Eddie Burke, a new boxer on the way up; Harry Coombes, a future champion; Rick Martell, a crooked fighter planning to throw a fight; Sailor Johnson, a punch drunk ‘has-been’; and Rowdie Rawlings, a black boxer. Danny Felton is the dressing room attendant who has seen fighters come and go.

Cast

Production

Film rights were bought by Michael Balcon at Ealing and John Mills was announced as star, with Basil Dearden to direct and Michael Relph to produce.[1]

Eventually Mills dropped out and was replaced by Canadian actor Robert Beatty.[2] He had no boxing experience so he trained for two weeks in preparation for the role.[3]

The play was all male but three women were added to the film.[4]

Reception

Critical reception was mixed.[5] One review called the film "uneven", accusing it of "veering between comedy and tragedy".[6]

References
  1. "Adelaide man's play to be filmed – John Mills to star". The News. 59 (9, 142). South Australia. 26 November 1952. p. 5. Retrieved 8 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. "Robert Beatty in boxing picture". The Mail. 42 (2, 121). South Australia. 31 January 1953. p. 3 (SUNDAY MAGAZINE). Retrieved 8 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. "Film May End A 50-Year Jinx". The Sunday Herald. Sydney. 21 June 1953. p. 14. Retrieved 10 July 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "Good Morning!". The Advertiser (Adelaide). South Australia. 4 November 1954. p. 2. Retrieved 19 May 2020 – via Trove.
  5. "Boxing Film With A Punch". The Sunday Herald (Sydney). New South Wales, Australia. 5 July 1953. p. 6. Retrieved 19 May 2020 – via Trove.
  6. Radio Times. Guide to Films (2004). p.1328
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