Your timing’s off, boy. You’re going to need a lot of experience. – World In My Corner (1956)
During World War II, his company was attacked by 6 tanks and waves of infantry. He ordered his men to withdraw and prepare a position in the woods. He remained forward at his command post and continued to give fire directions to the artillery by telephone. Behind him, to his right, one American tank destroyer received a direct hit and began to burn. Its crew withdrew to the woods. He continued to direct artillery fire, which killed large numbers of the advancing enemy infantry. With the enemy tanks abreast of his position, he climbed on the burning tank destroyer, which was in danger of blowing up at any moment. He employed its .50 caliber machine gun against the enemy. He was alone and exposed to German fire from 3 sides, but his deadly fire killed dozens of Germans and caused their infantry attack to waver. The enemy tanks, losing infantry support, began to fall back. For an hour, the Germans tried every available weapon to eliminate him. Still, he held his position and wiped out a squad trying to creep up unnoticed on his right flank. Germans reached as close as 10 yards, only to be mowed down by his fire. He received a leg wound but ignored it and continued the single-handed fight until his ammunition was exhausted. He then made his way to his company, refused medical attention, and organized the company in a counterattack, which forced the Germans to withdraw. His directing of artillery fire wiped out many of the enemy; he killed or wounded about 50. His indomitable courage and refusal to give an inch of ground saved his company from possible encirclement and destruction, enabling it to hold the woods, which had been the enemy’s objective.
The above is summarized from Audie Murphy’s Medal of Honor Citation as he became the most decorated combat soldier in American history, earning every commendation the Army could bestow, including the Medal of Honor plus France’s and Belgium’s highest military decorations.
He was 5 foot five and one half inches tall, weighing 112 pounds, and was only 20 years old. When I discovered that Audie Murphy was in a Film Noir, I knew I had to discuss it for this month’s Noirvember celebration.
Hello to all of the classic people that are returning. I am glad you are back. I want to welcome any new visitors. Today, on Classic Movie Review, we are taking on World in My Corner (1956). This movie falls into one of my favorite watching categories: Film Noir and the Sweet Science, AKA boxing.
This film is rated 6.4 [1] on iMDB.com. On Rottentomatoes.com, [2]it has neither a Tomatometer score nor an audience score. It is a decent film, but modern critics have not been too kind to the movie. There is one thing that you have to keep in mind. This movie stars the most decorated soldier in US history. So, I’ll give it a good.
Actors – World in My Corner (1956)
Returning
Returning actors include solid cowboy actor John McIntire, who plays the role of boxing trainer Dave Bernstein. McIntire was first covered in the Film Noir The Phenix City Story (1955).
Barbara Rush was in the role of the unhappy rich girl Dorothy Mallinson. This lovely brunette was first covered in the great Sci-Fi film When Worlds Collide (1951). Not that John Cussack thing.
New
Audie Murphy played impoverished boxer Tommy Shea as he tries for a big break. Murphy was born in Kingston, Texas, northeast of Dallas. The town is near the Oklahoma border and the Red River. It is precisely where I would expect a real cowboy to come from. Murphy was born in 1924, one of the periods when being poor was going to be extra hard. His mother, Josie, and father, Emmett, were sharecroppers.
Murphy was the seventh of twelve children[3]. His father abandoned the family, and Murphy left school in the 5th grade to pick cotton for a dollar a day. He also became an excellent hunter during the period, as the game he shot was how the family was fed. Josie died when Murphy was 16, leaving him and his older sister to care for the younger children.
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, at the age of 17, Murphy attempted to enlist in the Navy and the Marines and was rejected. With a fake affidavit from his older sister, Murphy eventually joined the Army.
Murphy completed basic training and became an infantryman. He was sent to North Africa but arrived too late for the fighting. He was with the 3rd Infantry Division and took part in the invasion of Sicily and the Anzio landings in Italy. He went ashore in the south of France shortly after the D-Day.
In January 1945, Murphy was with his unit in the Colmar Pocket. Since the Allies were nearing the border of Germany, nazzie resistance was increasing. This is where and when the attack described at the beginning of the episode began. Wounded in the fight, Murphey, who had risen from private to 1st lieutenant, was eventually discharged with a 50 percent disability.
