REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT (1962)
Special Features: 60th Anniversary
Directed by Ralph Nelson and part of a slew of big-screen remakes of classic New York television dramas (alongside PATTERNS, 12 ANGRY MEN and MARTY), this adaptation of Rod Serling's award-winning teleplay became one of the best boxing films of all time. Anthony Quinn stars as Louis "Mountain" Rivera, a washed up fighter struggling to compete against a young upstart played by the legendary Cassius Clay (later known as Muhammad Ali). Doctors beg him to retire, but his manipulative manager (Jackie Gleason) still has debts to pay and convinces “Mountain“ to break into professional wrestling to keep the money flowing, while his faithful trainer (Mickey Rooney) remains staunchly in his corner. This hard-boiled gem features gritty black-and-white photography and sterling performances from Quinn, Gleason and Rooney. DIR Ralph Nelson; SCR Rod Serling, from his teleplay; PROD David Susskind. U.S., 1962, b&w, 95 min. NOT RATED
AFI Member passes accepted.
Run Time: 95 Minutes
Opening Date: Monday, September 05, 2022
Genre: Drama
