All language subtitles for Cinderella Man - English SDH (29_970FPS)

(Joe)
Attaboy! Keep him busy!

[crowd screaming]

One.
Jesus.

Two.
You got it.

Three.
He ain't getting up!

Four, five, six...

seven, eight, nine, ten.

Out!

[bell ringing]

[crowd cheering]

Come here, Jimmy.

Get that sleeping beauty
out of here!

That's ten in a row, Jimmy!
Ten!

By a knockout,
at one minute 46 seconds
in the second round...

tonight's light
heavyweight winner...

from the great state
of New Jersey...

the Bulldog of Bergen,
James J. Braddock!

[all cheering]

(man)
You're gonna be
the next champ, Jimmy!

(Braddock)
Hey, how you doing?

Just give them a few.
Leave them wanting.

You want to sign my name
for me, too?

At least then
they can read it.

You gave him
a cold meat party.

Sign this for me,
Mr. Braddock.

(Joe)
You've been getting stronger
with every fight.

I've been seeing it.

You may favor the right, sure,
but you got
no stage fright or nerves.

And you have never
been knocked out.

You're in line.
That's all I'm saying, Jimmy.

You're gonna get your shot.

All right, let me see
what we got here.

$886 for Jeanette...

$772 for Lou and Whitey...

$1,000 for the ring fees,
my $2,658 and your $3,544...

makes $8,860. Stick that
in your mattress, Irishman.

When we get there,
you gonna come in
and see the kids?

It's been a while. Come on.
They miss their Uncle Joey.

Yeah, that's very sweet.
You still married to
the same girl?

I was this morning.

Well, congratulations.
Maybe I'll take a rain check.

And would you tell her...

will you tell her
I undercharged on
the gym fees...

and no load on the towel?
Would you do that for me,
please?

I will be sure to
point it out.
I appreciate it.

(Joe)
You stop up at the corner
here somewhere, Frank.

Home to Jersey
for Mr. Adventure over here.

All right, see you, Frank.

[snickering]

I could kill you!

(Braddock)
I like the sound of that.

Yeah, I like
the sound of that a lot.

Jimmy.
Yeah?

My sister.

Daddy, did we win?

[Braddock grunting]

Yeah, we won.

(Braddock)
How are you, Alice?

(Alice)
Good.
That's wonderful, Jimmy.

Hey, Howard.

Thank you.

So tell me about him.

Was he a real slugger?

You know,
you could come and watch.

No. You get hit...

every time,
it feels like
I'm getting hit, too.

And I'm not half as tough
as you are.

[giggles]

So, tell me about the girls.

Girls?

I was at the Garden,
it was a fight night...

Come on. There was one.

There must've been one.
No.

Blond?
Brunette.

[exclaiming]

Tall?

Like a gazelle.

I don't know how it is
she breathed up there.

Mr. Braddock!

You're so strong!

And your hands,
they're so big.

You're so powerful!

Jimmy, I'm so proud of you.

I'm so proud of you.

[imitating announcer]
Introducing...

two-time state Golden Gloves
title holder...

in both the light heavyweight
and heavyweight divisions...

21-0, with 16 wins
coming by way of knockout...

the Bulldog of Bergen,
the pride of New Jersey...

and the hope of the Irish...

as the future champion
of the world...

James J. Braddock.

[Mae laughing]

(Jay)
Ma, you woke me up.

[Mae whispering]
Well, you kicked
the covers off, honey.

Now you go back to sleep,
all right?

Good night, Mom.

Good night, sweetheart.

[sighing]

I can't find my socks.
[shushing]

Jim!
I'm sorry.

Mama?

Great.
I'm sorry, baby.

I washed them last night.
Took them right off
your feet.

Don't you remember?
No.

Well, you were out
like a light.

[groaning]

How do I keep them this warm?

(Rosemarie)
Mama, I want to eat, too.

Mommy will get you some,
honey.

Hey, Rosy-Rosy.
Good morning, good morning.

Got a notice yesterday.
Gas and electric.

Come on.

Okey-dokey, there we go.
I'll get the milk.

[footsteps marching]

Well, I think
there's some left over.

(Mae)
Yep.

(Braddock)
You know, I got that
fight tonight at the armory.

Yeah, one guy, Abe Feldman.

That's $50, win or lose.

That's good.

If I beat him, maybe I can get
my purses back up to $75.

That would be great.

Rosy, use your fork, please.

Who needs a cow, huh?

Mama, I want some more.

I'm sorry, sweetheart.
We need to save some
for the boys.

Here you go.

You know, Mae,
I dreamed last night...

that I was having dinner
at The Ritz.

With Mickey Rooney
and George Raft.

Really!
Yeah.

And I dreamed I had a steak.
A thick, juicy steak.

Like this, Rosy.

And then I had a mountain
of mashed potatoes...

and I went back for ice cream
three times.

I'm stuffed.

I'm absolutely full.
I cannot eat another thing.

Want to give me a hand?

(Mae)
Jim.

(woman)
Boys, hurry up. Don't dawdle.

Let's try and sleep
a little more.