This easygoing, non-traditional hero was a national celebrity. James Cagney, brought Murphy to Hollywood to work for his production company. Cagney’s production company spent money preparing and training Murphy. Eventually, Cagney released the war hero, believing he wouldn’t become a star.
Murphey struggled to find acting work for a couple of years but only appeared in three films. Murphy played the lead in Bad Boy (1949) as a 17-year-old juvenile delinquent. Murphy became a Western star in the type of movies you watched with your dad on Sunday afternoons. He starred in Kansas Raiders (1950), a retelling of Quantrill’s Raiders. If you are a regular listener, you will know I have been hard on the film Destry (1954), even giving it the “you can never get that time back.” It is more likely that Murphy wasn’t so bad in the movie; instead, James Stewart was so good in Destry Rides Again (1939). I will reevaluate.
Murphy played Private Henry Fleming in a film version of Stephen Crane’s “The Red Badge of Courage.” The legendary John Huston directed The Red Badge of Courage (1951). It was a masterstroke casting the soft-spoken and easygoing hero Murphy as a young man dealing with feelings of cowardice. Huston shot a two-hour film that benefited from his background in Film Noir.[4] However, the studio cut it down to 69 minutes and added narration. Murphy and Huston tried to buy the film to return it to the director’s original vision. They were unsuccessful, and Huston moved on to the production of The African Queen (1951).
In another stroke of genius, Murphy was cast as himself in the film To Hell and Back (1955), based on his autobiography and the events of World War II. This blockbuster film set a Universal Studio record that was not broken until Jaws (1975).
Other Murphy films include today’s boxing film, World in My Corner (1956), Night Passage (1957), and the very interesting The Guns of Fort Petticoat (1957), where Murphy, as a Union officer, must train a group of women from his Texas home to defend against an attack. Hope Emerson is outstanding as the acting Sergeant.
Murphy showed some serious acting chops in the Joseph L. Mankiewicz-directed The Quiet American (1958). He worked on The Unforgiven (1960) with Huston, Burt Lancaster, and Audrey Hepburn.
Murphy was “Whispering Smith” on television for 26 episodes in 1961. He continued to make Westerns during the slump in production. Movies in this era include Apache Rifles (1964), spaghetti Western The Texican (1966), 40 Guns to Apache Pass (1967), and the odd movie, A Time for Dying (1969).
Unknown to most people, the World War II hero suffered undiagnosed PTSD. This condition was partially responsible for his short-lived marriage to actress Wanda Hendrix, whom we discussed in Ride the Pink Horse (1947). Murphy was a successful rancher, songwriter, and businessman despite this disorder. He lobbied the government to spend more funds on returning Vietnam veterans.
Sadly, Murphy died at an early age when a plane he was flying on crashed in bad weather in Virginia in 1971. Murphy was buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
Howard St. John played gangster and fight fixer Harry Cram. St. John was born in Illinois in 1905. St. John began working in the Chicago theater and appeared on Broadway in 1925. Very successful in theater, St. John began film work in the Film Noir Shockproof (1949). St. John excelled in playing gruff characters.
St. John’s other films include The Undercover Man (1949), Mister 880 (1950), 711 Ocean Drive (1950), the great comedy Born Yesterday (1950), Film Noir Strangers on a Train (1951), I Died a Thousand Times (1955), a remake of High Sierra (1941), Li’l Abner (1959), and the great comedy One, Two, Three (1961). St. John died of a heart attack at the age of 68 in 1974.
Story – World in My Corner (1956)
The credits for the film are shown in newspaper style. A little different than normal. The last clip says there will be Eight Bouts Tonight at Lakeside Arena. The film cuts to Tommy Shea (Audie Murphy) in the boxing ring. Tommy is not exactly winning the fight.
Before the last round, Tommy’s corner man and would-be promoter Ray Kacsmerek (Tommy Rall) tells Tommy he is losing the fight going into the last round. He also tells that fight promoter/gangster Harry Cram (Howard St. John) has come to see Tommy fight, and Ray is embarrassed by his performance thus far. Cram is ringside with his fighter, Al Carelli (Chico Vejar), and a goon/ex-fighter. The goon says hello to Dave Bernstein (John McIntire), who is also sitting ringside.
In the final round, Tommy peddles backward until the crowd begins booing. He then begins giving the other fighter everything he has got. The other fighter, though beaten on the ropes, never falls. Cram leaves as it is announced that Tommy’s opponent won the fight.
