Day of the Fight
(1951)
Overview
Stanley Kubrick’s debut documentary, following Irish-American middleweight boxer Walter Cartier on April 17, 1950—the day of his bout with Bobby James. The film traces Cartier’s quiet morning rituals, training, and anxious hours before the match, culminating in his swift victory that night in Newark. Opening with a brief history of boxing, Kubrick’s tightly crafted short captures the discipline, isolation, and tension behind a fighter’s daily routine.
Stanley Kubrick
Director
Top Billed Cast
Vincent Cartier
Self, Walter's twin brother and manager
Walter Cartier
Self
Nat Fleischer
Self, boxing historian
Bobby James
Self, Walter's opponent
Judy Singer
Self, female fan in crowd (uncredited)
Stanley Kubrick
Self (man at ringside with camera) (uncredited)
Alexander Singer
Self
Douglas Edwards
Narrator