##[Cheer Up! Smile! Nertz! by
Eddie Cantor playing]

# Sure, business is bunk #

# And Wall Street is sunk #

# We're all of us broke #

# And ready to croak #

# We've nothing to dunk #

# Can't even get drunk #

# And all the while
they tell us to smile #

# Cheer up, gentle citizens #

# Though you have no shirts #

# Happy days are here again #

# Cheer up, smile, nertz #

# All aboard prosperity #

# Giggle till it hurts #

# No more breadline charity #

# Cheer up, smile, nertz #

# Sunny smilers we must be #

# The optimist asserts #

# Let's hang
the fathead to a tree #

# Cheer up, smile, nertz ##

[men screaming]

I need nine men and only nine.

One. Two. Three.

Four. Five. Six.

Seven. Eight. Nine. That's it!

(guard)
All right,
let's get a move on!

Go on, get going!
Got a lot of work today!

[men chattering]

Hey, Dad.
Hey.

No shifts today, Dad?
What're you doing, son?

I'm being good.
I'm being quiet.
I'm being 'hayve.

Great.

Daddy!

Hey, Rosy-cheeks.
How you doing?

Daddy, Jay stole!

What?
Jay stole.

What's all this about?
See? It's a salami.

Young lady, your brother's
in enough trouble...

without you telling on him.
You understand?

It's from the butcher's.

And he won't say
a word about it, will you,
Jay?

Will you, Jay?

Okay, pick it up. Let's go.

Do not test me, boy.
Right now.

Howard, stay here.

(man)
Okay, let's go!
Come on, give me a hand here!

Great,
then you don't get paid!

Bye.

Don't forget to
pick it up easy!

Marty Johnson had to go away
to Delaware to live
with his uncle.

Why?

His parents didn't have
enough money for them to eat.

Yeah, well, things ain't easy
at the moment, Jay,
you're right.

But there's a lot of people
worse off than what we are.

And just 'cause
things ain't easy...

that don't give you the excuse
to take what's not yours,
does it?

That's stealing, right?
And we don't steal.

No matter what happens,
we don't steal.

Not ever. You got me?

Are you giving me your word?
Yes.

Go on.
I promise.

And I promise you...

we will never send you away.

[crying]

It's okay, kid.

You got a little scared.
I understand.

It's okay.

[people screaming]

[grunting]

[men chattering]

(Joe)
Jim, he's a very slow guy.

Just plants himself there.

So you just keep him steady.

Keep him trapped
in the middle.
Keep dancing around him, okay?

You know what to do.
You know this type.

That guy's a bum.

[sighing]

Two bits will
get a guy a seat.

And that guy gets
to watch you bleed
and call you a bum.

And I know I gotta
take it from him,
'cause he's a paying customer.

I see.

Well, well, well.

Pardon me, miss.
Allow me to restate
my position.

Mr. Abraham Feldman
is a novice fighter...

whose ass you should
gently kick...

until it is humped up
between his shoulder blades.

That is, if it doesn't offend
your overly sensitive nature.

God knows.

[moans]

Now, you see,
that break's still
a few weeks away.

I know.
Yeah.

And you were gonna tell me
about this when?

It's gonna be fine.
It's not fine.
No, it's not.

What the hell?
You don't tell me?

What the hell
kinda crap is that?
I owe everybody money, Joe.

I can't get any shifts.

We ain't got any cash.

I got it.

Screw them.
I'll tape it double.

Thanks.

Keep up. Stay up.

Keep moving.
Keep your legs moving.

(announcer)
And here comes Braddock

with his long-time manager,
Joe Gould.

(man)
You're washed up, Braddock.

(announcer)
And now for our main event.

(Joe)
Hey, which one's us, pal?

Jersey veteran
James J. Braddock...

is up against Hymie Caplin's
latest charge...

young Abe Feldman
from Schenectady, New York.

(Joe)
Six rounder.

(announcer)
Some might recall
that Braddock was once...

a light heavyweight
title challenger.

His golden-boy peak ended
when Tommy Loughran...

handled Jim over 15 rounds
back in '29.

Since then,
the oft-injured Braddock...

has shown only a glimmer
of his early promise.

And the losses have started
to pile up.

But Braddock continues
to battle.

And here comes
the popular Abe Feldman.

Feldman looks to be
the real thing...

and showed some real moxie
in his recent win
over Hans Birkie.

[people screaming]

Hey, who whipped Latzo?

I did.
Goddamn right.

Who KO'ed Slattery
in the ninth...

when everybody said
he didn't have
a rainmaker's chance in hell?

That'd have to be me, too.
Right.

And we're supposed to pucker
our assholes over
this Abe Feldman?

The guy couldn't break wind.
No.

Hey, Jimmy.

Anyplace else you'd rather be?

No.
Good.

Now, what are you
gonna do about it?

(announcer)
Here we are halfway
through the fifth

[men screaming]
and it's more of the same.

The boys clinch again.

Break it up.

(Joe)
He's crushing my guy.
Get him off!

[crowd booing]
Break!

(announcer)
The boo-birds
have started flying here.

They want action
from these fighters.

Feldman sticks a left
in Braddock's face.

Braddock's right hand
is his best and only weapon.

He'll show the left,
but it lacks snap
and Feldman knows it.

Come on, give these yokels
a shot in the ass!

Feldman ducks a haymaker
but fails to follow up.

[booing]

[men chattering]

(announcer)
And another big right
by Braddock.

Now, there's the Braddock
we all recall.

