John Garfield and Lili Palmer in "Body and Soul"

Body and Soul (1947) is an American film noir set in the world of professional boxing directed by Robert Rossen and starring John Garfield and Lili Palmer. The supporting cast includes Hazel Brooks, Anne Revere, Canada Lee, and William Conrad. The black and white cinematography was by Academy Award winner James Wong Howe.

Garfield stars as Charlie Davis, a successful boxer who is surrounded by a group of men who may or may not have his best interests at heart. As his career progresses, Charlie's life becomes more and more complicated. When he falls in love with Peg Born (Palmer), Charlie isn't so sure about the decisions he's made about his life and career.

Robert Rossen (1908 - 1966) was an American screenwriter and director. He wrote screenplays while under contract to Warner Brothers. His first solo screenwriting credit was They Won't Forget (1937) which featured the film debut of Lana Turner. Rossen wrote or co-wrote the scripts for Dust Be My Destiny (1939), The Roaring Twenties (1939), and The Sea Wolf (1941). Rossen directed the Best Picture of 1949, All the King's Men. Rossen was nominated for Best Director but lost out to Joseph L.Mankiewicz. Rossen was a member of the Communist Party and was blacklisted in the 1950s. He eventually named names and his career was back on track. He directed The Hustler (1961) which was nominated for nine Academy Awards.

John Garfield (1913 - 1952) was an American actor who specialized in brooding, rebellious characters. Garfield was a popular stage actor with the Group Theater in New York when Hollywood came calling. Garfield's first film was Four Daughters (1938). The movie was a big success and Garfield's performance was praised. He received a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination for his role as troubled musician Mickey Borden. His success in his first film led to a long-term contract with Warner Brothers. Other films Garfield starred in include They Made Me a Criminal (1938), Juarez (1939), Castle on the Hudson (1940), Out of the Fog (1941), Destination Tokyo (1943), and The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946), and Body and Soul (1947) for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Garfield had long-term heart problems. Against the advice of his doctor, he played tennis the day he passed away.

Lili Palmer (1914 - 1986) was a German actress who made her film debut in Crime Unlimited (1935) while under contract by Gaumont Film Company in Great Britain. In 1943, she married Rex Harrison. They had a son together named Carey. When Harrison went to Hollywood, Palmer followed him and made several popular movies including Cloak and Dagger (1946) co-starring Gary Cooper. Palmer split her time between the stage and film and continued acting up until the time of her death.

John Garfield and Lili Palmer

Body and Soul trivia

• Anne Revere who played Garfield's mother was only 10 years old than he was.
• The film is considered one of the greatest boxing films of all time.
• Many of the cast and crew became directors including William Conrad (Quinn), Joseph Pevney (Shorty), and Abraham Polonsky.
• Cinematographer James Wong Howe wore roller skates to get a more realistic feel while filming the fight scenes.

To watch the film on YouTube, click the link below.

To join the discussion on July 18, 2022, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time, click here. Once you RSVP, you'll get an invitation and Zoom link to join the discussion.

Discussion questions:

1. How would you compare Garfield's performance in this film to Force of Evil?
2. Was Garfield believable as a boxer?
3. What did you think of Lili Palmer's performance?
4. Did Garfield and Lili Palmer make a believable couple? Was there chemistry between them?
5. The screenplay was by Abraham Polonsky, the man who wrote and directed Force of Evil. Did you see any similarities between the two films?
6. How did you react to Ben's (Lee) death?
7. Was the ending realistic?