OVER THE TOP

US, 1987, 93 minutes, Colour.
Sylvester Stallone, Robert Loggia, Susan Blakely, David Mendenhall.
Directed by Menahem Golan.

Over the Top is a star vehicle for Sylvester Stallone at the time that he was making Rambo films as well as sequels to Rocky. The film focuses on a Rocky kind of story set in the world of arm-wrestling with a gala competition in Las Vegas.

While the film focuses on the athletic side of Stallone’s screen presence, he also portrays a truckie who left his wife and child many years earlier. One of the reasons is the pressure from his wealthy father-in-law who despises him. Robert Loggia is the father-in-law. However, his wife is to undergo surgery and she wants her son, David Mendenhall, to bond with his father.

The film goes along expected lines, the young boy graduating from military college and clashing with his father, coming to admire and understand him, the pressures of the father-in-law, the death of the mother, the confrontation and finally the victory in Las Vegas.

The film was directed by Menahem Golan who, with Yoram Globus, bought Cannon Films and produced a great number of popular dramas and thrillers during the 70s and 80s.

1.A Sylvester Stallone film? His screen presence? The background of Rocky, Rambo?

2.The title, the reference to arm-wrestling?

3.The locations, the open highways of America, the pit-stops? Las Vegas? Wealthy homes and mansions? The musical score? The concluding song?

4.The introduction to Lincoln Hawk, as a truck driver, his age, background, his walking out on his wife and son? The pressures from his father-in-law? His wife asking him to pick up their son at his graduation? The initial clash, his son disowning him? The travel, the lack of conversation, his son’s surliness? Taking him to the diner? The arm-wrestling and the challengers? His building up his son, his son and the competition, telling him to go back in? The phone calls to Christina? His love for Christina? His regrets about his mistakes? Arrival at the hospital, the grandfather taking Michael away? His anger? Coming to the mansion, driving through the gate? His son coming to visit him in prison, the decision to stay with his grandfather? Going to Las Vegas, the competition, the various rounds, his being defeated? Michael coming, encouraging him? The confrontation with Jason Cutler? His final victory supported by his son? The happy ending?

5.Michael, age, without his father, love for his mother, pampered by his grandfather? His surliness, ignoring his father, wanting to run away? The gradual breaking down of barriers, the bonding, the arm-wrestling competition and his father urging him to go back, the world not meeting him halfway? His mother’s death and his grief, leaving Hawk? With his grandfather, watching his father’s confrontation? The visit in prison? His running away after finding his father’s letters? Las Vegas, his ingenuity on the plane, at the casino, encouraging his father, the happy ending?

6.Jason Cutler, the stereotypical businessman, wealth, possessiveness, his daughter’s dying, wanting his grandson? His henchmen, the strongarm tactics? The confrontation in Las Vegas?

7.Christina, the marriage, her love for her husband, her son, wanting them to bond, her death?

8.The world of truckies, the stops, the diners, the appearance of the truckies, tough, arm-wrestling?

9.The world of competition, Las Vegas, the glitz, the bouts, the final confrontation?

10.A blend of muscular sports film with family, absent fathers, bonding with sons?