[On June
13th, 1935, underdog boxer James “Cinderella Man” Braddock won a
stunning upset decision over heavyweight champion Max Baer. So this week I’ve
AmericanStudied that story and other ways in which this complex sport reflects
American histories. Leading up to this weekend post on some of the undisputed
champs in the realm of boxing films!]
On how three
boxing movies present multi-layered, complex American themes.
1)
Raging Bull (1980):
Longtime readers of this blog will remember that I’m not
a big fan of Martin Scorcese’s films; while that post focused mostly on his
Mafia/crime films, many of the same critiques would apply to his boxing film Raging Bull (which even starred two of
his favorite crime-film actors, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci).
But interestingly enough, I would say that this earlier Scorcese film (which to
be clear I only watched once, many many years ago) is better able to turn a
critical lens on the toxic masculinity of its protagonist than are his later
movies (which too often, I would argue, celebrate that masculinity even as they
portray its downfall). Indeed, in many ways it is Jake Lamotta’s toxic temper
and violence that undo his athletic and American success—and while the same
could be argued for many Scorcese characters, to my mind Raging Bull, not coincidentally a film about one of our most
violent sports, explores those themes more overtly and compellingly than do his
other works.
2)
Million Dollar Baby
(2004): Clint Eastwood’s directorial efforts have explored masculinity, toxic
and otherwise, since at least the greatness that is Unforgiven
(1992); if in recent years his protagonists (usually played by Eastwood
himself) have gotten a bit more racist than I’d prefer, I suppose we could call
that another layer of 21st century American toxic masculinity. But
interestingly enough, Eastwood’s film about boxing focuses instead on one of
his few female leading characters, Hilary’s Swank’s Maggie
Fitzgerald. Moreover, while Eastwood does also appear as Maggie’s grizzled,
reluctant trainer Frankie Dunn, the film’s surprising plot twists end up
leading to a focus on Frankie as a father-figure to Maggie, and one who is
forced to deal with some of the most difficult and emotional questions a parent
could ever face. And not just a parent—given the brutal nature of boxing, it
seems likely that many if not most trainers eventually have to decide between
the health and safety and the athletic successes of their fighters, maxing Million a compelling twist on the boxing
film as well.
3)
The Fighter (2010): I’ve
written elsewhere in this space about David
O. Russell’s pair of quirky sports films, with The Fighter the slightly more conventional of the two (I know it’s
a bit of a stretch to call Silver Linings
Playbook a sports film, but I do think it qualifies). As a slightly more conventional
sports film, Fighter features a lot
of familiar themes: a hero who overcomes seemingly impossible odds, narratives
of lost potential and failure and second chances and redemption, a romantic
relationship that offers vital support. But thanks to Christian Bale’s virtuoso
turn as Dicky Eklund, Russell’s film is also able to grapple with a couple
of distinct social issues: life and poverty in a post-industrial American city
like Lowell (MA); and drug addiction and its multi-layered effects. The stunning sequence where
an imprisoned Dicky watches a documentary about himself, believing it will
focus on his own past boxing glories but gradually realizing it depicts instead
the depths to which his life has sunk, reflects the cultural and social layers
to this unique boxing and sports film.
Next series
starts Monday,
Ben
PS. What do you
think? Other boxing films (or stories or histories) you’d highlight?
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