Paul Newman as Rocky Graziano, the fighter who couldn't seem to get it right, starred in the 1956 biography "Somebody Up there Likes Me."
According to all our sociologists, Rocky Barbella was doomed before he started. Coming from a dysfunctional family and viewing the poverty and gangs of the local tough streets, Rocky is a hardened guy. He is full of anger. Newman is terrific displaying this anger in and out of the ring.
Involved in stealing and going AWOL while in the army, Newman received a dishonorable discharge and served one year at Leavenworth. It is there that he got good boxing training and when out, he begins to fight his way to the top. In the interim, he marries a Jewish girl, Pier Angeli, who is as much Jewish as Mama Leone. I still can't figure out what kind of accent she had. Yet, Angeli does convey the kind of plain girl who would stick by her man.
Veteran actor Everett Sloane portrayed his manager Irving Cohen. He is feisty and has the right temperament for the role.
Just as things are going well, Rocky is trapped into trying to throw a fight. When he loses his boxing license in N.Y.C., the papers print about his dishonorable discharge. So, it's off to fight for the championship in Chicago.
The ring scenes are quite authentic and provide plenty of punch. Newman does well playing a punchy fighter in a very common, yet effective performance.
Harold J. Stone, who died recently at 92, is effective, although briefly, as Rocky's alcoholic father-a man who could have fought to the title but did not. Eileen Heckart, a great supporting actress, is given little material to work with, but her facial expressions best depict the desperation faced by a downtrodden family.
The film does provide a knock out punch and it's well worth the effort.
According to all our sociologists, Rocky Barbella was doomed before he started. Coming from a dysfunctional family and viewing the poverty and gangs of the local tough streets, Rocky is a hardened guy. He is full of anger. Newman is terrific displaying this anger in and out of the ring.
Involved in stealing and going AWOL while in the army, Newman received a dishonorable discharge and served one year at Leavenworth. It is there that he got good boxing training and when out, he begins to fight his way to the top. In the interim, he marries a Jewish girl, Pier Angeli, who is as much Jewish as Mama Leone. I still can't figure out what kind of accent she had. Yet, Angeli does convey the kind of plain girl who would stick by her man.
Veteran actor Everett Sloane portrayed his manager Irving Cohen. He is feisty and has the right temperament for the role.
Just as things are going well, Rocky is trapped into trying to throw a fight. When he loses his boxing license in N.Y.C., the papers print about his dishonorable discharge. So, it's off to fight for the championship in Chicago.
The ring scenes are quite authentic and provide plenty of punch. Newman does well playing a punchy fighter in a very common, yet effective performance.
Harold J. Stone, who died recently at 92, is effective, although briefly, as Rocky's alcoholic father-a man who could have fought to the title but did not. Eileen Heckart, a great supporting actress, is given little material to work with, but her facial expressions best depict the desperation faced by a downtrodden family.
The film does provide a knock out punch and it's well worth the effort.