“One-Round” Jack (Carl Brisson) is a young man with dreams of being a boxer. He works at a seaside fair as the main attraction in a boxing contest. Jack pummels willing contestants who attempt to break his namesake “One-Round” record by staying in the ring a full round. Mabel (Lillian Hall-Davis), his bride-to-be, works outside the attraction as a ticket seller. One day, a large man enters the ring and gives Jack the hardest round he’s ever had. Pushed into a second round and exhausted, Jack falls to the floor.
The victor reveals himself to be Bob Corby (Ian Hunter), Australian Heavyweight Champion. His agent offers Jack a job at his boxing company. While Jack pursues this opportunity, Bob pursues Mabel. The young woman begins a clandestine affair with the charming and imposing boxer, even as she marries Jack. Jack eventually learns of his wife’s infidelity and swears vengeance against Bob. The only place he can get it, however, is the ring. Jack must rise through the ranks to earn his way into the championship fight and back into his wife’s good graces.
The Ring is among Alfred Hitchcock’s earliest films. It also remains a crowd-pleaser after all these years despite being a silent film. Degraded reels and a lack of intertitle cards can pose accessibility problems to some viewers, but the cinematography, simple plot, and outstanding acting make up for many of these issues. Even early in his career, Hitchcock understood how to catch the viewer’s eye and hold it. This movie is special among Hitchcock’s films in that he was the principal screenwriter. Anyone with an interest in early films will want to watch The Ring. If you are expanding your classic film collections to include more Hitchcock films, consider this excellent silent film. Highly Recommended.
Where does this title belong on public library shelves?
The Ring belongs on sports drama and classic film shelves.
What type of film series could use this title?
The Ring could be used in a series about Alfred Hitchcock or silent film.