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Body and Soul Overview:

Body and Soul (1947) was a Drama - Film Noir Film directed by Robert Rossen and produced by Bob Roberts.

SYNOPSIS

Garfield's best role as a boxer who wins the world middleweight championship title in a fixed fight and loses his soul. The definitive ring tale. Look for one-time middleweight contender Canada Lee, who plays aging boxer Ben Chaplin.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

Academy Awards 1947 --- Ceremony Number 20 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best ActorJohn GarfieldNominated
Best Film EditingFrancis Lyon, Robert ParrishWon
Best WritingAbraham PolonskyNominated
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Body and Soul BlogHub Articles:

John Garfield and Lili Palmer in "Body and Soul"

By Stephen Reginald on Jul 12, 2022 From Classic Movie Man

John Garfield and Lili Palmer in "Body and Soul" Body and Soul (1947) is an American film noir set in the world of professional boxing directed by Robert Rossen and starring John Garfield and Lili Palmer. The supporting cast includes Hazel Brooks, Anne Revere, Canada Lee, and William Conrad. Th... Read full article

Day 25 of Noirvember: Quinn in Body and Soul (1947)

By shadowsandsatin on Nov 25, 2021 From Shadows and Satin

Today’s Noirvember post shines the spotlight on Quinn in Body and Soul (1947). WHAT’S BODY AND SOUL ABOUT? Body and Soul centers on Charley Davis (John Garfield), who is determined to earn money for his family through the professional boxing game. He eventually works his way to the top, but at a... Read full article

Three Comrades (1938) in Body and Soul

By 4 Star Film Fan on Apr 15, 2021 From 4 Star Films

“Germany’s a pretty rough sea if you’re drifting.” – Breuer “But I’m not alone anymore. There are so many drifters!” – Patricia Hollmann Erich Maria Remarque is of course most famous for his work All Quiet on The Western Front, which was adapted ... Read full article

Body and Soul (1947)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Aug 29, 2017 From 4 Star Films

John Garfield was never the most dashing of leading men but nevertheless, he was always thoroughly compelling as ambitious working class stiffs during the 1940s. He had a straightforward tenacity about him like he had to fight his way to the top. At the same time likable and destined for trouble ri... Read full article

Body and Soul (1947)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Aug 29, 2017 From 4 Star Films

John Garfield was never the most dashing of leading men but nevertheless, he was always thoroughly compelling as ambitious working class stiffs during the 1940s. He had a straightforward tenacity about him like he had to fight his way to the top. At the same time likable and destined for trouble ri... Read full article

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Body and Soul Quotes:

Quinn: [to Alice] He could've had the whole world. So he leaned over sideways and grabbed you.
Fight Announcer: I've never seen anything like it before in my life. A great silence has descended over this crowd. They seem to sense the kill. There's fear in Marlowe's eyes as Davis looks for an opening.
Fight Announcer: Davis is following Marlowe around the ring now like a tiger stalking his prey.
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Body and Soul Facts
A remarkable eight members of the cast and crew went on to become directors: actors William Conrad and Joseph Pevney, writer Abraham Polonsky, cinematographer James Wong Howe, editor Robert Parrish, art director Nathan Juran, assistant director Robert Aldrich and script supervisor Don Weis. Additionally, set decorator Edward Boyle directed a film in the silent era.
An extremely large number of the cast and crew on the film - writer Abraham Polonsky, actors John Garfield, Anne Revere, Lloyd Gough, Canada Lee, Art Smith, Shimen Ruskin, producer Bob Roberts and even, albeit to a lesser extent, cinematographer James Wong Howe - found themselves either blacklisted or greylisted during the HUAC witch hunts of the 1950s, while director Robert Rossen only avoided that fate by naming names.
To get a more fluid camera movement in the boxing ring, cinematographer James Wong Howe filmed the fight while holding the camera and being pushed by an assistant as he wore roller skates.
The poem quoted by Peg Born (Lilli Palmer) is "The Tiger" by William Blake, an English poet and artist.
"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60-minute radio adaptation of the movie onNovember 15, 1948, with John Garfield reprising his film role.
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