Posted on 06/03/2005 7:41:57 AM PDT by GPBurdell
1. Russell Crowe Triumphs in "Cinderella Man"
In "Cinderella Man" (opening Friday, June 3rd), Russell Crowe once again proves that old-fashioned masculinity does not have to be completely absent from the movies.
Directed by Ron Howard, "Cinderella Man" tells the uplifting, real-life story of Jim Braddock, the Depression-era boxer who rose from poverty and the soup lines to become heavyweight champion of the world.
The movie has excellent moral values, and Russell Crowe (Jim Braddock), Renee Zellweger (his wife Mae Braddock), and Paul Giamatti (his manager Joe Gould) all do a fine job portraying the 30s-era characters with conviction and authenticity.
The stand-out of the film, though, is Russell Crowe. The movie itself tells a simple tale of success, loss, and redemption - and Crowe elevates it with the complexity and depth of his acting. At a time when Hollywood seems determined to deride traditional masculinity, it's nice to see an actor like Crowe bring such strength, dignity, and self-confidence to the character of Jim Braddock.
Jim Braddock enjoys success as a boxer in the 1920s, but before he can advance to the top of his profession, a series of debilitating injuries and the stock market crash of 1929 (in which he loses all his money) cut Braddock¹s career short and send his life into a tailspin.
Unable to box, unable to find regular work in the terrible early years of the Depression, Braddock slides into penury. He loses his home and must move into a tiny basement flat with his wife and three children. He is barely able to feed them or keep the electricity on. The only work he can find consists of odd shifts on the docks - but the job requires him to use his broken right hand.
Unwilling to lose the work, Braddock disguises his cast and toughs it out. It still isn¹t enough to support his family, so Braddock must go on welfare and the soup lines in order to keep life and limb together.
After years of hardship, Braddock gets a second chance. His manager Joe Gould arranges a one-time fight for him in which Braddock is supposed to lose. Instead Braddock wins - even though he hasn't eaten all day, hasn't had time to train, and must fight in borrowed boxing gear. Braddock's victory here against tremendous odds is one of the most moving sequences of the film. Braddock literally wills himself to win the fight because if he doesn't, his family will go hungry.
Thus begins his climb back to the top, fueled by love of family, not by a need for fame. When a reporter asks Braddock why he fights, Braddock answers simply, "I fight for milk."
Braddock's commitment to his family is one of many important messages in this movie. Others include fidelity to his wife, perseverance in the face of tremendous odds, optimism, honesty, self-sacrifice and self-reliance.
When his family is hungry and his son steals a salami from the butcher, Braddock makes his son return it. When Braddock starts winning fights again, he returns to the welfare office and pays back all the money the government has given him. When the brutal Max Baer hits Braddock with illegal low blows during the climactic championship fight, Braddock fights back fairly and cleanly.
Braddock becomes a national hero - and a symbol for America's indomitable spirit of courage and optimism. Hollywood makes very few films with good values nowadays - which is why conservatives should support "Cinderella Man," and help ensure that more movies like it get made.
From today's NY Daily News:
Former "Beverly Hillbillies" star Max Baer Jr. has come out swinging to defend his father, now that the late prizefighter's reputation has taken a beating in Ron Howard's "Cinderella Man."
The film, in which Russell Crowe plays Depression-era boxer James J. Braddock, portrays Baer Sr. as a sadistic thug who hits below the belt and boasts about the two boxers he has killed in the ring. Baer Sr. (Craig Bierko) even threatens to make Braddock's wife (Renée Zellweger) his lover after he has made her a widow.
"That's a lie," Baer Jr., who played lovable yokel Jethro Bodine on the '60s TV comedy, tells us. "My father cried about what happened to [Baer ring victim] Frankie Campbell. He had nightmares. He helped put Frankie's children through college."
While Howard has Baer sporting boxing trunks bearing the Star of David, he doesn't explain that he became a hero to the Jewish people by defeating Hitler favorite Max Schmeling.
