CINDERELLA MAN
US, 2005, 144 minutes, Colour.
Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger, Paul Giamatti, Craig Bierko, Paddy Considine, Bruce Mc Gill, Ariel Waller.
Directed by Ron Howard.
Cinderella Man is advertised as a boxing film, but it is much more than that. It is a film about the Depression. It is also the story of a good man who has a second chance at success in his life and becomes a hero and role model for people who suffered in the United States during the 1930s.
The star is Russell Crowe. Despite the news about his real life tantrums, he shows himself once again to be an actor who can completely immerse himself in his role. He has made only six films in the last seven years, five of them Oscar-nominated, winning for Gladiator. Looking back at them, we can see that he has chosen roles which show the nobility of the human spirit and heroism. He was the older whistleblower exposing the tobacco industry in The Insider, mathematician John Nash in A Beautiful Mind and a principled captain of a ship in Master and Commander.
Here, Crowe is an everyman character. There is a frequently quoted line from Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront about his frustrated boxing career: ‘I could have been a contender’. Crowe portrays a contender from the waterfront.
He is James J.Braddock, a successful boxer at the end of the 1920s. He is happily married with three children. He is a Catholic, though when he experiences hardships during the Depression, he tells his devout wife he is ‘all prayed out’. There is a nice touch at the end when he faces his tough bout against world heavyweight champion, Max Baer. His friends and supporters from his New Jersey neighbourhood gather in the local church and the parish priest sets up the radio there for everyone to listen in.
Braddock was not a wealthy man but he lost his stocks and shares in the Wall St crash of 1929. This reduced his family to living hand to mouth while he tried to get work on the docks. An occasional fight brought some income, but the film shows just how hard it was for families to survive day by day with little food, light and gas bills overdue and no credit at the local shops.
His victory in a demonstration fight that he was not expected to win led to further success and the chance to fight for the title. If you do not know whether Braddock actually won or not means a very suspenseful climax to the film, audiences identifying with him against the clownish and brutal Baer and with his wife listening anxiously.
Renee Zellwegger is a versatile actress. While she appears as the supportive wife, she brings strength and conviction to her role. Paul Giamatti (so good in Sideways) steals his scenes as Braddock’s coach and agent.
Boxing is not everyone’s sport and some of the fight sequences may be a bit graphic for everyone’s taste. However, it is the spirit of Braddock, whom writer Damon Runyon dubbed ‘Cinderella Man’ because of his rise from poverty at a later time in his life, that carries us through the film.
Two years ago, the racing film Seabiscuit, was popular viewing. This was another Depression hero, a horse which was not expected to win races but who, after severe injury, got back the strength to win. This is the spirit of the battler and Seabiscuit encouraged people at a time of struggle. Cinderella Man shows us how well the public respond to a good man who overcomes difficulties, who is willing to try even though he may not win. Braddock was this kind of hero. The film also shows us that he was a man of principle and integrity.
1. The critical success of the film? Acclaim?
2. The re-creation of the 20s and 30s? The boxing world, gymnasiums, Madison Square Garden, the dressing rooms? The audiences at the fights? The Depression era, boxing and heroes for the Depression?
3. The New Jersey settings, the homes in the 1920s, the poor apartments in the 1930s? The contrast with clubs and wealth? The streets, the docks?
4. The musical score, the songs and the period? Costumes and décor?
5. The title, Damon Runyan and his naming James J. Braddock with this title?
6. The film based on a true story, the facts, the dramatising of the events?
7. The Depression, the need for heroes, people and unemployment, poverty, the need for heroic underdogs, with a second chance? Braddock as a Cinderella man in his time? Why for the beginning of the 21st century?
8. Russell Crowe as Braddock, his screen presence, immersing himself in the character? Braddock as a fighter, techniques and skill, strength? As a man, integrity, honesty? As devoted husband, loving father? The issue of going on welfare, paying back when he had the money? The anguish of the poverty, the hunger, not being able to pay the bills, the family struggles, his literally holding out his hat at the Boxing Commission? His injuries and still working on the docks? His relationship to the world of boxing, to Joe, friendship, his agent, the fights? His being suspended? The labour issues during the Depression and Mike Wilson and his going to help him? The miracle of the comeback, his success? The final captions and the explanation of his subsequent life, his war record, labour and building? A hero, a suburban, Depression everyman?
9. May and her love for James, the kids? Life in the 20s and prosperity? Love in the 30s, the hardships, her rationing out the food for the children, the cold and no heat, the electricity going off, her losing credit at the stores? Her sewing for a living? Her not wanting to be separated from the children, the anguish of having to send them to her sister? Her following the boxing but never going to the matches? The church, the Catholic faith, her reliance on her sister? Her supporting James, love, desperate, not wanting him to fight? The ultimatum? The press conference, the restaurant and the fancy dinner, the insults of Baer and her throwing the wine in his face? Her not wanting her children to listen to the fight, going to them, her joy in his victory? Her character? The sketch of the children, their age, experience, experiencing poverty? Hunger, cold? The boy’s illness and the need for treatment? Medicine? The children and their few toys, playing games in the street? The issue of honesty and the son stealing? James and his training them to punch and defend themselves?
10. Joe Gould, personality, style, his talk, skill as an agent, his coaching James? The encouragement in the early years? The victory, the defeats? His giving money when James begged? Pleading his cause with the commission? His doing the deals, Jimmy Johnston? Urging James on, the comeback fights, success, his joy? His skill in the support at the ringside? The fight against Baer, the dinner in the restaurant, the victory, his happiness at the end? The sketch of his wife, their apartment and its being empty, keeping up appearances? Her support of May? Her joy with Joe at the end?
11. Jim Johnston, the money man, tough with his deals, suspending James? The discussions with Joe, the deals, Joe and his being persuasive about letting James fight the champions? His surprise at Braddock’s victories? The sketch of the journalists, their headlines, their criticism of Braddock, the sports news interviewer, the questions of May? The headlines, the commentators at the ringside? The role of the media?
12. Mike Wilson, his befriending James on the docks, his drinking, with his wife at the party, James separating them? His support of James on the waterfront? The strike, Hooversville and Central Park, the police attack, James finding him, his death? The Braddocks and their support of his wife?
13. The range of boxing opponents, their skills, styles, attitudes? The surprise of the victories over the champions?
14. The choreography and editing of the bouts, the showing of the public? The camera work and involvement of the audience in the bouts, the poundings, the KOs, the victories?
15. Max Baer as a person, his reputation, his fights, causing the death of two boxers? His personal lifestyle, arrogance in the press conferences? The restaurant, the high life with the women, the insults, May throwing the drink in his face? The fight, his taunting James? The range of skills he used, Joe and his urging James on, the surprise at his loss?
16. The film as a piece of Americana – uplifting, underdogs, Americans and the need for heroes?
