I know he wanted to lead a quiet life instead of being the guy everyone wanted to get famous off of, but he could've EASILY won the last fight IMO.
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It's without question that he could easily have won the fight, he already HAD won it pretty much.
You've answered your own question, he didn't want to become the next Tank Murdoch and live that life. He looked at Tank and saw what he would become, how he would live on the way there.
The look they exchange before Tank punches him down and the final look Tank gives him before he walks away show that Tank knew he had really lost the fight and Philo had thrown it.
IMHO the scene also demonstrates that Tank knew WHY Philo had thrown it, and didn't blame him one bit.
I guess he wasn't in it for the money then, more than likely he just wanted to prove that he was the best fighter to himself?
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Maaan you are dumb.
I was eight years old when I first watched this movie and I got that the other guy acknowledged that he hadn't really won, with that knowing look and the way he pushes people away who are congratulating him.
That's what makes this movie so great, that ending. And you missed the undertone?
Oh my days.
The Caretaker
Wasn't he payed off by Tank to throw the fight? I thought Tank slipped Philo some cash right before the fight.
No Philo wasn't payed off. The money switching hands was the bets on the fight. Like the others said and you guessed. Philo more than anything wanted to know he had what it took toe to toe with Tank Murdock. He found that out but didn't want to become the next fighter run through the grinder. At the end of the fight you can hear them all saying tank sucks, we can make some money on this guy, this is the next tank, etc. Philo thought by losing he could escape since he had gotten what he came there for.
shareTo be honest I always thought that he didn't want the town hero to lose face. JMO
I agree. Philo saw what a pathetic life Tank had, living in the past (hence he was still wearing his high school letterman's sweater) and felt sympathy for him. He knew by beating him he would be destroying everything that man was. So Philo beats him up enough to satisfy himself that he could win and then throws the fight. It's way more poetic/courageous for Philo to throw the fight than it would be to beat the hell out of the guy and walk away. That would be a very weak ending. In a way Philo's actions make him a hero.
"I don't want your watch, man. I want your friendship!" - Lightfoot
^ This. I thought that was really obvious, to be honest; it's weird to me that most people didn't seem to understand that. He didn't want to humiliate Tank and destroy his life.
sharePhilo had already chased one thing in the film, and look where that got him. So he had another opportunity to obtain something and he thought about its repercussions and decided he wanted no part of it. Smart guy.
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