Raging Bull (1980)

Raging Bull
Directed by Martin Scorcese
Written by Paul Schrader, Mardik Martin, Joseph Carter and Peter Savage based on the book by Jake LaMotta
1980/US
IMDb page
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Di

[last lines] Jake La Motta: Go get ’em, champ [he begins shadowboxing] I’m da boss, I’m da boss, I’m da boss, I’m da boss, I’m da boss… I’m da boss, I’m da boss, I’m da boss, I’m da boss, I’m da boss, I’m da boss.

Martin Scorcese’s film about toxic masculinity in and out of the boxing ring is great filmmaking but hard for me to watch.

This is the story of boxer Jake LaMotta’s life starting from the peak of his professional career as a Middleweight and ending when his shortcomings cause him to lose almost everything.  He was called The Raging Bull and this was a very apt moniker.  LaMotta was what we called at the time a male chauvinist pig with an out of control temper. He took out his rage both in the rings and with loved ones.  Basically, he would explode any time he didn’t get his own way or anybody tried to argue with or contradict him.  He was not a nice person.

But that didn’t stop Jake from excelling in the ring, until it eventually did.  He also managed to win the love of the beautiful underage Vicky (Cathy Moriarty), whom he eventually married.  He was blessed with the support of his flawed but loyal brother Joey (Joe Pesci).  He eventually lost both these people and his children due to his jealous outbursts.  Jake ends his life as a mediocre stand-up comedian.

This is an extraordinary film that is brilliant both from an acting standpoint and for its striking staging and production.  The recreation of the fights is a masterpiece of film editing.  Robert DeNiro fought to get this movie made and he certainly gave a career-making performance. Pesci and Moriarty are great as well in the first major film for each.  But this is a movie filled with loud savage arguing and with domestic and boxing violence,  The blows are all accompanied by disturbing sounds of punches landing.  So it’s a film I can appreciate without exactly loving.

Robert DeNiro won a Best Actor Oscar for his performance in Raging Bull.  The film was nominated in the categories of Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Pesci) and Best Supporting Actress (Moriarty).  It absolutely should have been nominated for Best Cinematography and Best Film Editing.