This is the third entry in my recollection of my favorite scenes in my favorite sports movies, following Bull Durham and Hoosiers. Today we ponder whether you can in fact look up the spelling of “Del Rio” in the dictionary.
Rocky (1976)
The Choice: The obvious selection is the workout montage, and it is indeed great. Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) basically runs all over Philadelphia — yo, was he supposed to be Steve Bleepin’ Prefontaine, or some club fighter from da neighborhood? — as Bill Conti’s score swells, and the steps of the art museum beckon.
Wonderful scene. Inspiring. But it’s not my favorite.
Rather, I like the one where Mickey (brilliantly played by the late Burgess Meredith) visits Rocky at his ramshackle apartment, with the express purpose of pitching him on the idea of serving as his manager for the big fight against heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). Rocky is unmoved, as he and Mickey have had their differences, and his Mickey departs.
“You talk about your prime,” Rocky shouts as Mickey makes his way down the stairs. “What about my prime, Mick? At least you had a prime! I didn’t have no prime. I didn’t have nothin’! Legs are going. Everything’s going. … They go, c’mon, fight the champ. Yeah, I’ll fight ‘im. Get my face kicked in.”
The scene ends with Rocky running out of his building and catching up to Mickey as he walks down the street. They huddle for a moment. Apologies are made, out of earshot of the viewer. They shake hands, and a bond is formed.
And we all know how things go from there.
Runners-up: The movie’s opening scene, in which the lead character is shown fighting Spider Rico, sets the tone for all that follows, in that we immediately understand Rocky’s gritty lot in life. (Only recently have I learned that the scene was shot not in Philadelphia, but Los Angeles’ Resurrection Gym.) I’m also partial to the scene where the weaselly promoter (Thayer David) patronizes Rocky by telling him the night before the fight that he’s going to “give us a great show.” And not to be forgotten are all the times the loan shark’s driver calls Rocky “Meatbag” (as shown at 2:01 of this clip).
Nitpicks: Thoughts and prayers to Mack Lee Green (severely cracked third metacarpal, left hand), Ernie Rowan (fighting in France) and Buddy Shaw (moved to California and gained 50 pounds), who missed out on their title shots. They coulda been contenders. Also, isn’t it a little weird that Philadelphia has long embraced a fake boxer to a far greater degree than it ever did a real, live champion — i.e., Joe Frazier?
Aimless Facts: Love that Spider Rico and Little Marie (“Screw you, creepo,”) show up in later editions of the Rocky franchise.