The Joe Louis Story (1953)
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44% of users liked it
(58 ratings)
Coley Wallace plays the title role in The Joe Louis Story. Told in flashback, the film recounts the pugilistic career of "the Brown Bomber" from the early 1930s to his misguided comeback attempt opposite Rocky Marciano in 1951. The film's high point is Louis' defeat of… More Coley Wallace plays the title role in The Joe Louis Story. Told in flashback, the film recounts the pugilistic career of "the Brown Bomber" from the early 1930s to his misguided comeback attempt opposite Rocky Marciano in 1951. The film's high point is Louis' defeat of Germany's Max Schmeling; its low point (dramatically, not quality-wise) is the breakup of Louis's marriage. Evidently for legal reasons, most of the character names in the film are fictional. Many of the fight scenes are culled from footage of the real Louis in action. Though the "race" angle in The Joe Louis Story is downplayed, Louis is treated on an equal par with the white characters, which resulted in the film being banned in certain Southern regions back in 1953. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Robert Gordon
- Written By
- Robert Sylvester
- Genres
- Drama, Sports & Fitness, Classics
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Sep 18, 1953 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
Sub-mediocre bio about Brown Bomber that should have been better.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It's only the boxing footage that gives the film some life.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Coley Wallace
as Joe Louis
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Paul Stewart
as Tad McGeehan
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Hilda Simms
as Marva Louis
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James Edwards
as Chappie Blackburn
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John Marley
as Mannie Seamon
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Dotts Johnson
as Julian Black
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Evelyn Ellis
as Mrs. Barrow
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Carl Rocky Latimer
as Arthur Pine
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John Marriott
as Sam Langford
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P. Jay Sidney
as Handler
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Isaac Jones
as Johnny Kingston
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Royal Beal
as Mike Jacobs
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Ruby Goldstein
as Himself
- Anita Ellis
- Norman Rose
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Buddy Thorpe
as Max Schmeling
- Ossie Davis
- Ralph Stantley
