''Whiplash'' is a 1948 American

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...

directed by

Lewis Seiler Lewis Seiler (September 30, 1890 – January 8, 1964) was an American film director. He directed more than 80 films between 1923 and 1958. Seiler was born in New York City and died in Hollywood, California. Partial filmography *''A Bankru ...

and written by Kenneth Earl,

Harriet Frank Jr. Harriet Frank Jr. (born Harriet Goldstein; March 2, 1923 – January 28, 2020) was an American screenwriter and producer. Working with her husband Irving Ravetch, Frank received many awards during her career, including the New York Film Critic ...

Maurice Geraghty Maurice Geraghty (September 29, 1908 – June 30, 1987) was an American screenwriter, film director and producer. Early life Geraghty was the son of Tom Geraghty. His brother Gerald was also a screenwriter; and his sister was silent film a ...

and

Gordon Kahn Gordon Kahn (1902–1962) was an American writer and screenwriter who was blacklisted during the McCarthy era; he is the father of broadcaster and author Tony Kahn.and physician Jim Kahn. Background Gordon Jacques Kahn was born on May 1 ...

. The film stars

Dane Clark Dane Clark (born Bernard Zanville; February 26, 1912September 11, 1998) was an American character actor who was known for playing, as he labeled himself, "Joe Average." Early life Clark was born in Brooklyn, New York City, the son of Jewish imm ...

Alexis Smith Margaret Alexis Fitzsimmons-Smith (June 8, 1921 – June 9, 1993) was a Canadian-born American actress and singer. She appeared in several major Hollywood films in the 1940s and had a notable career on Broadway in the 1970s, winning a Tony Awar ...

Zachary Scott Zachary Scott (February 21, 1914 – October 3, 1965)Obituary ''Variety'', October 6, 1965. was an American actor who was known for his roles as villains and "mystery men". Early life Scott was born in Austin, Texas, the son of Sallie Le ...

and

Eve Arden Eve Arden (born Eunice Mary Quedens, April 30, 1908 – November 12, 1990) was an American film, radio, stage and television actress. She performed in leading and supporting roles for nearly six decades. Beginning her film career in 1929 ...

Plot

The film opens with a middle-weight bout in Madison Square Garden, New York City, where Mike Angelo battles a seemingly superior opponent. He's going down for the count when he's saved by the bell. Cut to Mike Gordon, a happy-go-lucky painter in California, upset that cafe owner Sam has let customer Laurie Rogers buy a painting hanging on the wall. Mike is unsatisfied with his work and confronts Laurie to get it back. She convinces him it's good if not perfect, so Mike invites her to dinner. After a romantic dinner and swim in the ocean, they've got a date for breakfast. When a shady character enters Sam's cafe, Laurie abruptly leaves town. At her hotel, Mike sees the painting wrapped and addressed to Dr. Vincent, New York City. Sam gives Mike money to go to New York. Later, in his Greenwich Village artist's studio, Mike's neighbor Christine invites Mike out to the Pelican Club, a pricey night spot. Although Christine's plan to get him a portrait commission backfires, Laurie appears in a spotlight to sing. Mike goes to her dressingroom, where hoodlums attack him. He knocks one guy out, but gets hit over the head by a goon named Costello. He's carried unconscious to the boss's office. Club owner Rex Durant, a crippled ex-boxer, is impressed that Mike just knocked out a middle-weight contender. Durant offers to make a champion of him. The only hitch: Laurie is actually Mrs. Durant. Mike resents Laurie's having lied to him. Next day at the gym, Mike is examined by Dr. Vincent, who's got the painting hanging in his office. He's Laurie's brother. Mike trains to be a prizefighter to get Laurie out of his system, becoming enmeshed in Durant's sadistic schemes. Dr. Vincent reveals that when he failed to fix Durant's legs after a car accident, Durant preyed on his guilt and manipulated Laurie into staying married. Dr. Vincent decides to kill Durant to liberate Laurie, but Mike thwarts him, confronting Durant himself. Costello gives Mike a concussion. A fight now would be suicide, but Durant promises Mike if he wins the big bout, Laurie will be free. Durant wants him dead because he knows Laurie loves Mike. The extended flashback ends with Mike woozy and taking a beating at the Garden. He nonetheless triumphs in the ring before being sent to the hospital. Dr. Vincent goes after Durant and is shot by Costello but manages to shoot Durant, whose wheelchair careens out of Madison Square Garden into an oncoming taxi. Cut to Mike painting on the beach in California. Enter Sam to announce Laurie's arrival. They kiss on the cliff.

Cast

as Michael Gordon *

as Laurie Durant *

as Rex Durant *

as Chris Sherwood *

Jeffrey Lynn Jeffrey Lynn (born Ragnar Godfrey Lind; – November 24, 1995) was an American stage-screen actor and film producer who worked primarily through the Golden Age of Hollywood establishing himself as one of the premier talents of his time. Thr ...

as Dr. Arnold Vincent *

S. Z. Sakall Szőke Szakáll (born Jakab Grünwald, akas: Gärtner Sándor and Gerő Jenő; February 2, 1883 February 12, 1955), known in the English-speaking world as S. Z. Sakall, was a Hungarian-American stage and film character actor. He appeared in ...

as Sam * Alan Hale as Terrance O'Leary * Douglas Kennedy as Costello * Ransom M. Sherman as Tex Sanders *

Freddie Steele Freddie Steele (December 18, 1912 – August 22, 1984) was a boxer and film actor born Frederick Earle Burgett in Seattle, Washington. He was recognized as the National Boxing Association (NBA) Middleweight Champion of the World between 1936 ...

as Duke Carney * Robert Lowell as Trask * Don McGuire as Markus

Reception

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' film critic, Thomas M. Pryor, gave the film a negative review. He wrote, "Good sense and dramatic construction went by the wayside in the filming of ''Whiplash'' and what is left on the screen is a pointless exposition of brutality, nicely demonstrated, however, by Mr. Clark and Zachary Scott, with Miss Smith providing suitable decoration. If it's plain, old fashioned mayhem that you desire, ''Whiplash'' most likely will be to your liking. Otherwise proceed with caution."Pryor, Thomas M.
''

'', film review, December 27, 1948. Accessed: August 14, 2013.

References

External links

* * * *
''Whiplash''
information site and DVD review (includes images) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Whiplash 1948 films 1948 drama films 1940s sports films American boxing films American drama films American black-and-white films Film noir Films directed by Lewis Seiler Films scored by Franz Waxman Films scored by William Lava Warner Bros. films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films