Joe Louis
Joe Thomas
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Synopsis
Joe Thomas leaves Alabama hoping to support his family and discovers that his strength can earn him a future in boxing. Success brings a manager, publicity and a nightclub romance. When a gambler's interests begin to influence his private life, the young fighter risks losing the discipline that made his rise possible.
Cast
DirectorsHarry L. Fraser
Historical context
Heavyweight champion Joe Louis makes his film debut in a fictional story that borrows from his career. The AFI records that the Production Code Administration warned the producers about showing a Black boxer defeating white opponents, revealing the racial pressures surrounding the film's distribution.
Sources and availability
The synopsis and editorial text were written for this collection. The references below were cross-checked to identify the film and its copy; each editorial section identifies its reference.
Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.
The reference concerns the original work. Restorations, colorization, translations and other territories may have different conditions. This site uses the player enabled by the channel.
Availability checked on September 10, 2026.
Photograph credit
Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.
- Joe Louis — Carl Van Vechten · Public domain
- Clarence Muse — CBS · Public domain
- Edna Mae Harris — International News Photos · Public domain
