Movie Review: Rocky (1976)

© 1976 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Original Title: Rocky
Year: 1976
Duration: 120 min.
Country: United States
Direction: John G. Avildsen
Screenplay: Sylvester Stallone
With: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Meredith Burgess, David Thayer, Joe Spinell.
Grade: 9/10

This is a well-known movie, from almost half a century ago and in general everyone already knows everything, and this review is just a reminder. In general, it is best not to overwhelm the reader with too many words, otherwise one is writing only for oneself.

Rocky:
"So, I was thinking…it doesn't really matter if I lose this fight. It also doesn't matter if this guy breaks my head. 'Cause all I want to do is hold on to the end. No one has lasted to the end with Creed. And if I hold on, if the bell rings and I'm still on my feet, for the first time in my life I'll know I'm not just another neighborhood bum."

© 1976 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Hello to the beautiful people, how are you? I am doing good. Speaking of movies…

Today I want to review a movie from almost 50 years ago, a movie with a message but that doesn't preach or indoctrinate, and perhaps that's why it's so good. It has a solid cast and very good performances. It has an unforgettable soundtrack, composed by Bill Conti. In addition, it ended up winning three Oscars (best film, best director, best editing), which is not a guarantee of anything but an indication that maybe it would not hurt to take a look at it.

© 1976 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

When Stallone finished writing the script, he went out knocking on doors, only to find that those interested in buying him already had other actors in the offing for the lead role, including Burt Reynolds, Robert Redford, James Caan and Ryan O'Neal. , all with much more experience than him. But no, the condition was that he be given the leading role, and not someone else. The interesting thing is that at that time Stallone was dead broke, but despite the fact that they came to offer him 300k usd – a fortune for an unemployed actor, even more so in 1975 – he stood firm until someone ended up accepting his conditions.

© 1976 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

And now we go with the story that Stallone wrote. Beware, there are a couple of SPOILERS. Rocky Balboa is a debt collector for a neighborhood pawnbroker, meaning he's in charge of breaking your legs if you don't pay. He is a bit slow but he has a good heart. He likes boxing but has no self-discipline, which is how, despite his potential, he is a nobody with a dead-end job.

One day, Rocky receives a call from Jergens, the boxing promoter. Rocky goes to his office and there Jergens offers him a fight with the heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed. Oh, do you want me to be his sparring partner? No, says Jergens, I want you to fight Creed in the Madison Square Garden for the title.

© 1976 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Why does the champion want to fight a nobody? Because he can't fight his usual rivals. That one has the flu, that the other went on vacation, that another has to go to enroll the kid in school... So Creed takes the list of boxers -which is a book with the information and photos of the boxers- and finds the name of Rocky Balboa, whom he chooses because he likes his nom de guerre: "The Italian Stallion". Beware that he is a southpaw, they warn him. Creed sticks to his guns and tells Jergens to contact Rocky and offer him the fight.

© 1976 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Rocky agrees.

Spoiler 1: Rocky doesn't win the fight.

But it doesn't matter, here things go the other way. Rocky has promised himself that, win or lose, he's going to last through the fight, from the first round to the last, no matter how much his rival punishes him.

Rocky puts himself under the orders of Mickey, his old coach, who makes him jump rope and tie his feet with string. He also eats raw scrambled eggs, runs around the streets of Philadelphia, and goes to the fridge to pound the frozen half-carcasses.

Second spoiler: Rocky reaches the last round on his feet.

And not only does he resist until the end, but he gives the champion such a beating that there is a virtual tie and only the vote of one the judges ends up giving Creed the fight.

But no matter, Rocky has earned the respect of the public and has proven his worth to himself, and to the world.

And by the way, he has become boyfriend with Adrian the girl from the pet store.

So who am I to say that Rocky "lost"?

© 1976 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.