But it's one at a time.
It may not be enough.

Come on!

[men screaming]

[bell ringing]

(announcer)
The referee pulls
the boys apart.

And there's the bell
to end the fifth.

(Joe)
Easy now. Easy.

I saw that.
You bust it again?

I'm calling it, Jim.

You gonna use the left?
Okay, good.

You get in there
but you don't let him
crowd you.

You work his belly,
you hammer his belly
with the left.

Last round. Come on,
you got to show me something.

Give me a good one.
You're giving me an ulcer,
Harry!

Shut up.

Work his belly with the left.
You got it?

Give him the flapdoodle with
the right because
he don't know.

Right?
'Cause he's kind of stupid.

Okay? Last round.

Last round! Go get him!

(Joe)
The left!

[crowd screaming]

Damn it, I wish he could find
his goddamn left.

(Joe)
That's it! Change it up!

Southpaw, that's it!

(announcer)
Feldman prancing around,
looking for an opening...

but still few clean punches
by the fighters.

Braddock still pawing away
with the left.

Another ineffectual left
from Feldman.

Braddock can hardly
lift his arms.
He's slow on his feet.

At least Gould in his corner
is still throwing punches...

trying to urge his man on.

[crowd screaming]

[yelling]
Go home!

[crowd booing]

(man)
Go home, Braddock!

No holding, Braddock!

(announcer)
Cavanaugh's working harder
than the fighters.

Dry up!

(announcer)
Another clinch.

It's as if 80 tough fights
have finally jumped
on Braddock's back.

You're a bum!

That's it!

Cavanaugh pulls them apart,
and he's called the fight.

He's called the fight.

It's a "no contest."

And the popcorn
and the peanuts
are raining down.

And I'm afraid to say
that's all these
fighters deserve...

for the show
they put on tonight.

[crowd booing]

I'm telling you,
it's sad to see
a fighter that was once...

the caliber of James Braddock
reduced to this.

It's all right, Jimmy.

An embarrassment,
that's what it was.

An embarrassment!

Where the hell's the purse?

You wouldn't have
to be asking that...

if you gave a shit
about your fighter.

Okay. He's fighting hurt.

Maybe you got a bunch of fat
and happy fighters at home...

can afford to rest
a month between bouts.
I don't know. Lucky you!

Christ, he hardly gets
a punch in anymore!

Fights being stopped
by referees?
He's pathetic!

(Johnston)
Fights like that
keep people away.

We're revoking his license,
Joe.

Whatever Braddock was gonna do
in boxing,
I guess he's done it.

Wait a minute.
That's all.

[whispering]
Oh, boy.

Mr. Johnston!

(Johnston)
Jim.

What's going on?

You didn't tell him?
Yeah, of course I told him.

He wanted to
hear it from you.

Come on, Mr. Johnston,
no contest?

I broke my hand.
Okay? It's legit.

You don't see me
crying about it.

I don't see what you got
to complain about.

I still went out there,
I still put on a show.
I did what I could do.

You know, we did
that boondock circuit
for you...

me and Joe. Remember?

I didn't quit on you.
And I didn't quit tonight.

I didn't always lose.

I won't always lose again.

I can still fight.
Go home.

I can still fight.
Go home to Mae and the kids,
Jim.

Go home? Go home with what?

Go home with what?
A broken hand
from Mount Vernon?

Mr. Johnston!

[door opening]

Baby?

What happened?

I didn't get the dough.

They didn't pay up.

They called it a "no contest,"
said the fight was
an embarrassment.

They decommissioned me.

Jimmy,
what happened to your hand?

It's broke again
in three places.

(Braddock)
They said I'm through, Mae.

They said
I can't be a boxer no more.

Mercy.

Okay.

Jimmy, if you can't work...

we're not gonna be able to pay
the electric, or the heat.

And we're out of credit
at the grocery.

So I think we need
to pack the kids.

They could stay at my sister's
for a little while...

and I'll take in more sewing.

That way we could make
two, three breadlines a day.

I'll get doubles, triples,
whatever I can find.

Jimmy, you can't work.
Mae, I can still work.

Jimmy, you can't work.
Your hand's broken.

They see me
lugging this around,

you're right,
they won't pick me.

Not down the docks,
not anywhere.

So we're gonna cover it up...

with the shoe polish.

Okay?

I'm sorry.
No.

No.

[sighing]

No.

(Jake)
I need five and only five!

Come on, Jake!

[men screaming]

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five. That's it!

[ship's horn blowing]

[men chattering]

(Mike)
What the hell happened
to your face?

I got in a fight.
Yeah?

What'd you go do that for?

That's a good question.

Mike Wilson.

Jim Braddock.

I used to follow a pretty good
fighter with that name.

And there's some other guy
going around using
that name now.

Can't fight for shit.

Gambling man will lose
a lot of money on him. Twice.

[Braddock moaning]

(Mike)
That hand ain't gonna work.

You can't slow me down.
I need this job.

I need the job, too.

[whistle blowing]

What's wrong with
the goddamn hand?

[panting]

You see us
falling behind, Jake?

He's all right.

Appreciate it.

I'll get a cold beer.

Just a water for me, Quincy.

All I got today
are big spenders.

Beer for him, too. I'm buying.