Tommy and Ray enter the dressing room, and Cram is waiting with his gang. Cram reads the riot act to Ray for wasting his time. Tommy stands up for his friend, but Al, the pro fighter, easily blocks his punches. Dave comes into the dressing room as Cram et al. leave. Ray follows Cram, begging for a spot in his organization.
Dave gives Tommy some advice, and Tommy is slightly hostile. Dave says no fighter will get far without Cram on their side. Tommy says he will not put up with Cram’s treatment. Tommy explains that Ray, a former fighter, taught him to box. Dave says Ray had a perfect record, as all his fights were losses. Dave tells Tommy he could be a good fighter with a bit of instruction. Dave gives Tommy a card and writes the address for a place in E. Hampton, Long Island, in case Tommy wants to train.
On July 26, 1955, Tommy gets a pink slip from The Globe Tanning Company, where he worked in Jersey City. By the way, this is not a tanning salon. With poverty and docks behind him, Tommy tells an older worker that he has had a hard time since he left the Army. He also tells that his father died before he reached fifty years old working in the same tannery.
Tommy arrives at a large mansion in East Hampton. He hears splashing coming from a pool and goes to take a look. Swimming in the pool is Dorothy Mallinson (Barbara Rush). Tommy asks for Dave, and Dorothy tells him he can find Dave in the garage. Tommy is impressed by the wealth and cars.
Tommy finds a man working on a speed bag in a small training room. They talk about how people get the money to live on the island. The man says that Dave works here for Mallison and that the Mallison family made their money manufacturing ball bearings. Tommy mentions that he would like to get next to the woman in the swimming pool, and the man says she is Mallison’s daughter. The man continues that Mallison’s daughter wants to be a writer.
Dave comes in and tries to back out of training him. Tommy is told he has been talking to Robert T. Mallinson (Jeff Morrow). Tommy is embarrassed and angry. Tommy tells Mallison that if he were younger, he would take a poke at the man. Maillison asks Tommy if he would like to box.
Tommy and Mallison begin boxing, and at first, Tommy is taking a beating. Dorothy comes in wearing her robe. Before long, Tommy begins beating Mallison, a former collegiate champ, to a pulp. Tommy leaves, but Dave comes out before he can clear the driveway and says Mallison wants Dave to train the young fighter. Tommy agrees to stay and train. Tommy tries to apologize to Dorothy for being rude, but she shuts him down.
Later, Dave begins training Tommy. Tommy is a southpaw, left-handed, and fights with his right hand forward. Dave teaches Tommy to fight in the traditional style but with his left-power hand out front. The training continues for three months, but Tommy remains distracted by Dorothy’s presence. Tommy thinks he is ready to fight, and he also needs some money.
Later in the day, Tommy is cleaning cars at the estate when Ray walks up the driveway. Ray says he is working for Cram. Ray tells Tommy that he can get him a job with Cram collecting. This is the same type of job that Rocky had at the beginning of c. Ray offers $100 a week, but Tommy refuses. Tommy gets a call to bring the car around front for Dorothy. Dorothy is nicer to Tommy and tells him material things are not necessary. Ray asks for the lowdown on Dorothy. Tommy tells him to knock it off. They depart friends.
Time passes, and a montage is shown of Tommy winning fights.
Mallison brings in a rejected manuscript for his daughter. He accuses her of suffering from self-pity. Dorothy wants something of her own. She is unhappy with all the great stuff her father has given her. Dorothy complains that her father doesn’t really know her.
Tommy comes in to give Mallison two tickets to his first main event fight. When Mallison sees that the bouts are in Lakeside, New Jersey, he says that it is too far to go and will come to see Tommy fight when the bout is closer. Mallison leaves, and Tommy says he will not be treated like that again. Tommy talks about having money, and Dorothy tells him it is unimportant. He is pretty rude as he explains money is important to him, so he can afford a girl like her. Ouch.
Tommy had better competition at the main event, but he still wins very easily. Dorothy has taken the tickets and is sitting ringside. Tommy doesn’t know she is there. Dorothy is horrified by the violence of the sweet science. Ray and Cram are also in attendance at the fight, and he is now interested in Tommy as a fighter or for another reason.
