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The Set-Up

The Set-Up

Drama · Crime · 1949

Expecting the usual loss, a boxing manager takes bribes from a betting gangster without telling his fighter.

Movie details

The Set-Up

“I want a man … not a human punching bag!”

1949 Drama · Crime 1h 13m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.3 / 10

Community rating

Expecting the usual loss, a boxing manager takes bribes from a betting gangster without telling his fighter.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Set-Up?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

Plunder Road

Plunder Road

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A spectacular heist starts to unravel as the crooks take it on the lam.

Pitfall

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Drama · 1948

An insurance man wishing for a more exciting life becomes wrapped up in the affairs of an imprisoned embezzler, his model girlfriend, and a violent private investigator.

Force of Evil

Force of Evil

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Lawyer Joe Morse wants to consolidate all the small-time numbers racket operators into one big powerful operation. But his elder brother Leo is one of these small-time operators who wants to stay that way, preferring not to deal with the gangsters who dominate the big-time.

Glengarry Glen Ross

Glengarry Glen Ross

Crime · 1992

Times are tough at Premiere Properties. Shelley "the machine" Levene and Dave Moss are veteran salesmen, but only Ricky Roma is on a hot streak. The new Glengarry sales leads could turn everything around, but the front office is holding them back until these "losers" prove themselves. Then someone decides to take matters into his own hands, stealing the Glengarry leads and leaving everyone wondering who did it.

Johnny O'Clock

Johnny O'Clock

Crime · 1947

When an employee at an illegal gambling den dies suspiciously, her sister, Nancy, looks into the situation and falls for Johnny O'Clock, a suave partner in the underground casino. Selfish and non-committal by nature, Johnny slowly begins to return Nancy's affection and decides to run away with her, but conflict within his business threatens their plans. As Johnny tries to distance himself from the casino, his shady past comes back to haunt him.

Knock on Any Door

Knock on Any Door

Drama · 1949

An attorney defends a hoodlum of murder, using the oppressiveness of the slums to appeal to the court.

The Champ

The Champ

Drama · 1979

Billy used to be a great boxer, but he's settled into a hardscrabble life that revolves around drinking, training horses, and the one bright spot in his existence — his young son, T.J. Although Billy has had custody of T.J. since his wife, Annie, left the family years ago, her return prompts a new struggle for the former fighter. Determined to hold on to his son, Billy gets back into the ring to try and recapture his past success.

Rocky IV

Rocky IV

Drama · 1985

Rocky Balboa holds the world heavyweight championship, but a new challenger has stepped forward: Drago, a six-foot-four, 261-pound fighter who has the backing of the Soviet Union. This time, Rocky's training regimen takes him to Siberia, where he prepares for a globally televised match in the heart of Moscow. But nothing can truly prepare him for what he's about to face – a fight to the finish, in which he must defend not only himself, but also the honor of his country!

Nightmare Alley

Nightmare Alley

Drama · 1947

A roustabout joins a traveling carny and schemes to figure out the mind-reading act of Mademoiselle Zeena and her alcoholic husband.

Rocky III

Rocky III

Drama · 1982

Following Rocky Balboa's intense battle with his most powerful adversary yet – the ferocious Clubber Lang – Rocky joins forces with former rival Apollo Creed in an effort to get back his fighting spirit.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Robert Wise

Written by

Art Cohn · Joseph Moncure March · Robert Wise

Robert Ryan

Robert Ryan

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Audrey Totter

Audrey Totter

Julie

George Tobias

George Tobias

Tiny

Alan Baxter

Alan Baxter

Little Boy

Wallace Ford

Wallace Ford

Gus

Percy Helton

Percy Helton

Red

Hal Baylor

Hal Baylor

Tiger Nelson

Court is in session

Put The Set-Up on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.