Humphrey Bogart plays a one-time sportswriter recruited by shady businessman Rod Steiger to promote and hype a South American prizefighter.

The fact that the boxer is a glass-jawed jelly-legged washout is of no concern as Steiger and his mob associates have a careful plan of fight rigging and publicity hype to ensure money will be made.

Cynical and still relevant, this sees Bogart on top form as a press agent growing increasingly sickened by the manipluation of fighters, forcing them to accept more and more punishment for an extra dollar.

The screenplay, based on Budd 'On the Waterfront' Schulberg's novel, avoids sermonizing and grandstanding, instead ruthlessly depicting the creation, exploitation and disposal of sportsmen unable to see the bigger picture.

And the real sucker punch is that although mob affiliated the businessmen remain within the law, leaving no options for the uneducated lugs they pick up to absorb the ring bound punishment.

Director Mark Robson puts the audience right in the firing line of each killer right-hook, sledgehammering the point that boxing is no gentlemen's sport and these pugs are dying to scratch out a living.

Watching his commanding performance on screen, it is surprising to think Humphrey Bogart would be dead the following year.

While no stretch for him as an actor, the role shows how his persona would have survived well into old age.

Rob Daniel