Don't hurt my feelings.

It's been a while, but...
You don't have
to twist my arm.

(Mike)
Yeah, I used to be a broker.
Still lost it all in '29.

Yeah, me, too.

I had just about everything
I ever earned in stocks.

Even had a little
taxi company.

I mean, who loses their dough
on cabs in New York City,
right?

Well, I thought that one
was gold for the grandkiddies.

You know, there's people
living in shacks
in Central Park.

Call it the Hooverville.

This government's
dropped us flat.

We need to organize, you know?
Unionize. Fight back.

Fight? Fight what?

Bad luck? Greed? Drought?

No point punching things
you can't see.

No, we'll work
a way through this.

FDR, he's gonna handle it.
Screw FDR.

FDR, Hoover,
they're all the same.

You know, I come home one day.
I stand in my living room.

And between the mortgage and
the market and
the goddamn lawyer...

that was supposed
to be working for me...

it stopped being mine.

It all stopped being mine.

FDR ain't given me
my house back yet.

Mama, why can't I
go to school?

Is it because I'm a girl?

(Mae)
Maybe.
Hadn't thought of that.

Who's that man
at our house?

(Mae)
Excuse me!

Can I help you?

I'm sorry, lady,
you're past due.

[panting]
No, you can't.

You can't.
There's kids.

(electrician)
If I don't,
they let me go.

They already let two guys go.
Please.

This apartment,
it's what we got left that
keeps us hanging on.

Lady, I got kids, too.

$6.74.

How much to turn it back on?

Four months. $44.12.

If I work 26 hours
out of every 24,
it still won't add up.

We ain't got nothing.
Nothing left to sell.

All the guys
you could've married, huh?

Yeah.
What happened to those guys?

[sighing]

[Howard coughing]

It's Howard.

Since this afternoon.

"Bless us, O Lord...

"and these thy gifts
which we are
about to receive...

from thy bounty."

I'm all prayed out.

(Jay)
Here's more firewood.

[grunting]

(woman)
Where are you going?
I said where are you going?

Go to hell,
you no-good bastard!

Go on, then!
We don't need you!

All right. Help me,
pick up some of that wood.

(Rosemarie)
I got it, Mama.
All right, let's go,
sweetheart.

All right, honey.

(Mae)
Nice and warm, huh?

Baby?

Baby?

Look at Mommy.

[whimpering]

Sweetheart.

[coughs]

[Howard shivering]

(Jay)
Mommy?

What's wrong?

Nothing, sweetheart.

Mommy will be right back,
okay?

[sobbing]

[footsteps approaching]

[panting]

Howard's fever was
getting worse and then Rosy
started to sneeze.

Where are they, Mae?
Jim, we can't even
keep 'em warm.

Where are the kids?

The boys will sleep
on the sofa
at my father's in Brooklyn.

And Rosy'll stay
at my sister's.

Jimmy, we can't keep 'em!

You don't make decisions
about our children without me.

What if they get really sick?
We already owe Dr. McDonald...

If you send them away,
then all this has been
for nothing!

It's just until we get back...
What else was it for?

If we can't stay together,
that means we lost!

That means we've given up!
I am not giving up!

I'm trying to protect
our children.
Mae, I promised him.

Outside the butcher's.

I looked him in the eyes...

and I promised him
with all of my heart...

I would never ever
send him away.

You can't do this.

You weren't here.

You can't break my promise.

Jim, you didn't see.
You weren't here.

(Mae)
I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, Jimmy.

What are you doing?

Jim?

Jimmy! Where you going?

Where you going, Jimmy?

(clerk)
That doesn't qualify you, sir.
What else can you tell me?

(man)
The problem is my wife is
losing all of her teeth.

I got a relief order
for her.

The doctor says
it's due to insufficient diet.

She's still nursing the baby
on account of...

we can't afford milk
for the family.

(clerk)
Okay.

I never thought
I'd see you here, Jim.

[woman chattering]

[men chattering]

(promoter)
He jumped up...

kicked his stool
out of the ring...

and he was just,
he was furious.

I grabbed the mike...

There's Jimmy Braddock.

The thing is,
I can't afford to...

I can't afford
to pay the heat.

I've had to
farm out my kids.

You know,
they keep cutting shifts
down at the docks...

and you just don't get picked
every day.

I sold everything I've got
that anybody would buy.

I went on public assistance.
I signed on
at the relief office.

They gave me $19.
I need another $18.38...

so I can pay the bill
and get the kids back.

You know me well enough
to know if I had
anywhere else to go...

I wouldn't be here.

If you could help me through
this time,
I sure would be grateful.

Sure, Jim. Sure.

Good luck.

(promoter #1)
Jim.

(promoter #2)
Hey, Jimmy.

(promoter #3)
Here you go, Jim.

Good luck, Jim.

I'm sorry, Joe, I didn't...
I'm sorry.

What in the hell do you have
to be sorry about?

Jesus Christ, Jimmy.

How short are you?

About $1.50.

Okay.

(Jay)
We're home!
Hooray, we're home!

(Rosemarie)
We're glad to be home!

Good.

[Howard laughing]

(Mae)
Okay. All right.

Howard, don't jump
on the bed.
Sorry, Mama.

(Howard)
Read to me, Jay.

(Jay)
"On his way up
and down the stairs..."

