Queen of the Ring Overcomes Some of Its Cliches
The heel and the face
3/5 stars
Professional wrestling is recognized mostly as "sports entertainment" today, but in its early days, it was viewed as a charming curiosity at best, a carnival sideshow at worst. And it was definitely strictly for men. However, there were plenty of female pioneers in those days, paving the way for future superstars and director Ash (son of Rocky director John G.) Avildsen chronicles some of these ladies with Queen of the Ring, an interesting look into a mostly forgotten time in pro wrestling that sadly gets bogged down in a sea of cliches and melodrama despite a committed performance from its star.
In the 1940s, Mildred Burke (Emily Bett Richards) is a single mother working in a diner in small-town Missouri, but she dreams of becoming a wrestling superstar even though women's wrestling is still illegal. Eventually, she gets her chance, winning over audiences as Millie Muscles the "Kansas Cyclone." She quickly becomes the highest-paid female athlete at the time, but her biggest rivalry is outside the ring against her former promoter/ex-husband Billy Wolfe (Josh Lucas).
The in-ring scenes are incredible. Bett Richards brings a physicality and charisma that makes her very believable as a professional wrestler. Sadly, the scenes outside the ring are shot and performed like a made-for-TV melodrama, full of corny montages and laughable song choices.
The film is able to overcome these deficiencies with its fight sequences and some fun references to the early days of televised wrestling. That said, these cliches may turn off audiences who aren't already fans of the sport. Queen of the Ring is currently playing at the Meadville Cinema.
Directed by Ash Avildsen // Written by Avildsen and Alston Ramsay // Based on the book by Jeff Leen // starring Emily Burke Richards, Josh Lucas, Francesca Eastwood, Tyler Posey, Marie Avgeropoulos, Gavin Casalengo, Kailey Farmer, Deborah Ann Woll, Killi Berglund, Damaris Lewis, Adam Demos, Jim Cornette, and Walton Goggins // Sumerian Pictures // 130 minutes // Rated PG-13
