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The Set-Up

The Set-Up

I want a man … not a human punching bag!

19497.31h 13m

Overview

Expecting the usual loss, a boxing manager takes bribes from a betting gangster without telling his fighter.

Directed by Robert Wise
Written by Robert Wise, Art Cohn, Joseph Moncure March
Produced by Richard Goldstone, Dore Schary
0

Top Cast

Robert Ryan

Robert Ryan

Stoker

Audrey Totter

Audrey Totter

Julie

George Tobias

George Tobias

Tiny

Alan Baxter

Alan Baxter

Little Boy

Wallace Ford

Wallace Ford

Gus

Percy Helton

Percy Helton

Red

Hal Baylor

Hal Baylor

Tiger Nelson

Darryl Hickman

Darryl Hickman

Shanley

Kevin O'Morrison

Kevin O'Morrison

Moore

James Edwards

James Edwards

Luther Hawkins

Themes & Keywords

transportersportsgamblingboxerfilm noirboxing

About The Set-Up

The Set-Up is a drama, crime film released in 1949 exploring themes of transporter, sports, gambling, boxer, film noir, boxing. Directed by Robert Wise, it stars Robert Ryan, Audrey Totter, George Tobias. Expecting the usual loss, a boxing manager takes bribes from a betting gangster without telling his fighter.

Movies Similar to The Set-Up

Discover titles like The Set-Up — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to The Set-Up

If you enjoyed The Set-Up, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of The Set-Up.

Body and Soul
40% Match

Charley Davis, against the wishes of his mother, becomes a boxer. As he becomes more successful the fighter becomes surrounded by shady characters, including an unethical promoter named Roberts, who tempt the man with a number of vices. Charley finds himself faced with increasingly difficult choices.

Rocky
37% Match

Rocky(1976)

Movie7.8/10

Rocky Balboa is a Philadelphia club fighter who seems to be going nowhere. But when a stroke of fate puts him in the ring with a world heavyweight champion, Rocky knows that it's his one shot at the big time — a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go the distance and come out a winner!

Rocky IV
37% Match

Rocky IV(1985)

Movie7.1/10

Rocky Balboa holds the world heavyweight championship, but a new challenger has stepped forward: Drago, a six-foot-four, 261-pound fighter who has the backing of the Soviet Union. This time, Rocky's training regimen takes him to Siberia, where he prepares for a globally televised match in the heart of Moscow. But nothing can truly prepare him for what he's about to face – a fight to the finish, in which he must defend not only himself, but also the honor of his country!

Rocky V
37% Match

Rocky V(1990)

Movie5.8/10

A lifetime of taking shots has ended Rocky’s career, and a crooked accountant has left him broke. Inspired by the memory of his trainer, however, Rocky finds glory in training and takes on an up-and-coming boxer.

The Champ
37% Match

The Champ(1979)

Movie7.0/10

Billy used to be a great boxer, but he's settled into a hardscrabble life that revolves around drinking, training horses, and the one bright spot in his existence — his young son, T.J. Although Billy has had custody of T.J. since his wife, Annie, left the family years ago, her return prompts a new struggle for the former fighter. Determined to hold on to his son, Billy gets back into the ring to try and recapture his past success.

Million Dollar Baby
36% Match

Despondent over a painful estrangement from his daughter, trainer Frankie Dunn isn't prepared for boxer Maggie Fitzgerald to enter his life. But Maggie's determined to go pro and to convince Dunn and his cohort to help her.

Rocky II
36% Match

Rocky II(1979)

Movie7.3/10

After Rocky goes the distance with champ Apollo Creed, both try to put the fight behind them and move on. Rocky settles down with Adrian but can't put his life together outside the ring, while Creed seeks a rematch to restore his reputation. Soon enough, the "Master of Disaster" and the "Italian Stallion" are set on a collision course for a climactic battle that is brutal and unforgettable.

Rocky III
34% Match

Rocky III(1982)

Movie6.9/10

Following Rocky Balboa's intense battle with his most powerful adversary yet – the ferocious Clubber Lang – Rocky joins forces with former rival Apollo Creed in an effort to get back his fighting spirit.

Johnny O'Clock
32% Match

When an employee at an illegal gambling den dies suspiciously, her sister, Nancy, looks into the situation and falls for Johnny O'Clock, a suave partner in the underground casino. Selfish and non-committal by nature, Johnny slowly begins to return Nancy's affection and decides to run away with her, but conflict within his business threatens their plans. As Johnny tries to distance himself from the casino, his shady past comes back to haunt him.

Rocky Balboa
31% Match

When he loses a highly publicized virtual boxing match to ex-champ Rocky Balboa, reigning heavyweight titleholder Mason Dixon retaliates by challenging the Italian Stallion to a 10-round exhibition bout. To the surprise of his son and friends, Rocky agrees to come out of retirement and face an opponent who's faster, stronger and thirty years his junior. Rocky takes on Dixon in what will become the greatest fight in boxing history!