Ray is waiting in the dressing room when Dave and Tommy return. Ray wants to meet with Dave about Tommy’s future. At last, Ray says they can’t get anywhere without Cram and the New York market. Ray says Tommy can deal with him and not Cram. Tommy and Dave say no.
When the pair return to the estate in Long Island, Dorothy comes outside to talk to Tommy. She asks Tommy why he fights. They almost have a fight, but he apologizes. He says it is all about the money. Tommy realizes that Dorothy was at the fight.
Since they are now going to be a couple, Tommy takes Dorothy to New Jersey. She says the skyline of New York City is beautiful. Tommy has her turn around and see the slum where he grew up. Tommy tries to make a case for them not being together. Tommy says he will put the whole world in the corner and belt it on the chin to stay out of the slums. They get all kissy face. Dorothy tells that her mother is an alcoholic and was put in a sanatorium by her father. She says her father will destroy Tommy like he did her mother. Dorothy wants to go away with Tommy immediately.
Sometime later, Tommy travels to see Ray. Ray is having a party with a lot of beautiful women around. Tommy says he needs money and wants Ray to get him some fights in New York. He plans to keep Dave and doesn’t want any setups or fixed fights.
Ray goes to see Cram and gets chewed out for not kicking the money up that he has been making on the side. Cram asks if Tommy will go along with the fix, and Ray says Tommy will do as told. Cram wants to use Tommy against Al so he will have an easy fight before the championship.
Later, Ray travels to Long Island and tells Tommy and Dave that he has set up a fight with Al. Tommy maintains that the fight is on the level and asks Dave to stay with him.
On the night of the fight, Dave is taping Tommy’s hands in the dressing room when Cram comes in and says Al will take it easy on Tommy. This is the first time they realize the fight is fixed. Crams says Ray was supposed to tell Tommy the setup. This is a plot device used in The Set-Up (1949). Of course, in that film, ‘Stoker’ Thompson didn’t find out about the setup until they broke his hands in the alley. I have an audio podcast for The Set-Up (1949), and the link is in the description if you want to check it out.
Dave throws Cram and his goon out of the room. Cram says Tommy will never get another fight even if he survives tonight’s bout. Dave tells Tommy that he trained Cram’s goon, a good fighter, until Cram got his hooks in him. Dave thinks Tommy will be his revenge for what Cram did to the goon. Dave gives Tommy a good fight plan: The Sweet Science. Dave thinks Al will not have trained hard, thinking a fix was in, and will try to knock Tommy out early. Tommy is told to stay away and wait for Al to get tired.
Out in Long Island, Dorothy is watching the fight. Her father sees that Tommy is on television, and he puts two and two together. Tommy works the body as told, but he is out of his class. Cram gloats as Al leads the fight. Dave keeps Tommy working the body. The fight scenes are very good, and I’ll tell you why at the end.
Tommy gets baited by Al’s taunting and tries to go toe to toe. Tommy goes down but makes it back up before the 8 count.
Mallison studies Dorothy as she watches the fight.
Dave puts Tommy back on the plan. Between the seventh and eighth rounds, Dave tells Tommy he can go after Al full tilt. Tommy dominates the more experienced fighter and knocks him to the mat. However, Al is saved by the bell. Tommy dominates Al in the ninth round as well. Al is badly beaten in the tenth but never goes down. Tommy wins the fight in a split decision.
Mallison gloats to Dorothy about picking a winner, and Cram smiles, thinking how he can use Tommy to make money.
Dave and Tommy go into the dressing room. Ray is there and shows signs that he was beaten by the gangsters for messing up the setup. The press comes in, and Ray acts like he is the promoter. Ray spins a tale that Korean War veteran Tommy was spotted in the ring by Mallison, and the money man secretly trained the fighter who is only looking to better himself. Ray tells the press that Tommy is ready to fight the champ for the title.
The next day, Tommy invites Dorothy to a musical. Mallison and Dave see the couple kissing in the garden.
That night, Mallison calls Tommy in about the newspaper articles. Mallison tells Tommy that he has been a jackass all the time to keep Tommy working hard, and he is really on his side. Mallison asks about the love between Tommy and Dorothy and how they are fixed for money. Mallison pretends he wants to help.
The date begins well, but Dorothy thinks rightly that her father will destroy Tommy to control Dorothy.
