Best Boxing Movie?

I would say Raging Bull. That's one of my all time favorite movies.

Raging Bull, honorable mention to Field of Dreams.

Million Dollar Baby

I NO

Boxing is one of the great subjects/sub-genres of my favorite genre: the film noir, so for me the best boxing film has got to be Robert Wise's The Set-up (1949). We basically witness the downward trajectory of a washed-up boxer's career over the course of one evening. The atmosphere depicted in this film--that of a lesser arena on the "palookaville" circuit--is totally palpable, and I especially like the denizens the populate this underworld (my favorites are the blind guy who hires somebody to describe the fight to him and the bloodthirsty old wife). Just an all-around perfect film.

More modernly, I've got to go with the direct descendant of The Set-Up--Marty Scorcese's Raging Bull (1980) for the "title" of best boxing movie as well. This film is more epic in scope, the rise and fall of real-life boxer Jake LaMotta that really plays out like a classical tragedy. Moreover, the film is just outright beautiful, with most of the beauty lent to it by way of its period qualities (esp. the use of black and white cinematography).

These would definitely be the two to see...

So this isn't exactly a serious boxing movie, but I love Diggstown anyway. :-)



Sedagive?!!!

It's easy to scoff at Rocky nowadays, because it's been shown so often and it was followed by so many stale sequels and imitations, but it still stands out to me as a wonderful movie.

After that, I'd take The Harder They Fall, starring Humphrey Bogart. He's an ex-boxing reporter that takes a job promoting a huge boxer (Mike Lane) who is an absolute stiff in the ring and it shows how Lane gets exploited every step of the way. Among the former boxers in the movie are Max Baer, Sr., and Jersey Joe Walcott.

I love Fat City when it comes to boxing movies. Raging Bull may be a better film, but I believe Fat City captures the sport of boxing the best; it's a downer with absolutely zero romanticism.

I think I would have to vote for RAGING BULL as well.