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the audience applauded

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Don't Believe the Hype

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Written and directed by Alfred Hitchcock (and adapted by his wife Alma Reville, uncredited), this silent boxing drama features a love triangle between two fighters, 'One-Round' Jack (Carl Brisson) and Australian champion Bob Corby (Ian Hunter, his fourth film), and Mabel (Lillian Hall Davis).Jack (Brisson) is a carnival fighter who takes all comers, so says the barker (Harry Terry), who promises if you can beat 'One-Round' Jack, you'll win a prize. Though he means money, Bob Corby (Hunter) is interested in the ticket seller Mabel (Hall-Davis), who just so happens to be Jack's fiancée. Corby, who's with his promoter James Ware (Forrester Harvey), is the Australian boxing champion, though he doesn't let this be known when he accepts the barker's offer.Naturally, Corby wins the bout with Jack in Round 4, upsetting Jack's trainer (Gordon Harker). However, after the fight, Ware offers Jack the opportunity to be Corby's training partner, which Jack and his trainer readily accept. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Jack, his fiancée Mabel has been kissing Corby. But, after Jack wins a tuneup fight to earn the right to be Corby's training partner, he and Mabel are married. The charming playboy Corby, who's in attendance, doesn't seem to mind.Their marriage is a sham, though, with Mabel spending all her time in the company of the champ Corby. After preventing a scene, a premature fight, in a restaurant between his two fighters, Ware promises Jack the opportunity to fight for his wife, provided he can climb the rankings and earn a title fight with Corby.So, in typical boxing film fashion, Jack's name moves up the boxing card until he finally wins the bout which secures his shot at Corby. When he returns home to celebrate with his old friends, including the barker and his trainer, Jack is surprised (for some reason) that Mabel isn't there to congratulate him. Eventually, while they all wait for her return, Jack's friends leave. When Mabel finally does return, the couple finally has a falling out, with Mabel leaving Jack to stay with friends.The bout between Jack and Corby dominates the film's final scenes. Naturally, Mabel is there to watch. The fight goes several rounds and it appears as if Jack is down and out. However, Mabel rushes to his corner between rounds and tells her husband that she's on his side. This, of course, inspires Jack to beat Corby and win the fight. After the bout is over though, Mabel and Corby exchange a knowing wink.There are some scenes which would be deemed racist today: the ridiculing of a black man at the carnival's dunking booth and even the use of the n-word on one placard. The film's title is a 'triple' entendre, referring to the boxing ring, the wedding ring, and a golden bracelet given by Corby to Mabel.

Hitchcock's THE RING is merely a competently directed silent drama. The only distinguishing marks are in the abundant editing techniques, which is odd since the film's scene editing itself is often severely lacking in competence. Many of the scenes drag and run far too long, resulting in a lack of tension or interest. It could have been shortened easily by fifteen minutes to tighten the plot.It is basically a boxing story with a love triangle at its center. Sparring partners, one a champion, one a want to be, vie for the love of the aspirant's wife. The set-up at an amusement park and the first fight scene last for 18 minutes, far too long with very repetitious sequences. It is odd that both men have names, Jack and Bob, but the woman is known only as The Girl and is never given or referred to by a proper first name.The triangular situation goes on for two thirds of the film, before the husband finally confronts his wife at 1:05:00. The final fight itself is finally superbly shot and edited, lasting from an hour and 16 minutes to the conclusion at an hour and 29 minutes. It is said Scorcese found this sequence helpful in designing his Raging Bull. Finally, real suspense enters the film and lasts all to shortly.There are a number of close-ups, lapse dissolves, montages and superimpositions. A number of these are as follows: the opening amusement park, using close-up reactions and a hand- held camera to indicate giddiness; Jack with super-imposed heads of former rivals; an excellent lapse dissolve of Jack taking Bob's agent's hand in a handshake to Bob slipping a bracelet on the arm of Jack's wife; the wedding when Jack slips the ring on her finger and the bracelet gift slips down her arm into the frame; blurring of the hand-held camera to indicate drunkenness at the party; Bob's face on Jack's punching bag; dissolves of the fighting schedule with Jack moving farther up the competition; a montage of jazz age images with Bob kissing Jack's wife superimposed on a close-up of Jack.Gordon Harker is excellent as the promoter. He appeared in three of Hitchcock's silents. (In fact Hitch used to like to re-use people: Hall-Davis is in two; Brisson in two; Ivor Novello in two; and Hunter in two). Hall-Davis is as sweet here as she was in The Farmer's Wife, too sweet to be convincing as the two-timing wife. Hunter is merely adequate.Brisson is excellent, as he was in The Manxman. His career was a short one – only 13 films. A handsome and expressive leading man.So, in total, cinematography and editing techniques are the stars here, rather than the story line, narrative or dramatic scene construction. A good film, but in no way special as silent drama.

Carl Brisson who was a musical comedy performer from Denmark stars in this silent boxing drama, The Ring which was an early directorial effort by Alfred Hitchcock. For that reason it is still around and restored, otherwise it would have been long forgotten.The film has Brisson starring as an amateur boxer who is a carnival attraction 'One Round Sander' having people challenge him to see if they can go more than one round with him. He's persuaded by promoter Forrester Harvey who hasn't got Brisson's best interests in mind to turn professional. That Brisson does, but the price of his learning the professional boxing trade is his marriage to Lillian Hall-Davis. A much better fighter in the person of Ian Hunter starts taking an interest in her.The Ring will never enter the annals of great fight films like Champion or Requiem For A Heavyweight, but it does have its moments. Still I can't think except for Hitchcock completists that there would be much interest in this silent film.

The title has many meanings - the boxing ring, where differences and grievances are fought out, a wedding ring, where Mabel feels trapped and Jack feels his troubles will be over and the cause of the trouble, a ring-like bracelet that Bill gives Mabel as a love token. Former professional boxer, Danish Carl Brisson, was given his start in films by Alfred Hitchcock in "The Ring". A very young Ian Hunter, who went on to have such a long career in movies, plays Bob Corby, who catches the eye of a pretty girl, Mabel (Lillian Hall Davis) at a fun fair. She happens to be engaged to "One Round" Jack Sander (Carl Brisson) but that doesn't stop her flirting with Bob. Bob is persuaded to go "one round" with Jack. He goes several rounds and wins - he is a professional boxer and he and his manager have come to the fair to find out if Jack is as good a fighter as they have heard. He offers to take Jack on and Jack goes off, along with his boorish trainer (the great Gordon Harker) to make his fortune with plans to marry Mabel when he makes good. Jack wins his fight and marries Mabel the next day, but the deep attraction that she and Bob feel for each other is still there. Jack is suspicious and puts everything into his training so he can fight Bob for his wife.At last a boxing movie where the hero doesn't go off the rails - Bob behaves himself and does everything he can to be a champion - if only Mabel acted in the same way!!! She has left him for Bob - and the fight at the end is a mighty one. It is intensely realistic - it occupies the last 20 minutes of the film. From being raw and enthusiastic, Jack is almost knocked out - then between rounds, reuniting with Mabel, gives him the courage to triumph. The question is why would he even want her back - from the start she thought nothing of starting an affair with Bob - why wouldn't she do it again?The film is loaded with symbolism. Jack, shaking hands with the promoter, changes to Mabel's hands accepting a bracelet from Bob. When Jack puts the ring on Mabel's finger, Bobs bracelet slips down her arm. At the end Jack sees Mabel's reflection in a ringside water bucket and that gives him the confidence to go on. This is an excellent film that will not disappoint you.Highly Recommended.