PROFILPELAJAR.COM

Iron Man
Iron Man
	Film poster by Reynold Brown
Directed by	Joseph Pevney
Screenplay by	Borden Chase; George Zuckerman
Based on	the novel; by W. R. Burnett
Produced by	Aaron Rosenberg
Starring	Jeff Chandler; Evelyn Keyes; Stephen McNally
Cinematography	Carl E. Guthrie
Edited by	Russell F. Schoengarth
Color process	Black and white
Production; company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	September 20, 1951;
Running time	82 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1 million (US rentals)

Iron Man is a 1951 American film noir drama sport film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Jeff Chandler, Evelyn Keyes and Stephen McNally. The film features an early appearance by Rock Hudson playing a competing boxer. The film is a remake of a film produced two decades earlier by director Tod Browning, also titled Iron Man.^[2]

Plot

Chandler plays a coal miner who is encouraged by his gambler brother (Stephen McNally) to become a boxer. The problem is when he boxes he is consumed by a murderous rage.

Cast

Jeff Chandler as Coke Mason
Evelyn Keyes as Rose Warren Mason
Stephen McNally as George Mason
Rock Hudson as Tommy "Speed" O'Keefe aka Kosco
Joyce Holden as 'Tiny' Ford – Photographer
Jim Backus as Max Watkins
James Arness as Alex Mallick (as Jim Arness)
Steve Martin as Joe Savella

Background

Jeff Chandler trained as a boxer to play the role. "It's my chance to step right up there in a class with Kirk Douglas and Bob Ryan", said Chandler. "And that's pretty fast company."^[3]

Filming started 3 January 1951.^[4]

To promote the film, Jeff Chandler went two rounds with Jersey Joe Walcott at Polo Grounds in front of 25,000 spectators.^[5]

Reception

Critical response

When the film was released, the staff at The New York Times gave the film a mixed review. They wrote, "... this story of a fighter, scared and defeated by his own killer instinct, is merely standard for the course. The cast, director and scenarist are professional and take their assignments seriously, but they are not creating a champion in their class. One is reminded of such noted predecessors as Champion but Iron Man is not of that blue-blooded company ... It is not the portrayals, however, that make the film less than memorable. The bouts are exciting enough, but the punches, which are fairly hard and straight, are telegraphed."^[6]

Rock Hudson's appearance in the film attracted favorable publicity.^[7]

References

^ 'The Top Box Office Hits of 1951', Variety, January 2, 1952.
^ Iron Man at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films.
^ SCHEUER, PHLIP K. (Oct 29, 1950). "Jeff Chandler Finally Gets to 'Act His Age': Rising Young (31) Screens Player Considers Himself 'a Lucky Kid'". Los Angeles Times. p. D3.
^ THOMAS F. BRADY (Dec 25, 1950). "ROONEY TO APPEAR IN COLUMBIA FILM: He Will Play Role of a Clown in 'Center Ring,' Scheduled. for Production in April Of Local Origin". New York Times. p. 23.
^ "Thompson. Howard. The New York Times, "Random Notes on the Screen Scene: Hair Raising Scenes From a Pair of New Pictures". New York Times. Aug 19, 1951. p. 93.
^ Staff film review The New York Times, August 20, 1951. Accessed: July 28, 2013.
^ "Percy Kilbride Will Play New Stellar Role". Los Angeles Times. July 28, 1951. p. 14.