Egads! For years and years I thought that RAGING BULL was the greatest boxing movie.<br /><br />The grit, grime, dirt, blood and guts which I thought was the trademark of Scorsese owes every ounce of its famous success to this film and to the riveting performance of one of the most fabulous actors in Hollywood history:<br /><br />JOHN GARFIELD.<br /><br />Not only did this movie explain just what it felt to live in the underbelly of the boxing world in those days, it was blessed with one of the most alarmingly charismatic actors ever:<br /><br />JOHN GARFIELD.<br /><br />The direction in the two important fights, first with the fabulous African-American actor and former pugilist, CANADA LEE and then the final fight, were so well wrought, filmed and edited that it utterly destroys any movie made before or after which dealt with boxing. Now I know from what source Scorsese was inspired to direct the utter realism in his Oscar-winning movie. I don't want to take anything away from Scorsese. He's a master at his craft. But this movie had something else more precious and now legendary. It had a hard-nosed, smoldering, somber, street-wise, troubled, vulnerable and yes, lovable actor. It had:<br /><br />JOHN GARFIELD.<br /><br />