(Rosemarie)
Do you like being home?
I like being home, too.

My little doll.

(congregation)
# Happy birthday to you #

# Happy birthday,
dear Howard #

# Happy birthday to you ##

(man)
Make a wish, kids.

(boy)
Blow!

[all cheering]

Hey, Howard, come on.
They're gonna cut the cake up.

You wanna line up, huh?

You looking forward
to some chocolate cake?

I liked it better
when we had our own.

I can understand that.

[people chattering]

(Father Rorick)
Hiya, Howard.
Hi.

Hey, your dad ever tell you
that I used to spar with him?

You hit the Father?
As often as I possibly could.

He was kinda tricky, though.
Hard to catch.

Go and get some cake. Go on.

Missed you at mass, Jimmy.

I can get an extra shift
on a Sunday, you know?

(Sara)
Don't you walk away from me!
James.

Mike, you hear me?

Excuse me.

Every day, "fix the world."
How about fixing your family?

What kind of father
are you?

Too proud to cross the street
because she can't have
her own cake?

And now you're drunk
at church,
for Christ's sake.

That a joke, Sara?
Making a joke?
I'm just saying it's enough!

Guys, where's the ref?
Why don't you
stay out of this?

It's between man and wife.
How do you even
call yourself that?

What'd you say to me?
Come on.

Get your hands off me!

You've had a couple drinks.
It's Sunday.

No harm in that. Day of rest.
All washed up.
Can't get a fight.

What, you want to fight me?

Mike,
you don't have to do this.

I ain't got no beef
with you.

Come on!
Can't make it in the ring,
huh?

Come on, Braddock,
I'll take your head off!

Jim, no!
Mike, you okay, baby?

[panting]
Why don't you get off me?

Go to hell! The both of you!

Jesus, Jim,
he wasn't gonna hit me.

(Sara)
Mike, wait!

Now, what it's all about is
rotating your body
behind your fist.

Bang. That's right.
Right in the kisser, yeah.

There you go.

Good girl.
You got a better jab
than your dad.

[chuckling]

Boy, you are a brave man.
Not really.
Mae's at the store.

That's a good one, kiddo!

You want to go play
with the other kids while
I talk to Uncle Joe?

Joe Gould,
still looking dapper, I see.

Certainly. Gotta keep up
appearances, right?

Good to see you, Jimmy.
Nice to see you, Joe.

Nice day, huh?

Yeah.

You drove all the way out here
to talk about the weather?

Maybe I was
in the neighborhood.
Did you ever think of that?

Little fresh air.

Joe, this is Jersey.

Yeah. Good point.

[both laughing]

I got you a fight.

Go to hell.
Come on. You want it,
don't you?

What, we gonna bring this up
with the Boxing Commission,
or not?

Yes, and they'll sanction it.
This one fight,
and one fight only.

It's not a comeback, right?
It's just one fight.

Why?
'Cause of who you're fighting.

How much?

Just once,
ask me who it is
you're fighting.

How much?
$250.

You're on at the big show
at the Garden, tomorrow night.

You fight Corn Griffin, Jimmy.

Number two heavyweight
contender in the world.

Prelim before
the championship bout.

You know, Joe,
this ain't funny.
No, it's not.

And it ain't no favor,
either.

Griffin's opponent got cut,
and he couldn't fight.

So they had to find somebody
they could throw in
at a day's notice.

Nobody legit would...

Nobody would take a fight
with Griffin without training.

So I told them use the angle
Griffin's gonna
knock out a guy...

never been knocked out.

You're meat, Jimmy.

Are you on the level, Joe?

Come on. Always.

For $250,
I would fight your wife.

Now you're dreaming.

And your grandmother.
At the same time.

Teeth in or teeth out?
Take them out.

Then you're dead.
You're down, you're gone.

No chance.
$250?

250 bananas. Come here.

[people chattering]

(vendor)
Get your programs here!

Programs here! 25 cents!

I mean, for Christ's sake,
100 and something fights...

you never been knocked out.

Who the hell goes
and sells his gear?

80 fights as a pro,
50 as an amateur.

How soon they forget!
I'm so sorry.

Borrowed gear, borrowed robe.
Knock yourself out.

[chuckling]

Joe.

I might as well get
an Aooga horn
and chase him around the ring.

That's good.
You been drinking?

Are you trying to
hurt my feelings?

You're just too loose.
You're spooking me.
Sharpen up.

Come on, Joe,
we both know what this is,
right?

I get to put a little more
distance between my kids
and the street...

and I get to say good-bye
at the Garden.

Full house,
night of a big fight.

Thank you very much.

Right. Come on, hurry up.

Let's get the lead
out of here.

What the hell was that?

They ran out of soup
on the line this morning.

Ran out of soup
on the line this morning.

How the hell are you supposed
to fight on an empty stomach?

(Bond)
Good evening.

Welcome to tonight's broadcast
of the Primo Carnera/Max Baer
fight...

for the heavyweight
championship of the world!

Hash is all they had, okay?
Eat, quick.

You got a spoon?
For Christ's sake,
it's not there?

Come on, we gotta go anyway.
One bite, Joe.

I'll eat it with my fingers.
Whoa, hey!

I don't have time
to re-tape you.

Just sit tight,
and I'll find you a spoon.

