Your thoughts on "Cinderella Man"?

[Melkor]

I was really dubious coming into this one [especially as it was set in the Depression], but I was very pleased with its message, and more importantly with how they portrayed Jimmy Johnson. I figured going into it that they would treat the wealthy boxing promoter as something of a villain, since after all it's the Depression and he's rich at a time when few other people are.

In one scene, Mr. Johnson is warning Russel Crowe that he's aging and that his next opponent [Max Baer, who I understand was not nearly as caustic as the movie made him out to be] had killed several people in the ring, and that he didn't want to be hung out to dry if Baer ended up putting him in a casket. He shows Crowe a film reel of one of the fatalities, and explains his position. Joe Gould, the manager, stops Johnson and says "Gee, you're just all heart aren't you?"

Johnson turns around and retorts "My heart is for my family, Mister Gould. My brain and my balls are for business; and this is business."

Needless to say, Gould is rather soundly shut up.

So did anyone else see this film, and if so what did you think? I may have missed some nuances of it, and while the film isn't completely sympathetic with Objectivism [few films are], the overall message of it resonates nicely, and Johnson's line is an excellent one.

[HaloNoble6]

I saw it a few weeks back so my thoughts on it are based on somewhat distant memories.

I remember being touched by Crowe's relationship with his family. He came off as a strong valuer and a very principled man. I was once again impressed with Crowe's diversity of acting skill: old-school L.A. detective, Roman general, English seaman, and now early-American boxer.

The overall theme seems to be a man's relentless fight to keep his values (his family) in an extremely principled manner. For example, I was also moved by the fact that he refused to take federal aid as a hand-out: he treated it as a loan. The man had dignity even when he went up to his former big-shot boxing friends to beg for money.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Edited December 14, 2005 by Felipe

[Melkor]

... The man had dignity even when he went up to his former big-shot boxing friends to beg for money.

That was the only part I was kind of iffy about, but one look at the expression on the character's face makes it readily apparent that he has no desire to be doing this; he really looked like he didn't want to be there and it's not like he wasn't trying to work.

I was also pleased that they didn't glorify FDR [Christ I hate that son of a bitch]; in fact he was only mentioned once and even then they weren't exactly singing his praises. The writers avoided a lot of pitfalls that would have been very easy to make.

[HaloNoble6]

Contrast this movie's treatment of the Depression with Seabiscuit's. Talk about glorification of the welfare state...

[Melkor]

Meh, I wasn't particularly interested in that movie. I haven't seen it and I doubt I ever will.

[JMeganSnow]

I liked this movie a lot, I especially enjoyed how they treated they older son stealing a sausage.

P.S. Melkor, could you moderate your language a bit, please? Not because someone will get offended, but because it's not necessary.

Edit: Where'd that weird hanging quote come from?

Edited December 14, 2005 by JMeganSnow

[BlackSabbath]

That was the only part I was kind of iffy about, but one look at the expression on the character's face makes it readily apparent that he has no desire to be doing this; he really looked like he didn't want to be there and it's not like he wasn't trying to work.

I've not seen the movie but I know that Braddock did indeed pay back all his welfare money after he had won his world title.

[Rogue]

I thought the movie was O.K. I did like that they didn't portray the rich as evil and the fact that the boxer was so tough and dedicated. And I REALL liked that they didn't put public assistance in a good like and that Crowe had such a hard time doing it, and in the end returned the $. Really, though the director seemed to be taking a lot of things from Rocky. Ya, I know this is true story, but I liked Rocky quite a bit better.

[Jay P]

I liked Cinderella Man. It's a good story of a virtuous, principled man being true to his values in spite of facing difficult times.