The film version of REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT had some major differences from the television version made five years earlier. To be fair the television version is better because it has a more positive push than the film does - but somehow one senses that in the real world "Mountain" Rivera would have been doomed to his sad fate rather than the happy ending for "Mountain" McClintock.
The first difference is that Louis "Mountain" Rivera (Anthony Quinn) is Latino, and not as solidly grounded in the United States as his television version "Mountain" McClintock (Jack Palance). Quinn really is dependent on his manager Maish (here Jackie Gleason, possibly in his best performance), because of his ethnicity. And up to a point they did well together, but Rivera is aging, and can't compete with younger boxers (he loses the bout at the start to a young Mohammad Ali - here under his old name of Cassius Clay). Although he was once the eighth best heavyweight boxer in the world, he is a has-been. His serious eye damage from repeated boxing matches is potentially leading to blindness. He can't box anymore.
But, as in the television version, Maish has bet on Mountain losing in a particular round, and Mountain stayed into another further round. Maish got several gamblers to bet with him, and they are after him to pay them back. Maish is willing to do so, but at Mountain's expense. As the two biggest gambler - creditors, Ma Greeny (Madame Spivy) and Pinelli (Stanley Adams) want Mountain to become a professional wrestler until (at least) the debt is paid off.
Maish pulls everything to force Mountain into line. He is opposed by Army (Mickey Rooney), who is far more caustic towards Maish in this version than Ed Wynn was towards Keenan Wynn in the television version. Army pushes Mountain to go to an employment agency where he is taken under the wing of Grace Miller (Julie Harris) who wants to help him get a job as a camp counselor. Mountain, proud but confused - and still under Maish's emotional control - likes this idea. Maish sees himself losing his power over the pugilist, but then turns to Mountain's worst failing: he gets Mountain drunk.
The collapse of Mountain, who for all his failings is a proud man, is the tragic conclusion of this version. Maish's sin is revealed to him, finally breaking the bind between them (it is a tremendous act of treachery to Mountain's pride). But when Greeny and Pinelli point out that they'll kill Maish unless Mountain goes into the wrestling game (dressed as an Indian, and making false war whoops for the crowd), Mountain agrees. But he and Army leave Maish alone - they'll save his life but that is the payment for what he did for Mountain. After that they won't have anything to do with Maish, and he is left at the end of the film realizing how much his selfishness has lost.
I'd like to point out the performance of Madame Spivy - she plays Ma Greeny as a dike-type, and is quite threatening as a result. Stanley Adams repeats his part as Pinelli, disguising his viciousness with a false bonhomie and laugh (like a sloppy looking Sidney Greenstreet). Both performers help make the grundginess of this portion of humanity all the more real to the viewers. Not as good as the television version (in my view), but quite good on it's own.
The first difference is that Louis "Mountain" Rivera (Anthony Quinn) is Latino, and not as solidly grounded in the United States as his television version "Mountain" McClintock (Jack Palance). Quinn really is dependent on his manager Maish (here Jackie Gleason, possibly in his best performance), because of his ethnicity. And up to a point they did well together, but Rivera is aging, and can't compete with younger boxers (he loses the bout at the start to a young Mohammad Ali - here under his old name of Cassius Clay). Although he was once the eighth best heavyweight boxer in the world, he is a has-been. His serious eye damage from repeated boxing matches is potentially leading to blindness. He can't box anymore.
But, as in the television version, Maish has bet on Mountain losing in a particular round, and Mountain stayed into another further round. Maish got several gamblers to bet with him, and they are after him to pay them back. Maish is willing to do so, but at Mountain's expense. As the two biggest gambler - creditors, Ma Greeny (Madame Spivy) and Pinelli (Stanley Adams) want Mountain to become a professional wrestler until (at least) the debt is paid off.
Maish pulls everything to force Mountain into line. He is opposed by Army (Mickey Rooney), who is far more caustic towards Maish in this version than Ed Wynn was towards Keenan Wynn in the television version. Army pushes Mountain to go to an employment agency where he is taken under the wing of Grace Miller (Julie Harris) who wants to help him get a job as a camp counselor. Mountain, proud but confused - and still under Maish's emotional control - likes this idea. Maish sees himself losing his power over the pugilist, but then turns to Mountain's worst failing: he gets Mountain drunk.
The collapse of Mountain, who for all his failings is a proud man, is the tragic conclusion of this version. Maish's sin is revealed to him, finally breaking the bind between them (it is a tremendous act of treachery to Mountain's pride). But when Greeny and Pinelli point out that they'll kill Maish unless Mountain goes into the wrestling game (dressed as an Indian, and making false war whoops for the crowd), Mountain agrees. But he and Army leave Maish alone - they'll save his life but that is the payment for what he did for Mountain. After that they won't have anything to do with Maish, and he is left at the end of the film realizing how much his selfishness has lost.
I'd like to point out the performance of Madame Spivy - she plays Ma Greeny as a dike-type, and is quite threatening as a result. Stanley Adams repeats his part as Pinelli, disguising his viciousness with a false bonhomie and laugh (like a sloppy looking Sidney Greenstreet). Both performers help make the grundginess of this portion of humanity all the more real to the viewers. Not as good as the television version (in my view), but quite good on it's own.