For Christ's sake.

(Sporty)
Is that a ghost I'm seeing?
An apparition?

Or is that James J. Braddock,
the Bulldog of Bergen?

How you feeling, Jimmy?
How's that right hand?

(official)
Braddock, you're up!

Sporty Lewis, how you doing?
How you doing?

July 18, 1929.

New York Herald.

"Proving he was too young
and too green...

"and rushed to the top...

"Loughran wiped the ring
with the Bulldog's career.

"A sad and somber funeral...

with the body
still breathing."

I don't fight the fights,
Jimmy,
I just write about them, see?

Sporty, save the crap
for the customers.

[crowd chattering]

[crowd cheering]

Who's Jim Braddock?

Go get your pencil out, kid.
I got your lead line for you.

Go ahead, I'm not kidding,
write this down.

"The walk from the locker room
to the ring...

was the only time tonight
old Jim Braddock..."

Looking good, Jimmy!

"...was seen on his feet."
You got that?

(Bond)
Before tonight's championship
battle, we'll bring you...

a special bout featuring
Charlie Harvey's
soldier boy...

Corn Griffin.

Griffin is the fella
that ran rings...

around the champion Carnera
in training.

And who's his opponent?

Looks like they dug
old Jim Braddock
out of retirement...

at least for one more fight.

Hey, Mike!
Griffin is up
in the ring now.

Braddock?
Isn't that your buddy?
Look at the size of him!

In this corner...

the sensational
heavyweight slugger...

from Fort Benning, Georgia...

who is punching a path
to the top of the division.

John "Corn" Griffin!

[all cheering]

(Frazin)
His opponent:
the popular battler...

who has never been KO'ed
in more than
80 professional bouts...

(Mike)
Quincy, beer. We got a fight!

...the power-punching
veteran...

from North Bergen,
New Jersey...

James J. Braddock!

[all cheering]

[whistling]

[cheering]

(Bond)
The skinny from
the reporters at ringside...

is that Braddock
won't last two rounds.

Griffin is a five-to-one
favorite to do just that.

But Joe Gould claims
Braddock's right hand is fine.

[bell rings]
Jimmy will need
two good hands tonight.

[crowd cheering]

Griffin storms out
of his corner!

Things are uptempo right away.

Come on, Braddock,
make a fight of it!

Get out of it! Get out, Jimmy!

(Bond)
Braddock takes a left
to the body

and a hard right to the head!

Braddock's giving ground now.

A hard right!

Pins him in
the neutral corner.

Get outta there, Jim! Get out!

Griffin's all over him!

Braddock taking hard jabs.

[crowd screaming]

And Braddock is down.

Shut up! I wanna hear this!
Shut up!

(Joe)
Jim? You're fine.
Stay down.

One. Two.
Stay down! What's the hurry?

Three. Four.
Hey! Listen.

I liked the left.
Try two lefts.
Five.

Give him two lefts!
Six.

Pop, pop! Double it up.
Seven.

How 'bout it? Up, up.
Eight.

What the hell are you doing?
Let's go.

Nine.

Yeah, come on, Jimmy!
On your feet, come on!

(Bond)
The referee waving Griffin in.

Move in on that.

Nice move!

Bring him in!

(Bond)
Snaps a stiff jab! Another!

[bell rings]

Welcome to New York.

(Joe)
Beautiful!

That's more like it!
Let me see that cut.

You look great!

It sure as hell beats working
on the docks!

Say, the two jabs
look sensational!
They look sweet!

Now, he's loading up on you.
You see that?

He opens up after you jab him.
You gotta come in there
with a right.

Real quick.

But you gotta stop
some of those left hands.

You see any
getting past my head?

Keep moving!

[crowd cheering]

Griffin still winging
big shots.

He wants to be the first
to stop Braddock.

Braddock gets in
another big right hand!

Snapped Griffin's head back
with that one.

Come on!

Griffin loading up.

Move out!
Give him the slip, Jimmy!

Another big flurry by Griffin!

Braddock hanging tough
but, folks,
he is taking a beating!

(Sporty)
That's two rounds more than
I thought he was gonna go.

He's a half a step behind you.
Do you feel it?

Stick with it.

(Angelo)
Busy, busy.

[bell rings]

Six minutes of fury so far.

Braddock has the look of a man
trying to hold back
an avalanche.

Griffin hits him with a left.

And Braddock is stepping
in post holes.

(Joe)
Keep him in front of you!

Lure him in, Jim.

(Bond)
Jimmy's finally
moving his head.

Pick your spot!

[cheering]

(Bond)
And Griffin is down!

[crowd cheering]

Where the hell have you been,
Jimmy Braddock?

(referee)
One. Two. Three.

(Bond)
He's up at three.

The referee wipes his gloves.

That's it!
No daylight!

Take it to him!

Another big right by Braddock!

(Joe)
Finish him, Jimmy!

[crowd screaming]

[groans]

Knock him back
to the goddamn Ozarks!

Griffin is ready to go!

Be careful.

Get back.

Get back there.
Get back in your corner.

Jimmy!

[all cheering]

This fight is over!
This is incredible!

[bell ringing]
Corn Griffin, the number two
contender in the world...

has just been knocked out
by Jim Braddock
in the third round!

What an upset!

