The Main Event, Barbra Streisand, ...
Image credit: The Main Event: Warner Bros./Everett Collection.

NO. 8 The Corruption of Big Money

AS SEEN IN The Main Event (1979)

THE STORY Swindled out of her riches, perfume mogul Hillary Kramer (Barbra Streisand) turns to the one asset she has left, a palooka named Eddie ''Kid Natural'' Scanlon (Ryan O'Neal), who's such a loser that she'd been using her contract with him as a tax shelter. Nonetheless, she goads him into training for a big fight in the hopes of getting her fortune back. She also tries to steal him away from his girlfriend (Patti D'Arbanville, not shown).

OTHER EXAMPLES Big money corrupts the values of young boxers in Body and Soul and Champion, desperate boxers in Requiem for a Heavyweight and both versions of The Champ, and the well-established Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) in the first two Rocky films.

THE EXCEPTION Big money doesn't seem to be an issue in Fat City (1972), if only because boxers Tully (Stacy Keach) and Ernie (Jeff Bridges) never get anywhere near it.

Originally posted May 26, 2005
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