The Ring (1927 film)
| Industry | Film production |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1927 |
| Headquarters | Elstree , United Kingdom |
The Ring is a 1927 British silent romance film crafted and helmed by Alfred Hitchcock, featuring performances by Carl Brisson, Lillian Hall-Davis, and Ian Hunter.
Plot
"One Round" Jack Sander (Carl Brisson), a former undefeated fairground boxer, suffers defeat against Australian Heavyweight champion Bob Corby (Ian Hunter). Impressed by Jack’s effort, Bob’s manager offers him a position as sparring partner, contingent upon winning a trial match.
Bob develops a close connection with Jack’s girlfriend Mabel (Lillian Hall-Davis), presenting her with a bracelet. Although they share a kiss, Mabel stops it and deceives Jack about the bracelet’s source. After securing victory in his trial, Jack becomes Bob’s sparring partner and consents to wed Mabel, who remains uncertain due to her feelings for Bob.
During the wedding celebration, Bob jests that Mabel was the prize in their original fight; Jack promises to protect her. A friendly bout between Jack and Bob concludes with Bob’s victory, but Jack suspects an affair between Mabel and Bob. Motivated, Jack trains rigorously and ascends the rankings to become the leading contender for Bob’s heavyweight title.
Jack organizes a party to announce his title challenge, though Mabel is notably absent. Later, he witnesses her exiting Bob’s car and confronts her, then challenges Bob after knocking him out during a heated encounter at a club.
In the championship fight, the contest remains balanced until the later rounds when Bob gains control. Observing Jack’s struggle, Mabel affirms her loyalty to him. Reinvigorated, Jack delivers a decisive knockout blow, securing the title as Mabel embraces him and Bob acknowledges defeat.
Cast
- Carl Brisson as 'One-Round' Jack Sander
- Lillian Hall-Davis as Mabel (credited as Lilian Hall Davis)
- Ian Hunter as Bob Corby
- Forrester Harvey as James Ware
- Harry Terry as Showman
- Gordon Harker as Jack's Trainer
- Charles Farrell as Second
- Clare Greet as Fortune Teller
- Tom Helmore
- Minnie Rayner as Boxing Contestant's Wife
- Brandy Walker as Spectator
- Billy Wells as Boxer
Production
Produced at Elstree Studios, this film was created by the newly formed British International Pictures, which rose to prominence among Britain’s top studios in the late 1920s. It marked Hitchcock’s first undertaking with the company following his departure from Gainsborough Pictures, as well as the studio’s debut release.
Inception
At 28 years old, Hitchcock directed The Ring as his fourth cinematic work. Drawing inspiration from London boxing events, he observed affluent audiences and unique traditions such as fighters being doused with champagne—elements that influenced the film’s concept.
Screenplay
After adapting stage plays like Downhill and Easy Virtue for Gainsborough, Hitchcock aimed to create an original story. The Ring is frequently recognized as his only original screenplay; however, it also involved collaboration with Eliot Stannard, who contributed to all of Hitchcock's silent films. Studio peers commended Hitchcock’s script structure for its strong visual narrative techniques—a talent that later led him to focus primarily on dialogue collaboration rather than sole writing credits.
Directing
Esteemed critics such as François Truffaut, Claude Chabrol, and Eric Rohmer have acknowledged the film as a significant technical milestone. It utilized the Schüfftan process to create the illusion of vast crowds during scenes set in the Royal Albert Hall. Hitchcock later applied this method again in films like The Man Who Knew Too Much.
Reception
Although the movie garnered considerable praise from critics, it did not achieve commercial success when released to the wider public.
Preservation and home media
In 2012, The Ring underwent restoration through the British Film Institute’s £2 million initiative "Save the Hitchcock 9," aimed at conserving Hitchcock’s extant silent-era works.
Despite extensive unauthorized distribution on home video, officially restored editions have been made available on DVD, Blu-ray, and digital formats by Optimum in the United Kingdom, as well as Lionsgate and Kino Lorber in the United States.
By late 2022, The Ring became part of the public domain within the United States.