Insight to an insecure and paranoid man

Rating: 9/10 (3 February 2011)

Raging Bull is a film staring Robert Dinero as Jake La Motta, the champion mid-weight fighter of the 1940's through the 1960's. The film shows La Motta's successful boxing career, his struggle to remain uninvolved with the mob, as well as his turbulent relationships with his wife Vickie and brother Joey, played by Cathy Moriarty and Joe Pesci, Jake La Motta brings violence into each aspect of his life, repeatedly abusing Vickie, whom he believes is constantly scheming to be unfaithful to him. This violence and jealousy is most likely caused by Jake's feeling of inadequacy, the underlying theme of the film.
The theme is first introduced in the beginning of the movie in a conversation between Jake and his brother Joey, who is also Jake's manager. Joey is trying to figure out what is wrong with Jake, who had been bullying his first wife just before for no apparent reason. Jake tells Joey that his problem is his hands and that their small size will forever prohibit him from fighting the best boxers, no matter how great he becomes. Another way the theme is portrayed is through Jakes interaction with the mob. Because of the mob's involvement with gambling, they are very interested in Jake. They offer to help him become successful on many occasions. However, Jake knows this help is not in his best interest and the offer only adds to his feelings of inadequacy. He believes he can reach the top on his own. After constantly being denied, the mob boss Salvy, played by Frank Vincent, informs Joey that Jake will never be given a title shot without becoming involved with the mob. Jake finally gives in and throws a match, giving legitimacy to his feelings of inadequacy. He leaves the ring, unharmed, and returns to the locker room in an extremely dramatic scene.
One cinematic technique used to illustrate the theme is the montage of Jake's rise to fame juxtaposed against home footage of his family. The montage places scenes of Jake boxing with seemingly happy domestic scenes such as birthday parties and family gatherings. Although the entire movie is black and white, an effect used to set the mood of the film, the domestic clips in this montage are filmed in color, as if filmed with an old Super-8 camera. Although the footage appears pleasant, it is assumed, because of the juxtaposition with his fighting scenes, that violence has already leaked into Jake and Vickie's marriage, making Jake an inadequate husband.
Another important technique used to show Jake's feelings of inadequacy is through the point of view of the camera. Although the majority of the movie is filmed using an objective point of view, there are several instances using the subjective point of view. Most of these instances are when Jake is watching an interaction between Vickie and another man. Another important technique used during these scenes is the use of slow motion, which makes it seem as though Jake's rage is focused completely on Vickie, despite any other distractions in the room. This shift in the point of view is important because it allows the audience to feel the jealousy and inadequacy Jake feels. An indirect-subjective point of view is also used in filming many of the boxing scenes. This allows the audience to experience the violence and rage felt by Jake that he is only able to fully express while boxing.
Although Raging Bull is filled with violence, violence is not the most important theme in the film. It is the emotions that cause this violence that are important. Through the use of cinematic techniques and well placed dialogue and events, Martin Scorsese allowed an audience to see into the mind of an insecure and paranoid man. These insecurities are what fueled the rage that allowed Jake La Motta to become like a bull in the boxing ring.