The Set-Up

Directed by Robert Wise, The Set-Up follows aging boxer Bill “Stoker” Thompson (Robert Ryan) as he prepares to fight a much younger up-and-comer named Tiger Nelson (Hal Fieberling). Filmmaker Wise, working from Art Cohn’s screenplay, delivers a real-time drama that boasts plenty of appealing, attention-grabbing attributes worth getting excited about, including Milton R. Krasner’s perpetually impressive black-and-white cinematography and a stellar, commanding turn from star Ryan, and yet The Set-Up never quite becomes the gripping and absorbing endeavor that one might’ve anticipated – with the (obvious) emphasis on the protagonist’s boxing-related exploits ultimately ranking high on the picture’s list of less-than-enthralling elements. (The pivotal fight, for example, does demand a high tolerance for the sport from the viewer, although, admittedly, the match grows in intensity as it progresses.) There’s nevertheless little doubt that Wise has peppered the narrative with a handful of outwardly engrossing sequences, especially a spellbinding interlude in which Thompson’s wife (Audrey Totter’s Julie) attempts to distract herself by walking down a busy, crowded street, which, when coupled with a bittersweet yet satisfying finish, cements The Set-Up‘s place as an erratic piece of work that feels like it should be so much more captivating.

**1/2 out of ****