100 Movies Every Catholic Should See #80: Rocky (1976)

Directed by John G. Avildsen. Written by and starring Sylvester Stallone.

There is something special I’ve often found genuine in low-budget filmmaking: the roughness, the imperfections you only get from only being able to get one or two takes with the equipment available.  But technicalities aside, one thing that has made them a personal favorite are the types of stories often associated with such limitations.  Knowing all of this, I was excited to finally watch Rocky all the way through from beginning to end for the first time.

It is no surprise that after watching the film that it's pretty much settled that no other sport in cinema is able to entertain and immerse the viewer in the moment so much as boxing does.  The fast swinging punches and the potential risk of not only losing the fight but of losing one’s life creates such a spectacle that is able to increase even the most bland of film plots to a bare minimum of at least entertaining.  Yet beyond mere entertainment, boxing films, can transcend the sport’s original meaning from simple impulsive action and competition to that of an allegorical nature.  When done, each punch and scar becomes more than simply physical but becomes a reflection of the interior realities of the boxers.  Such a manner of approaching this sport is greatly examined in John G. Avildsen’s 1976 film Rocky written by and starring Sylvester Stallone as the underdog boxer Rocky Balboa.

Having written the film in the span of 3 days, with a relatively measly production budget of approximately $1 million, and only $106 in his bank, Stallone sought out to write, star in, (and hopefully make profit from) a film surrounding the tale of a boxer from the streets.  After having just barely won against his opponent in one of his late boxing matches, Rocky Balboa heads back home by himself to nobody except his small pet turtles to which he reminds them, “If you guys could sing and dance I wouldn’t be doing this.”  Within the very first moments of the film it is revealed that Rocky fights not because he wants to, but because he hasn’t got the choice to do otherwise.  After having lost hope in his fighting career after Mickey (Burgess Meredith), his trainer, gave up his hope for him as a real champion, Rocky continues his street work for a local boss, Gazzo, to intimidate and beat those who don’t “pay up” the boss.  Rocky has become accustomed to playing the role of the “bum” as others, including himself, have referred to him as being.  Even in the small things of his life, Rocky fails to see himself as more than such when he nervously fails to ask his timid love-interest Adrian (Talia Shire) out on a simple first date.

Yet, despite being accustomed to being treated as such, this does not prevent Rocky from being more than this.  While walking the local streets Rocky comes across a group of kids hanging out late at night when he recognizes the youngest girl and takes responsibility to return her back home.  Having dealt with much of life already, Rocky lectures her on maintaining respect and reputation and what’ll happen to her if she continues to hangout with the wrong crowd.  He truly presents all of this with integrity and honesty, with hopes of her turning out well in the future.  But in the end Rocky’s treated as others think he’s worth when the little girl shuts the door on him and his advice.  Too often these scenes play out, reinforcing doubt into Rocky’s character as a whole.

In this world of indifference, one person is willing to give his character a chance.  In one of the most iconic scenes from the film, Rocky manages to go out on his first date with Adrian on a closing ice skating rink.  With Adrian, Rocky is able to present himself fully as he is, demonstrated by his relaxed personality and constant humor.  Though in the very few moments of the date, Adrian opens up the question she asks Rocky, “Why do you want to fight?”.  Yet, this time it is Rocky who answers with a slight chuckle, “Cause I can’t sing or dance”.  It’s the only thing that he knows how to do and the only thing he has to do.

Such circumstances change at the last minute when boxing champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) finds himself short of a competitor for his grand boxing match.  In search of a “local underdog fighter” to give such an opportunity, Creed stumbles across and makes up his mind about having Rocky Balboa be that fighter, and so he agrees.  While Rocky honestly does not see much possibility of actually winning against Apollo, what he sees within this fight is the possibility of becoming more than a “just another bum from the neighborhood”.  As long as he can just “go the distance” it would be enough for him to truly know his worth and identity.

Rocky reveals a deep longing and desire of many within modern culture.  To quote author Fr. Jacques Philippe, “Modern man is condemned to success because without God there is no place to take his failure.” Within our culture, we are constantly damned to defining ourselves and others by a measure of how close we are to achieving the internal success of true self-improvement and self-determination.  So when we fall out of place like Rocky we end up finding ourselves like him, as nothing but weak and worthless.  This belief is the lie to which Rocky carries with him for the majority of the film, and is exactly what he desires to face head on when he approaches Apollo in the ring.  We all carry lies and truths about ourselves and others within our lives, whether we decide to or not.  Yet it is precisely what we do with these lies that can be the deciding factor 0f who we become in the end.  Whether we face these lies face to face and call them out to come into the light of reality or keep them shut by avoiding the affiliations and bruises they cause, it is up to us to take the first step.  Are we all called to win the big fights of maintaining virtue, having a sense of self-worth, or even of achieving eternal life?  Or rather are we simply called to “go the distance”, to go as far as we are able to go in this very moment and let God take that little act and transform us through it.  Through many times in life we are constantly pressured to win all of the fights we come across and know all of the techniques to use.  Could not the reason that this expectation is so unreasonable is the fact that we were never meant to win the big fight?  To take the first step, to strive and pursue God with all of our heart, mind, and soul is where our calling lies.

Such a character as Rocky will prove to be a constant reminder to us as individuals that God never asks us to win the battle, let alone that of identity, single handedly, but wants us to go the distance not to prove our identity but to live in the identity he has bestowed upon us, to have reached the end of our lives being able to say “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” and to let God use what we’ve given him to sanctify us.