Flesh and Fury

Plot

Boxing fan Sonya Bartow and manager Pop Richardson are both impressed the first time they see amateur Paul Callan win a fight. They are more amazed, and Sonya somewhat appalled, when they discover later that Paul is deaf.

Pop agrees to train him, even though he's still not quite over the death in the ring of a former protege. A romantic relationship begins with Sonya, but she refuses to marry Paul until he's a champion. She impatiently pushes Pop to set up a title fight, even if he isn't ready yet.

When a reporter, Ann Hollis, comes to interview Paul, she uses sign language. Sonya mocks it as a "dummy" language and Paul explains that he has always been reluctant to use it. Ann begins seeing Paul socially, takes him to a deaf-children's school and introduces him to her deaf father, a successful architect. Sonya drunkenly threatens to kill Ann if she doesn't leave Paul alone.

A doctor performs an operation that restores Paul's hearing. He rushes to Ann's house, but a party there is so noisy that it confuses and overwhelms him. Paul goes back to Sonya and is excitedly told that a fight's been arranged with Logan, the champ. Paul discovers that Sonya has hidden a telegram from the doctor, explaining that a beating in the ring could cause him to again go deaf.

Sonya bets heavily on the fight, but on Paul to lose. The punches he absorbs cause his hearing to fade. With all the distracting noise tuned out, Paul rallies to win the fight. He reunites with Ann, and is relieved when he can hear her speak.

Cast