You son of a bitch!

It's pandemonium here
in the Garden!

That's it, man, he did it!
I don't believe it!

[crowd cheering]

(Joe)
You beautiful bastard!

(Joe)
Settle down,
for Christ's sake!

Jesus H. Christ!

Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
Mary Magdalene...

all the saints and martyrs
and Jesus!

Did I say "Jesus"?

[chuckling]

Where the hell did
that come from?

I don't know.
When my hand was broke...

I had to work down
on the docks
and I had to use my left.

So, what?
No, that and luck.

Luck?
Sheer dumb-ass Irish luck.

Don't give me that
luck-of-the-lrish crap.
No, sir.

Lucky? That's something you
ain't been in a long time,
brother.

Everybody's due.

Due or not, I'll take it.
You had the left.

The left. But you were bouncy.

You were bouncing.

Unbelievable.
Sliding, slipping.
You were like a cat.

I did that on hash.

Imagine what I would've done
to him if I'd had
a couple of steaks.

Jimmy?

That was one hell of
a good-bye.

[laughing]

Here you go, fellas!
Have at him!

[reporters screaming]

[crowd cheering]

Jesus Christ!

(man #1)
Murder him, Maxie!

(man #2)
Primo!

This is fighting?

Why doesn't he just hit him
with a goddamn chair?

Griffin was supposed to fight
Baer next.

He should kiss your ass
for saving him
from that thing.

[crowd screaming]

[bell ringing]

(man #3)
Throw him down, Maxie!

(man #4)
Give it to him, Maxie!

[crowd cheering]

[crowd whistling]

(Frazin)
Ladies and gentlemen...

the new heavyweight champion
of the world...

Max Baer!

Come on! He's home.

[sighing]

I won.

(Jay)
Hooray, he won!
I knew you'd win!

[kids screaming]

(Jay)
He won, he won, he won!

[Braddock grunting]

(Rosemarie)
Get the silverware.

So was it like you said?
Or are they
letting you back in?

No, baby.
It was just one fight.

[men chattering]

(Jake)
All right, I need seven men,
and seven only!

One. Two. Three.

Four. Five.

Thanks.

(Jake)
Braddock!

Listened in last night.
Was that really you?

Yeah.

Didn't think
I'd be seeing you back here.

It came up at the last minute,
you know?

It was a one-fight deal.
The purse was $250.

My end of that was
a little less than half.
It was, like, $123.

We owed $118.
Left me with $5.

Makes you a rich man, huh?
Around here.

Good fight.
Thanks.

Dock seven.
Seven.

Hey, Jim.
Hey, Mike.

Good fight.
Thanks.

I wouldn't have hit Sara.
I know, Mike.

I couldn't live with myself
if I'd have hit her.

Just get so angry
with all this shit.

You know,
if you were gonna win,
you could've told me.

If I knew I was gonna win,
I would've bet on myself.

Why can't you ever
listen to me?
I don't know.

(man on radio)
...to determine whether
the strikers were willing...

to submit to
an arbitration situation.

Tension pervaded
the New York
waterfront yesterday.

(Mae)
Why don't you go play
with the boys, sweetheart?

Be careful.

Hey, Rosy.
Hi, Daddy!

[kids chattering]

You know,
Joe Gould was just here.

Yeah, I saw.
You did?

He thinks the Commission
might be willing to...

reverse their ruling.

He thinks he can get me
another fight.

He wants me to stop working
and get back in shape.

I thought it was
just the one fight.

Well, yeah.

He fronted us $175
so I can train.

You know what that is
right there?

That's a second chance.

That's what that is.

It's not that
I'm not grateful...

or proud, honey.
I'm so proud of you.

But we got off easy
when you broke that hand.

We're back to even now.

Right. And nine months
from now,
we're back in the same boat.

Baby, please.

We just don't have anything
left to risk.

Mae.

There's still some juice
in these legs,
and I can still take a few.

Baby, please.

Just let me take them
in the ring.

At least I know
who's hitting me.

I'm gonna go
and tell the kids.

Jay! Guess what.
What?

I got another fight!
Who with?

I don't know,
but he's going down.
Hey, Howard.

Jesus.

Joe, open the door.

(Mae)
Joe! Open the damn door!

Don't hide in your
fancy apartment.
I want to talk to you.

You are not gonna make
my husband your punching bag
all over again.

We are just getting by, and
you're taking him
from his work...

like some bloodsucking
little leech!

And I will not let you
get him hurt again
like that...

do you hear me?
I will not let you!

Guess you better come in.

(Joe)
How is it?

Too sweet per usual.

Really? Go figure.

(Joe)
Yours?
Nice, thanks.

Sorry about that.

You just don't want folks
to see you down is all.

I didn't know.
I mean, I thought that...

Yeah, no. That's the idea.
Always keep your hands up.

[clears throat]

Sold the last of it
two days ago.

So Jimmy could train.

Why?

Sometimes you have
an instinct, Mae.

You see something
in a fighter.

You don't even know
if it's real,
you're looking for it so bad.

Can't have no hope at all.

But this is crazy.

I mean, you don't even know
if you can get him a fight.

I'll get him a fight.

Believe me,
if it's the last thing I do,
I'll get him a fight.

Honey. Go get us some
of those crackers, would you?

