Bryant’s review published on Letterboxd:
Criterion Challenge 2022
Progress: 4/52
Prompt: Watch a film from the 1950s
I wanted to knock this one off before it left the Criterion Channel; I originally chose it because hey, wrestling movie. Also, of course, a classic noir.
It’s a grim movie. Understandable motivations throughout, but all of them lead to damaging decisions. Even Widmark’s almost tragic every time he realizes that his conniving optimism isn’t going to pan out this time.
Stanislaus Zbyszko never objected to wrestling catch wrestling matches, despite his Greco-Roman roots, but it’s true enough that he didn’t love the theatrical trend in pro wrestling. Poetic license!