PARADISE ALLEY

US, 1978, 109 minutes, Colour.
Sylvester Stallone, Lee Canalito, Armand Assante, Frank Mc Rae, Anne Archer, Aimee Eccles.
Directed by Sylvester Stallone.

Paradise Alley's star, Sylvester Stallone, lost critical and box office popularity after Rocky (1976). He wrote, composed and sang the theme, directed and acted in this film. He plays the loudest of three brothers in Hell's Kitchen, New York, 1946, and allows his slow witted younger brother to centre stage in a wrestling bout finale. On the whole, the film is likable. Stallone writes some punchy lines for himself, but also some wise ones for the other characters. The plot may be a little simplistic, but it has heart even if a little sentimentality on its sleeve. There are good performances, some hope and ambitions. Stallone deserved a better response than he received.

1. An entertaining and interesting film? The work of Sylvester Stallone? Acting, direction, writing? His reputation in the late 70s? Adverse criticisms of him and his work?

2. The film as a product of the 70s, its nostalgia, memories? A realistic portrait of New York and Hell's Kitchen in the 40s? The spirit of achievement in transcending the past and hopes for success? The American spirit of achievement and success?

3. The authenticity of the 40s setting? The visualising of New York, the styles of 1946, the tenements and streets of Hell's Kitchen, life on the streets, hard work? The cafes and bars? Paradise Alley itself? Colour, the look and feel of the times? The contribution of the score, the title song and its lyrics?

4. The atmosphere of the credits and the race? Physical achievement, striving, dangers? The initial focus on Cosmo? The shift of attention from Cosmo to Vic and Lenny? The introduction to Cosmo for the portrait of the brothers?

5. This Hell's Kitchen world and its lack of opportunities, circumstances? Taking opportunities? An enclosed world? Cosmo and his begging as an army veteran, the waking up sequence and the revelation about the family, the rooms? The interrelationships of the brothers? Vic and his work delivering the ice and the detail of this, Lenny and his working packing the skeletons? The brawls, the discussions between the gangs, the competition for the monkey? Cosmo and the dancing monkey? Bunch and the prostitutes? Ann and her work in the dance halls? The people captured within this world? How well did the film create the atmosphere, show its good side and its bad, the need to get out and succeed?

6. The portrait of the brothers, their sense of family? Cosmo and his continued talking, jokes, humour, the promoter? Lenny and his injury, serious attitude, power over Vic, delayed love for Ann and reconciliation? Vic as the big man, retarded, nice? His vocabulary, learning from Susan? His wanting the brothers to be together?

7. The portrait of Stitch and his gang, Frank as the wrestler? The set-up and the bets for the wrist competition? Stitch and his bets for the final wrestle, his being mocked at the end after his defeat? The arrogant and pompous types of Hell's Kitchen?

8. Cosmo's ideas, the training of Vic, Lenny's persuasion? Vic's fights and the collage of his success and the repercussions for him? The film's presentation of wrestling and commenting on it?

9. Cosmo and his pursuing of Ann, her reconciliation with Lenny and Cosmo's disillusionment? His discussions with Bunch and their relationship?

10. Lenny's excluding Cosmo? The feeling between them?

11. The preparation for the big fight ? Vic and his temperament, personality, his moods? The confrontation with Frank? The fight, the pain, the rain? The M.C. and his previous attitudes? The 22nd. round and Vic wanting reconciliation and winning? The final freeze-frame and achievement?

12. The view of this world, American, universal? optimistic? Identification with it? Tough, competitive? The symbol of wrestling for this?