
The Harder They Fall
Jobless sportswriter Eddie Willis is hired by corrupt fight promoter Nick Benko to promote his current protégé, an unknown Argentinian boxer named Toro Moreno. Although Moreno is a hulking giant, his chances for success are hampered by a powder-puff punch and a glass jaw. Exploiting Willis' reputation for integrity and standing in the boxing community, Benko arranges a series of fixed fights that propel the unsophisticated Moreno to #1 contender for the championship. The reigning champ, the sadistic Buddy Brannen, harbors resentment at the publicity Toro has been receiving and vows to viciously punish him in the ring. Eddie must now decide whether or not to tell the naive Toro the truth.
Top Billed Cast

Humphrey Bogart
Eddie Willis

Rod Steiger
Nick Benko

Jan Sterling
Beth Willis

Mike Lane
Toro Moreno

Max Baer
Buddy Brannen
Featured Crew

Mark Robson
Director

Budd Schulberg
Novel

Philip Yordan
Screenplay

Philip Yordan
Producer

Hugo Friedhofer
Original Music Composer
Burnett Guffey
Director of Photography
Jerome Thoms
Editor

Jerry Wald
Executive Producer
William Flannery
Art Direction
William Kiernan
Set Decoration
Alfred E. Spencer
Set Decoration
Clay Campbell
Makeup Artist