Rocky

Rocky, American boxing film, released in 1976, that was the highest-grossing movie of that year, earning more than $117 million at the box office. It was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won three, including best picture, and made its writer and lead actor, Sylvester Stallone, a star.

(Read Gene Tunney’s 1929 Britannica essay on boxing.)

Britannica Quiz

Pop Culture Quiz

Rocky opens on a club boxing match taking place in Philadelphia on November 25, 1975, where Rocky Balboa (Stallone) defeats his opponent and then returns to his dingy apartment. The next morning, he visits a pet shop and tries to sweet-talk the shy clerk, Adrian (Talia Shire), before heading to the docks to collect a debt from a dockworker who owes money to the loan shark, Tony Gazzo (Joe Spinell), for whom he works. At a boxing gym, Rocky learns that he has lost his locker to a fighter whom the gym manager, Mickey (Burgess Meredith), considers to be more promising. He then goes to a bar, where he talks with Adrian’s brother, Paulie (Burt Young), who invites Rocky to the home he shares with Adrian for Thanksgiving dinner.

(Read Martin Scorsese’s Britannica essay on film preservation.)

Meanwhile, the world heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), who had planned a title defense in Philadelphia on the first day of the bicentennial year of 1976, learns that his scheduled opponent is unable to fight. Another top contender cannot be found, so Creed decides to give a local fighter a chance. He chooses Rocky based on his nickname, “the Italian Stallion.” Rocky begins dating Adrian shortly before he is offered the opportunity to fight Creed. Mickey, learning of the impending match, volunteers to train Rocky. Initially, Creed underestimates Rocky, who becomes the first boxer to knock Creed down. The match continues for 15 brutal rounds and ends in a split decision for Creed. Adrian makes her way through the crowd to the ring, where Rocky and Adrian declare their love for each other.

Stallone wrote the movie’s screenplay over the course of three days, reportedly inspired by a 1975 fight between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner. He refused to sell the rights to the script unless he was chosen to play the lead. As a result, his producers were given a shoestring budget of $960,000 to work with, and Rocky was filmed in just 28 days. The movie was spectacularly popular and launched six sequels, all starring Stallone—Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982), Rocky IV (1985), Rocky V (1990), Rocky Balboa (2006), and Creed (2015)—and countless imitations and parodies. The music that accompanied the scenes during which Rocky prepares for the fight became iconic, and the locations where he trained--in particular the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art--became popular tourist attractions because of their association with the film. A statue of Rocky was placed at the bottom of the museum stairs. John G. Avildsen won an Oscar for his direction of Rocky and went on to direct The Karate Kid (1984) and two of its sequels, as well as Rocky V.

Production notes and credits

• Studio: Chartoff-Winkler Productions
• Director: John G. Avildsen
• Writer: Sylvester Stallone
• Music: Bill Conti

Cast

• Sylvester Stallone (Rocky Balboa)
• Talia Shire (Adrian)
• Burt Young (Paulie)
• Burgess Meredith (Mickey)
• Joe Spinell (Gazzo)
• Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed)

Academy Award nominations (* denotes win)

• Picture*
• Lead actor (Sylvester Stallone)
• Lead actress (Talia Shire)
• Supporting actor (Burgess Meredith)
• Supporting actor (Burt Young)
• Direction*
• Music (original song [“Gonna Fly Now”])
• Editing*
• Sound
• Writing