It's such a delight to see Audie Murphy in a non Western, and in a genre that should have suited him - a boxing flick - which is enough to carry you along for half the running time, but after a while it sinks in that this isn't really a very good movie. He's the usual young kid with a rough upbringing who is tempted to throw matches. There's a dodgy, rich gangster who wants to corrupt him; a sexy dame from a higher social class who he becomes obsessed with; a poor but honest trainer; some gangsters; a colourful promoter who is morally ambitious and provides comic relief.
We've seen it all before - I'm sure even in 1956 people had seen it all before. Audie convinces in fight scenes despite his height and he's okay, but his limitations are exposed in a few scenes. Barbara Rush is a pretty, competent actor but she needed to be better. Jeff Morrow is really good though as her dodgy rich father - the fact he's driven his wife into a blithering wreck and is trying to do the same with his daughter (his wife reminded me of Ma Hardy from the Hardy family movies) is the most original thing about the move.
Oh I should mention there are some clever credits - in the form of newspaper articles. The jazzy music score (co written by Henry Mancini) got on my nerves after a while, it reminded me of cheap Roger Corman movies.
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