As a lifelong fan of wrestling and biopics, I can confidently say that “Queen of the Ring” has left me absolutely smitten! I must admit, I was initially skeptical about this film, given my limited knowledge of Mildred Burke’s life story. But Emily Bett Rickards‘ breakout performance as Burke and Ash Avildsen’s captivating direction have transformed this unfamiliar tale into a riveting cinematic experience.
Currently, wrestling-themed images are trending. Last year saw the release of the exceptional yet underappreciated movie titled “The Iron Claw,” focusing on the tragic Von Erich brothers. Now, we have Ash Avildsen’s engaging and retro biopic about Mildred Burke. If you’re unfamiliar with her (and most likely are), this film aims to change that. A trailblazer in wrestling who became the first million-dollar female athlete ever, Burke was a three-time women’s world champion from the 1930s to the 1950s, an era when women’s wrestling was illegal in much of the country. Her story is compelling and this film, which opened the 39th annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, largely does her justice with “Queen of the Ring.
According to Jeff Leen’s book titled “The Queen of the Ring: Sex, Muscles, Diamonds, and the Making of an American Legend,” the movie features Emily Bett Rickards (known for Arrow) in a striking debut role as Burke. Initially, we encounter her as a teenage mother living in Kansas, working at a diner under the supervision of her mom (Cara Buono). Millie, who boasts an impressive physique, harbors ambitions to be an entertainer. As she lacks singing and dancing skills, she decides that wrestling could be her ticket out of rural life.
When Billy Wolfe, an appealing Josh Lucas character, visits with his mobile wrestling exhibition, she seizes the moment to showcase herself by challenging one of his male wrestlers. Initially doubtful, Billy allows her to compete for entertainment purposes, but is won over when she defeats her significantly larger opponent. He then decides to mentor her and she starts winning match after match against men at Midwestern carnivals.
As they journeyed together, she and Billy developed feelings for each other, leading them to marry. Yet, their relationship deteriorated rapidly when Billy started being unfaithful with multiple female wrestlers he had recruited. She opted to remain married to him solely for business purposes, subsequently entering into a romantic entanglement with his son G. Bill (Tyler Posey, known from Teen Wolf) who had long admired her.
During a press conference at the festival, director Avildsen lamented that the story in “Queen of the Ring” would have been better suited as a miniseries and regretted that an hour had been trimmed from its screen time. This is evident onscreen, as the film has a fragmented feel that paradoxically gives it a longer-than-expected duration.
With an increasing number of female wrestlers introduced, such as Mae Young (portrayed by Francesca Eastwood), Elvira Snodgrass (Marie Avgeropoulos), June Byers (debutant Kailey Farmer), Nell Stewart (Kelli Berglund), Gladys Gillem (Deborah Ann Woll) and Babs Wingo (Damaris Lewis, one of a trio of Black female wrestlers), the storyline’s uneven flow becomes noticeable. You might find yourself struggling to follow the sudden, seemingly unforeseen shifts in both romantic and business plotlines.
However, despite some creative liberties taken, the film isn’t excessively harmful due to its captivating narrative and cinematic portrayal. The wrestling scenes stand out as exceptionally intense, with the actors, notably Rickards, giving a convincing physical performance that suggests there might have been behind-the-scenes medical attention required. The director may have inherited his knack for fight sequences from his father John Avildsen, who directed films like Rocky and three Karate Kid movies. Interestingly, one of the Karate Kid series stars, Martin Kove, adds a vibrant supporting role in this production.
Despite having a modest budget, this film boasts an impressive visual quality, capturing its retro settings beautifully through Andrew Strahorn’s atmospheric cinematography, which carries a warm sepia tone, and Sofija Mesicek’s authentic costumes that fit perfectly with the period. The acting is strong throughout, with standout performances from Adam Demos as Mildred’s devoted friend who later became famous as Gorgeous George, Walton Goggins as cunning competitor Jack Pfefer, and rising star Gavin Casalengo (from “The Summer I Turned Pretty”) as Mildred’s grown son. However, it is Rickards who delivers a stunning performance, masterfully tackling the intense physical and emotional aspects of her role, that truly makes this film resonate.
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2024-11-19 03:24