Winner Take All
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Otto Brower
Tony Martin
Gloria Stuart
Henry Armetta
Slim Summerville
Kane Richmond
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
At Gambini's Delicatessen, Mama Gambini complains to her husband that he is working too hard, and convinces him to hire a waiter. With a long line of interviewees, Papa Gambini doesn't know what to do. Steve Bishop, an out-of-work rodeo cowboy, tells Papa that he doesn't have the eighty-six cents to pay for his dinner, so Papa hires him as the waiter. When one of the interviewees tries to punch Papa, Steve knocks him out, thus earning his first raise. At a dinner for the social club "Sons of Garibaldi," the president, Mr. Pantrelli, announces that the club needs $5,000 to finish the recreation hall it is building for the neighborhood. Sportswriter Julie Harrison arrives at the dinner with her boyfriend, fight promoter Tom Walker. Julie suggests they put on a fight, and Tom offers his fighters for free if the club can come up with a venue. After Steve spills a plate of spaghetti on Tom, he confesses to Julie that he is not a waiter, but an agriculture student from the University of Montana, stranded in New York after the rodeo went bankrupt. The preliminary fight for the benefit is billed as a "Battle Royal," six boxers in the ring at once, with Papa as referee. Steve wins the event, much to the crowd's and the Gambinis' pleasure. The main event pits Jimmy Rooney against Paulie Mitchell, a friend of Julie. When Paulie hurts his ankle, the crowd urges Steve to take his place. With Julie coaching him, Steve takes a beating, but wins the fight. Back at the delicatessen, Papa tells how they raised $1,000, but need $4,000 more. Steve is signed up to fight for Tom, with Muldoon as his manager. Tom, taking advantage of the notoriety of Steve's first victory, sets him up with fixed fights, but Steve begins to believe he really is a good fighter. Julie tries to warn Steve, but he is too drunk on champagne, women and success to listen. His fight against Paulie is fixed, too, but Julie convinces Paulie to really fight Steve, which leads to Steve's first defeat. Papa loses all the recreation hall money betting on Steve, and Tom is so angry he sells Steve's contract to Julie for twenty-five cents. Julie and Muldoon convince Steve that he can be a good fighter if he trains with them, and uses Papa as his backer. After Steve slowly works his way back up, Julie sets up a re-match with Paulie, with Papa the promoter. Upset at losing Julie to Steve, Tom tells Papa that Paulie is all washed up and gets Papa to bet his $2,500 gate on Steve. Tom then tells Steve that Julie instructed Paulie to knock him out in the earlier match, but not why. Steve has little will to fight, but when Paulie tells him the truth about the first fight, Steve becomes rejuvenated. The fight is even until the last round, when Steve finally knocks out Paulie. When Tom enters the ring to denounce Paulie, Paulie knocks him out, and Steve raises his hand in a mock victory gesture. Gambini tells all that they finally have the money to finish the recreation center.
Director
Otto Brower
Cast
Tony Martin
Gloria Stuart
Henry Armetta
Slim Summerville
Kane Richmond
Robert Allen
Inez Palange
Johnnie Pirrone Jr.
Pedro De Cordoba
Betty Greco
Eleanor Virzie
George Blake
Morrie Cohan
Gino Corrado
Stephen Soldi
Carlos Gionetti
John Northpole
Jack Costello
Fred Kelsey
Ralph Dunn
Albert Pollet
Ole Olsen
Spike Mason
Mickey Mcavoy
Jimmy O'gatty
Joe Gray
Harvey Parry
Pat Mckee
Charles Sullivan
Dutch Hendrian
Syd Saylor
Eddie Acuff
Frank Orth
Gene Morgan
John Sheehan
Billy Wayne
George Magrill
Jockey Haefeli
Edward Gargan
Crew
William H. Anderson
Alfred Bruzlin
Jerry Cady
Gordon Cooper
Edward Cronjager
Richard Day
Nick De Maggio
Haldane Douglas
Herschel
Jerry Hoffman
Frances Hyland
Albert Kay
Samuel Kaylin
Thomas Little
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working titles of this film was Golden Gloves. According to a Twentieth Century-Fox press release, this was Tony Martin's first straight dramatic role. Prior to Winner Take All, Martin had preformed in twelve musicals at Fox. Press releases also note the following information: Martin had to leave the set at noon each Thursday to do radio rehearsals for his weekly coast-to-coast radio show. Martin was trained for the fight sequences by Jackie Fields, former welter-weight champion. Actress Gloria Stuart, who plays a sports reporter in this film, actually was such a writer prior to becoming an actress. This was the final film in the studio's "Sports Series." For information on the series, please see entry above for Speed to Burn.
