Day of the Fight

Plot

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.

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