"The Square Ring" is a 1959 British TV play for ''

Play of the Week Play of the Week may refer to: *''ITV Play of the Week'', British TV anthology series broadcast from 1956 to 1966 *''The Play of the Week'', American TV anthology series broadcast from 1959 to 1961 See also *''Play of the Month ''Play of the M ...

'' with Sean Connery. It was based on a 1952 stage play by Ralph Peterson that had been turned into a British film in 1953.

Premise

Several boxers share a dressing room in a boxing stadium over one night.

Cast

* George Baker as Docker Starkie * Sean Connery as Rick Martell * Alan Bates as Eddie Burke *David Davies as Danny Felton *

Alfred Burke Alfred Burke (28 February 1918 – 16 February 2011) was an English actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Frank Marker in the drama series '' Public Eye'', which ran on television for ten years. Early life Born in London's south-east ...

as Frank Ford *

Thomas Heathcote Thomas Heathcote (9 September 1917 – 5 January 1986) was a British character actor, a former protégé of Laurence Olivier. He was educated at Bradfield College in Bradfield, near Reading in Berkshire, England. His films included '' A Night ...

as Sailor Johnston * Percy Herbert as Rowdie Rawlings *Vic Wise as Joe *Harry Landis as Happy Coombes *Arthur Gomez as the manager *David Waller as the doctor *Neil McCarthy as Watty

Production

George Baker wrote in his memoirs that he was surprised and delighted to receive the offer to play Docker, as it was a character part. When he met director Bill Hitchcock he realised that Hitchcock actually wanted

Stanley Baker Sir William Stanley Baker (28 February 192828 June 1976) was a Welsh actor and film producer. Known for his rugged appearance and intense, grounded screen persona, he was one of the top British male film stars of the late 1950s, and later a pro ...

but had sent it to George by mistake. However, George Baker played the role as he really wanted to do it. The programme was produced by

Associated-Rediffusion Associated-Rediffusion, later Rediffusion London, was the British ITV franchise holder for London and parts of the surrounding counties, on weekdays between 22 September 1955 and 29 July 1968. It was the first ITA franchisee to go on air, ...

for the

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

network.

Reception

The ''Birmingham Mail'' called Baker's performance a "remarkable transformation". ''The Daily Telegraph'' said it was "a tough uncomprising play" with "excellent performances". ''Variety'' magazine thought it was a better adaptation of the play than the 1953 film version calling it:

One of the best legit offerings yet to hit the commercial networks and provided punchy, if not entirely socko, entertainment ... A supremely professional job of plotting and characterization, the piece showed the fault on the small screen, of being overweight in its philosophizing and ruminating about the hopeless lot of boxers after age 29 or thereabouts... Acting champ was undoubtedly Thomas Heathcote as the punch-sodden Sailor; it was a fine performance that ducked all dangers of gimmicking by mannerism. Harry Landis was in Heathcote’s class... while Alan Bates jabbed in some telling work as the novice. If George Baker, as Docker, didn’t entirely succeed, that was scarcely his fault...Sean Connery came over competently ... Direction was smooth and unaffected, saving its “touches” for just the right moments.

References

External links

* {{IMDb episode, 0326205
"The Square Ring"
at BFI 1959 British television episodes 1959 television plays Black-and-white television episodes Boxing mass media Works by Ralph Peterson British television plays ITV Play of the Week Television anthology episodes