Howard's spokeswoman Leslee Dart says: "The script was written from the point of view of the Braddock family. To them, Max Baer was a real threat. Ron felt that was how the character needed to be drafted."
"I have great respect for Ronny Howard," says Baer Jr. "But he never called me for any factual information about my father. They distorted his character. They didn't have to make him an ogre to make Jimmy Braddock a hero."
Meanwhile, Bierko and Crowe are trading verbal blows. After hearing that Bierko accused him of being standoffish, Crowe told Entertainment Weekly, "Craig was really out of his depth. He'd never been in this sort of movie and never had this type of responsibility of failure....He kind of came in with ... this sort of foppish, Long Island kind of actor-y idea. And it's like, 'Mate, you cannot hide with this. You're in a pair of shorts and boots - that's it, buddy.' I had to help him get into that groove."
The Tony-winning Bierko's rep says, "Craig's reviews have been stellar thus far. His performance speaks for itself."
One thing's for certain: The two men weren't speaking at Wednesday's New York premiere. "They were keeping their distance," says a spy. "There's no love lost there."
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/315414p-269806c.html
"I hope they don't disparage Max Baer."
Warner Wolf said on the radio this morning that Baer is portrayed as a dirty fighter and that he was not one. He had another complaint about historical accuracy, but I can't remembr what that was.
I wondered if Jethro would come to his dads aid. Its gonna be hard to enjoy the ending when you know the opponent wasn't who they are portraying him to have been. I will however watch it.
When Baer had a heart attack he called from his hotel room to the desk and told the clerk he was having a heart attack. She asked him if he would like her to call the hotel doctor and he replied "I would prefer a people doctor". Thats the kind of witty fun loving guy Baer was.
You have a good point. I liked DiCaprio a LOT in "The Aviator". And before that, I thought his performance in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" was enough to answer those who don't take him seriously as an actor.
I think the main reason people rag on him is because he has pretty boy looks (as you mentioned) and because he was in "Titanic". I think I like him more than some people do because I just knew not to see Titanic. :)
Basketball Diaries. It's a harsh film, but he's very good in it. There's something else he was good in, but I can't remember it right now.
Carnera subsequently won the heavyweight title and lost that title to Baer. Baer knocked the gigantic Carnera down eleven times enroute to an 11th round TKO. During one of those knockdowns, Baer slipped and fell to the floor with Carnera. He reputedly shouted, "last one up is a rotten egg!"
As I said, he was a character. I later saw him in person when he appeared at one of my high school football games. He died the very next day.
Michael Medved has just reviewed it.
Gave it 4 stars. Said it deserves all the praise it has gotten. He praised its values. Called it one of the best sports films of all time and THE best boxing film of all time.
I never saw that one! LOL!
Small world :)
I'll be in the cineplex this weekend watching this most excellent film. Way to go, Russell!
OK, saw the movie this afternoon. It was excellent. Not the best movie I've ever seen, but it was well done. The acting was superb. I hope they don't rob Crowe again as they did with A BEAUTIFUL MIND. Paul Giamatti: BRILLIANT. He was so freaking good. And the boxing sequences were so real that I had to keep reminding myself that it was Russell Crowe and I saw him on TV the other day! But underneath it all, it was a typical underdog boxing movie. Same story, different scenery.
That is one of the most racist comments I have seen in quite some time here. If you believe that, you know NOTHING about acting. NOTHING.
I'm praying that this film has a very good box office take. Russell needs a hit film. Fingers crossed....
Russell Crowe is fabulous, always.
We Agree!!!!!! Did you see Cinderella Man??? I LOVE Paul Giamatti. He'll win Supporting Actor. Crowe was great and even the usually annoying Zellweger was fine.
They weren't so kind to Max Baer, although he was gracious to Braddock after he lost.
Russell Crowe is a great actor, very talented. I only drool over the best.
DiCaprio is a great actor as well, but I can't drool over someone who perpetually looks 12 years old.
I just watched "Aviator" on DVD this past weekend. He really is a good actor, he's just not HOT, like Antonio Banderas HOT.
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