



The Set-Up
Synopsis
Told in strict, breathless real-time matching the exact 72-minute running time of the film, an aging, 35-year-old boxer nicknamed Stoker prepares for a bout in a sordid, smoky arena, unaware that his corrupt manager has taken money from a ruthless mobster guaranteeing a dive without informing him, prompting the battered pugilist to fight for his dignity in the ring and pay the horrific mob price in the alley. Robert Wise and Milton Holmes' Cannes Best Cinematography and FIPRESCI Prize-winning real-time boxing film noir masterpiece starring Robert Ryan and Audrey Totter.
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The Set-Up
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Director Spotlight
Robert Wise

Editorial Context
The Canon
The permanent living editorial archive curated by Pedro Neves, Founder of Parallax.
Film Noir
Stories where morality is uncertain and every decision carries a cost.
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Essential Cinema
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