The Square Jungle (1955)

The Square Jungle is a 1955 American film noir drama sport film directed by Jerry Hopper and starring Tony Curtis, Pat Crowley and Ernest Borgnine. Former heavyweight champion of the world Joe Louis appears as himself.

Director – Jerry Hopper

Writer – George Zuckerman (story)

Cast –
Tony Curtis as Eddie Quaid/Packy Glennon
Patricia Crowley as Julie
Ernest Borgnine as Bernie Browne
Paul Kelly as Jim McBride
Jim Backus as Pat Quaid
Lee Snowden as Lorraine Evans
John Daheim as Al Gorski (as John Day)
John Marley as Tommy Dillon
Joe Louis as Himself
David Janssen as Jack
Carmen McRae as Singer
Barney Phillips as Dan Selby
Joseph Vitale as Tony Adamson (as Joe Vitale)
Kay Stewart as Mrs. Gorski

Watch “The Square Jungle” (1955)

Plot

Pat Quaid, an alcoholic San Francisco widower, ends up in jail. His grocery-clerk son, Eddie, needs $25 to bail him out. When he can’t borrow it, Eddie enters an amateur fight contest and wins it.

Julie Walsh is in love with Eddie, but her father disapproves of the Quaid family, particularly the boy’s father, so he makes Julie stay away. Pat Quaid, once a promising prizefighter, urges his son to give it a try professionally. Eddie agrees on the condition that Pat quit drinking.

Eddie decides to adopt his dad’s old ring name, Packy Glennon. To train him, the Quaids go to Bernie Browne, who also has had a problem with booze. Bernie’s work with Eddie eventually leads to a fight with Al Gorski for the middleweight championship. Julie shows up, but Eddie angrily dismisses her. Pat explains that Julie’s dad has recently committed suicide. Eddie chases after her.

Eddie wins the fight and becomes increasingly arrogant. He trains lazily for the rematch with Gorski and is beaten badly. A referee’s decision to stop the fight might have saved Eddie from permanent damage or death, but instead of being grateful, Eddie complains publicly that Tommy Dillon stopped it too soon and should be banned as a referee.

In a third and final bout, Eddie beats Gorski mercilessly. Dillon, the ref, doesn’t stop it this time. The crowd jeers Eddie when he leaves the ring as Gorski lies unconscious. A depressed Eddie goes on an alcoholic bender with another woman at a motel. He feels “dead inside,” but when Julie is able to get him back to a boxing arena, Eddie finds that Gorski and the spectators all have forgiven him.