One of Schulberg's notable literary triumphs was a hard hitting novel about the corruption of professional boxing in America. Once more Schulberg was present to write about the hard facts in a fictionalized account that bore so strongly on fact that a former famous American boxer filed suit against the production.
Humphrey Bogart performed in his final film as an experienced, highly savvy reporter down on his luck who is hired to provide puff pieces about a South American import being groomed through fixed fights for a shot at the heavyweight championship. That fight left the contender vulnerable as he suffered a horrible beating before being knocked out.
The crooked promoter who engineered the scam, played by Rod Steiger, used accounting gimmickry to cut out the fighter, who would then return to South America penniless. Bogart, who had been handsomely paid, felt so sorry for the duped victim that he handed over all of his money, making it appear that this was payment for the boxer's ring efforts.
After meeting Budd Schulberg the parting torrent of words from Bogart in what ironically was his final scene of a long and productive film career was so reflective of the New York writer's life -- approach an area in need of reform, research the topic thoroughly, and write about it with burning conviction.
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