The Basketball Fix

Newspaper sports columnist John Ireland (as Pete Ferreday) finds mature-looking basketball player Marshall Thompson (as Johnny Long) in a high school locker room. With his father in a sanitarium, Mr. Thompson must work to support himself and little brother Bobby Hyatt (as Mickey); possibly, school officials were unaware of this living arrangement. After Mr. Ireland helps the young man win a scholarship, Thompson becomes a college freshman star athlete. Working at a swanky country club, Thompson meets curvy Vanessa Brown (as Pat Judd), and the two are quickly engaged. Still strapped for cash, Thompson is tempted by wealthy William Bishop (as Mike Taft), who pays players to "fix" game points.

"The Basketball Fix" doesn't look "Digitally Remastered," as is claimed on the present DVD releases; the picture is acceptable, but not sharp. The synopsis states, "This noir-ish film, expertly directed by Felix Feist, documents events that seem commonplace today, but were scandalous at the time of the film's original release." You might think a player like Thompson's "Johnny Long" would be satisfied with the millions of dollars he would make today, but perhaps not. And, the film doesn't really resemble a "film noir". It is a typical story about a sports youth being tempted by gangsters, but done in the style and structure of the recently successful "Sunset Boulevard" (1950), with Ireland channeling William Holden.

***** The Basketball Fix (8/51) Felix Feist ~ John Ireland, Marshall Thompson, Vanessa Brown, William Bishop