Stallone goes the distance in Life as ROCKY did the same on the Big Screen!

Rating: 10/10 (25 July 2007)

The Boxing Film has long been a favored genre of the Hollywood output. Dating back to the earliest days, there has been a fascination with the fictionalized accounts of the 'Sweet Science. Hence, we have been treated to the likes GENTLEMAN JIM (Errol Flynn), THE GOLDEN BOY(William Holden), THE CHAMP & its Remake(Wallace Beery/Jon Voigt). We have also seen the Darker Side of Life in CHAMPION (Kirk Douglas), THE HARDER THEY FALL (Humphrey Bogart,Rod Steiger, Jan Sterling) and REQUIAM FOR A HEAVYWEIGT (Anthony Quinn, Jackie Gleason & Mickey Rooney).
Boxing has long been a metaphor for life itself and so this screenplay represented the status of Mr. Stallone's own life and Acting Career. At 30 years of age himself, he held out to giving an okay to Producers Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler to do the film. The producers wanted Robert Dinero for the role, but old Sly was banking on this project's being his own long shot,to put his own career into the Success column.
This is not supposed to be much of a film, this ROCKY, it is not a Blockbuster or any "critically acclaimed" High Brow slice of Cinematic Art. But, lo and behold, the story holds onto the audience like a Pit Bull! All can watch it together as a Family Unit.And though it contains some very graphic and violent scenes in the Prize Ring, all is acceptable. Great care was taken here (as it was in the following Rocky Movies) to present a long, drawn-out Championship Bout, which would be somewhat fanciful, yet remain faithful to the realism that was a hallmark of the film.
The film is shot mainly on location in Philly. The cityscapes selected gives the viewer a look of beauty.We all have those bumps in the road of our daily lives.
Sly was right, for he was the guy for his own Script*. He did not have to 'get into this character's head, because this character originated in the fertile Stallone imagination. In one sense, Rocky was Sly.
Some in the Boxing Fraternity were critical of the film's portrayal of the physical training and the lack of emphasis on sparring. With this one criticism considered and dismissed as minor, we can fully appreciate the scenes of roadwork, resistance exercise, speed and heavy bag work. The running scene done on the waterfront is of particular note, as Stallone really went all-out, hitting high gear in sprinting, with the water and the docked ships providing a most picturesque back drop.**
Tallia Shire played Adrian, a shy girl, who has grown up in a very quiet manner. She has not had much, if any, social life. She yearns for fulfillment in a drab existence of caring for self and working in a pet store, as a sort of female roustabout/cage cleaner/animal keeper. She lives in the same old family house with her older brother, Paulie.
Paulie (Burt Young) is a heavy set, apparently powerhouse of a guy, who is employed in a meat rendering plant. He is greatly dissatisfied with things as they are and constantly shows these feelings. For example, he wants to better himself by getting a job like Rocky's as a collector for the 'Juice Man', Gazzo, powerfully portrayed by the very talented, the Late Mr. Joe Spinnell.*** Carl Weathers brings the Heavyweight Champion of the World to life. His portrayal is as right on the mark as his muscular physique and obvious athleticism is obvious. (He was a College Footballer as well as having done a stint in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders. He was a linebacker.) Carl's "Appolo Creed" is at once cunning, serious, and flamboyant. He is at once a dedicated, Spartanesque athlete, but also a business man. He is the one who makes the Match, even insists on his opponent be Rocky Balboa,"The Italian Stallion." Other cast members include: Thayer David appeared as, the splendidly dressed Promoter Miles Jergens. Tony Burton is Apollo's trainer. We also have a great number of other well traveled supporting players in the cast. Two of our personal favourites are,Billy Sands (veteran of TV's SGT. BILKO and McHALE's NAVY) is cast as a Ring Announcer and George O'Hanlon (for years he was Joe McDoakes in all of those Warner Brothers Comedy Shorts as well as the voice of Hanna-Barbara's George Jetson on THE JETSONS, both on TV as well as the Feature Film.) Sylvester Stallone is certainly a loyal guy, as he has several friends and family in the film . His brother Frank Stallone, Jr. has his vocal group in it as the street singers("You guys get better every year!") and Frank Stallone, Sr., their father appears as a time keeper. Why even Rocky's Dog, Butkus was the real life pet of Mr.Sly's.
ROCKY has been called an old fashioned "B" Picture.**** Well, maybe so, but if it is true, let Hollywood give us more, and more and more and more..........................., en ad infinitum!
* The right guy, indeed! The whole story would seem to be an allegory, a metaphor for Life Itself, and in this case, Sly's Life and Career.
** The action of the scene appears to have been augmented by some certain camera movement, making the whole sequence even more spectacular!
*** The late Mr.Joe Spinnell had such fine talent. Having been discovered at an open casting call for THE GODFATHER by Francis Ford Cappola.
**** The story was inspired by real life incidents. Chuck Wepner, as Journeyman Heavyweight Boxer, got a chance to fight Mohammed Ali for the Title. It was March 24, 1975 in Cleveland.