The Ring (1927 film)

The Ring (1927 film)

The Ring
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Produced by Written by Starring Alfred Hitchcock John Maxwell Alfred Hitchcock Carl Brisson Lillian Hall-Davis Ian Hunter Forrester Harvey

Cinematography Jack E. Cox Studio Distributed by Release date(s) Running time Country Language British International Pictures Wardour Films 1 October 1927 89 minutes United Kingdom Silent film English intertitles

The Ring is a 1927 British silent sports film directed and written by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Carl Brisson, Lillian Hall-Davis and Ian Hunter. It is one of Hitchcock's nine surviving silent films. The Ring is Hitchcock's only original screenplay although he worked extensively alongside other writers throughout his career.

Production
The film was made by at Elstree Studios by the newly-established British International Pictures who emerged as one of the two British major studios during the late 1920s and began hiring leading directors from Britain and abroad. It was Hitchcock's first film for the company, after joining from Gainsborough Pictures. It was also the first ever film to be released by the company.[1]

Inception
Hitchcock was only 28 years old when he directed The Ring, but this was already the young filmmaker's fourth film. Hitchcock regularly attended boxing matches in London where he lived and he was struck by the fact that a good number of the spectators appear from good backgrounds and dressed in white. He also noticed that fighters were sprinkled with champagne at the end of each round. It was these two details that persuaded the young Hitchcock to start work on The Ring.

Screenplay
After directing Downhill and Easy Virtue, two stage adaptations for the Gainsborough company, Hitchcock was frustrated and jumped at the chance to develop an idea of his own. Surprisingly, The Ring is Hitchcock's one and only original screenplay, although he worked extensively alongside other writers throughout his career. Colleagues at the studio were impressed by the neatness of his script and its writer's grasp of structure. What's more, writing for silent films came naturally to a director who already thought in visual terms. He was much less comfortable with dialogue, which goes some way to explain why he took no sole writing credit in any later films.

The Ring (1927 film)

Directing
The film, while widely considered a minor work[citation needed], features photography tricks Hitchcock would use again years later in films like The Man Who Knew Too Much, most notably during the climactic boxing sequences.

Synopsis
The film's title refers not only to the boxing arena, but also to the wedding ring - and to a suggestive snake bracelet which becomes a symbol of the love triangle at the center of the film. The story revolves around a love triangle between a fairground boxer (Jack "One Round" Sander - Carl Brisson) whose lover (Mabel - Lillian Hall-Davis) falls for the charms of a professional boxer (Bob Corby - Ian Hunter).

Reception
The film was a major critical success on its release.[2] However, when it went on general release it was considered a box office failure.[3]

Film restoration
The restoration was done by the BFI National Archive in association with media company Canal+ in 2005. Principal restoration funding was provided by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and The Film Foundation. Additional funding provided by Deluxe 142 and The Mohammed S. Farsi Foundation. A restored and remastered print of the film was released on DVD by Lionsgate Home Entertainment in 2007.

Cast
Carl Brisson 'One-Round' Jack Sander Lillian Hall-Davis Mabel (as Lilian Hall Davis) Ian Hunter Bob Corby Forrester Harvey James Ware Harry Terry Showman Gordon Harker Jack's Trainer Charles Farrell Second (uncredited) Clare Greet Fortune Teller (uncredited) Tom Helmore (uncredited) Minnie Rayner Boxing Contestant's Wife (uncredited) Brandy Walker Spectator (uncredited) Billy Wells Boxer (uncredited)

The Ring (1927 film)

Film + music live staging

Alto saxophonist and rapper Soweto Kinch composed a background score for the film. It was screened with the live performance by Kinch and Team.[citation needed] The first such performance outside London was for the 17th International Film Festival of Kerala on the inaugural day[4]

References
[1] [2] [3] [4] Ryall p.93 Ryall p.93 Ryall p.94 http:/ / ibnlive. in. com/ news/ iffk-gets-underway-with-alfred-hitchcoks-silent-movie-the-ring/ 309463-71-210. html

Bibliography
Ryall, Tom. Alfred Hitchcock and the British Cinema. Athlone Press, 1996.

External links
The Ring (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0018328/) at the Internet Movie Database The Ring (http://www.archive.org/details/TheRing.) is available for free download at the Internet Archive
[more]

The Ring (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1057839-ring/) at Rotten Tomatoes

Article Sources and Contributors

Article Sources and Contributors

The Ring (1927 film) Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=557057394 Contributors: *drew, Ajshm, Aspects, Bensin, Chris the speller, Feydey, Iantresman, J04n, JamesAM, Jenblower, Jh1888, John of Reading, Lord Cornwallis, Lugnuts, M-le-mot-dit, MarnetteD, Melaen, Muttalan, Paulnako, Philbertgray, Remurmur, Rray, Saopaulo1, Skier Dude, Smith03, Ted Wilkes, Thief12, Tjmayerinsf, Ulric1313, Volatile, Who, Wmahan, Wool Mintons, Xezbeth, Zzyzx11, 13 anonymous edits

License
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