The Square Ring Reviews

This boxing saga involves five different stories that take place mainly in the dressing room prior to and after various bouts. The film concentrates on the characters who have taken to the ring for one reason or another, and what the night's fights mean to them. One boxer, Kid Curtis (Robert Beatty), is estranged from his wife, and dies after taking a savage beating. Based on a stage play, the film is somewhat similar to THE SET-UP in that much of the action revolves around the locker room, where the audience is allowed a glimpse at the lives and dreams of several different fighters. Director Basil Dearden keeps the film moving at a tight pace and the boxing scenes are appropriately gritty. Look for a young Joan Collins as the girl friend of one of the boxers.