Later, Malison has Tommy move into the main house. Dave thinks it will break Tommy’s fighting spirit.
The newspapers show that Al is fighting the champion, but it should be Tommy versus the champ. At the fight, Tommy, Dave, Mallison, and Ray watch as Al KOs the champ. Dave thinks Tommy is better than Al. After the fight, Mallison tries to get Dave to make a deal with Cram. The other choice is for Tommy to fight on the road for two or three years away from Dorothy.
Dorothy is against Tommy living in the house. She thinks her dad will cripple Tommy like he did to her and her mother. Dorothy leaves the house for good. Mallison won’t let Tommy chase her. Mallison tells Tommy he has to get into the big money immediately, which means Cram.
Tommy is so desperate that he tells Ray he will play along with Cram by taking a dive against Al. Ray only sees the betting angel. Tommy tells Ray to take all his fight money and bet on Al.
Tommy comes back to the house and is introduced to Dorothy’s mother. Mallison is not very nice to her. Mallison thinks his wife will be living with them. Mallison says his wife came from a background similar to Tommy’s. He is trying to break Tommy.
Dave finds out that Tommy is going to fight Al again. He packs to leave. Dave says he is through with Tommy. When Tommy goes back to the mansion, Dorothy is downstairs. She is upset that Tommy is part of a fix. Dorothy gives Tommy the business for wanting wealth. Dorothy takes her mother and leaves her father and Tommy.
Tommy waits for Mallison to return. Tommy calls the man out for his plan to control using wealth. He tells Mallison that he is worse than Cram and he is leaving.
At 2:00 AM, Ray and Tommy are in Ray’s apartment. Cram and his goon arrive. Tommy tells Cram that he will not throw the fight. Cram makes a threat against Tommy and leaves. Ray knows his dreams are over as well. Ray says he has made big bets that Tommy will lose the fight but will stick with his friend.
Tommy is worried that Dave is not with them for the fight. Tommy lays down for a nap, and Ray goes for a walk. Three of Cram’s goons sneak into Tommy’s room. They subdue him and beat his ribcage severely.
Ray returns with Dave, and they find the beaten fighter on the floor in his room. Dave wants to cancel the fight, but Tommy says no.
Dorothy and her mother have a new home, and Dorothy settles down to watch Tommy and Al fight on television.
Al is told to work the ribs, and Tommy is told to stay away. Cram is in the crowd gloating. Tommy hangs in with Al, but he is suffering because of the beating he took. Tommy is knocked to the mat in the second but stands up before the eight count.
Dave wants to stop the fight, but Tommy says no. Dave tells Tommy to switch back to southpaw. Al wants to keep Tommy in the fight to punish him more. Tommy comes out with a big right and surprises Al. After a few more hard shots, Al goes down. He is counted out. Tommy is the welterweight champion of the world.
In the dressing room, a doctor tells Dave that because of the damage to his ribcage, Tommy can never fight again. Tommy takes the news pretty well.
After the fight, Tommy goes to the slums where he grew up. He stares with his back towards the bright lights. Dorothy arrives and asks what he is doing. Tommy says he realized it doesn’t matter what you have as long as you have someone to share it with you. Year right. They get kissy face, and the film ends.
Conclusion – World in My Corner (1956)
So, it’s not a best picture winner, but it’s a decent Film Noir with some excellent and famous actors. Audie Murphy, an American hero, really excelled in the fighting sequences. Chico Vejar played Al and was a real boxer with 92 wins, 20 losses, and 4 draws. Another boxer in the film, Cisco Andrade, said Murphy was “the first actor I ever saw who wasn’t afraid of getting hit hard in a prize fight scene.”[5]
There is not a lot more to say about this movie except that it is worth watching. I think one more story will illustrate the kind of person Murphy was. Lawrence Tierney, who was a scary guy as an actor and in real life, was drunk and raising hell at a party. The diminutive Murphy approached Tierney and said a few words without raising his voice. Tierney decided to leave without protests.
World-Famous Short Summary – It’s better to marry for money.
Beware the moors.
[1] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049965/
[2] https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_world_in_my_corner
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audie_Murphy
[4] The Red Badge of Courage (1951 film) – Wikipedia
[5] Don Graham, No Name on the Bullet, Viking, 1989 263 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_in_My_Corner
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