She looks good
wearing the pants.

Can you ever stop yours?

When he sets his mind
to a thing?

I wish I could.

See, I never know
who it's harder on...

them or us.

We have to wait for them
to fix everything.

And every day...

they feel like
they're failing us.

And really,
it's just the world
that's failed, you know?

[sighing]

This is
a lovely apartment.
Thank you.

(Johnston)
Now, what am I gonna go
and do that for?

You saw the papers.

News had to print extra copies
the day after
Braddock's fight.

People are sentimental,
you know.
Some people are sentimental.

Yeah, so tell me why I care.

You're still sore over the way
Braddock took down Griffin,
fine.

I can understand that.
It was a heartbreak for
a lot of people.

Yes. But look.

You got guys fighting
an elimination series...

over who gets a shot
at Max Baer for
the championship in June.

John Henry Lewis,
he's your number two in line.

Now, he already
defeated Braddock
once in Frisco, correct?

Say you put Braddock
back in the game
against Lewis.

Lewis wins,
you get your revenge
on Braddock...

and your boy has gotten
a topflight tune-up...

with full publicity
before Lasky,
and what happens?

You make more money.

Now, say on the other hand,
by some minute,
infinitesimal chance...

God forbid,
Braddock beats Lewis.

Now you got a sentimental
favorite go up...

and lose against Lasky,
and what happens?

You'll make more money.

James, either way...

you're a richer man
with Braddock back in the ring
than if he's not.

Come on, don't be foolish.
We both know
the name of this game.

And it sure as hell
ain't "pugilism."

They ought to put your mouth
in a circus.

What do you say?

Don't chase him.
Go around, cut him off.

Time!
(Joe)
James!

I got you a fight.
Yeah?

You're gonna fight
John Henry Lewis again.

Yeah!

Joey! I could kiss you!

No, please,
not in front of the fellas.

Isn't John Henry
one of Johnston's boys?

You let me worry about that,
please.

Now I know why you
won't kiss me. You're all
puckered out already.

Brother, you have no idea.

Lewis?
Kicked our ass in Frisco.

Yeah. Hey, Mike.
Who's "our ass" up there?

Joe Gould, Mike Wilson.
Mike Wilson, Joe Gould.

Hi.

That guy ain't been beat
in ten fights.

But you win on a long shot,
and that's a great payday
for me.

That's great.
I'll keep that in mind, Mike!

You got more important things
to think about. Come here.

Now, I ain't gonna
bullshit you, all right?

Now, you win one,
I can get you another.

Win again and then things
maybe start getting serious
around here.

Jimmy?

Win.

[grunting]

(Jeanette)
Look good.

Leverage.

(Jeanette)
That's it, James!

Be a bully, James!
Aggression, that's it.

Thanks.

I know this isn't
what you wanted...

but I can't win
without you behind me.

I'm always behind you.

Thank you, baby.

I got a great idea.
You want to come along?

Come on, just this one time.
All right. Okay.

Okay, I'll make that
a rain check then.

[sighing]

Lewis, still moving well here
in the fourth.

He dances in and out
before Braddock can react.

[crowd cheering]

Don't let him
set the pace, Jimmy!

[grunting]

There you go.

Braddock slides to his right,
tries cutting down the ring.

John, get off the ropes.
Move out of there.

(Bond)
Lewis spins his way
off the ropes...

[bell rings]
and looks to resume control
at the bell!

There we go. Suck it up.
Deep breath.

Deep breath, deep.

All right. That ain't bad.
He's even faster
than I remember.

Yeah. He's fast. Big deal.
You're not so bad yourself.

What are you doing?
You beat this guy
easy last time.

He ain't the same guy.
You got to use your speed.

Keep that jab in his face
and keep sliding to his right.

You see that.
Keep him in front of you.

Cut him off, all right?

And let go with the punches.
Hit him!
He ain't gonna like it.

I guarantee you,
the more you hit
this bastard...

the slower he's gonna get.

He's an old man.
He's too slow.
He can't keep up with you.

Come on. Use that jab.
How's that cut?

He's all right.

Knock the legs out
from under him.

Trap him in the corner,
and really work him.

(Joe)
Do not fight this fight
his way.

You make him fight
this fight your way!

Let's go. You got him.

[bell rings]

[crowd applauding]

(Bond)
A left to the body
and a hard right to the head!

A left-right-left by Lewis.
His dancing shoes are off.

It's a fight now, folks!

Work his body, Jim!

Braddock punching well
with both hands now.

Toe to toe!
No one giving an inch.

That left has some pop!

Jimmy's hoping
those body shots
will pay dividends.

(Joe)
Keep him in there!
Stay with him!

Don't give him any room!
No room!

Get out of the corner.

(Bond)
Braddock pushing
all the action now.

Lewis can't discourage him.
Tremendous pressure
from Jimmy.

Lewis is running out of
real estate in this
24-foot ring.

(man)
Jump on him!

And Lewis is down!

[crowd cheering]

Gotcha. Good boy.

(coach)
Get up!

(referee)
One.
There you go, get up!

Two.
Come on.

Three.

Four. Five.

Six.

(Bond)
The referee wipes his gloves

and Braddock steams
back to ring center!

Close it down.

Another big right by Braddock!

Lewis is just a piece of meat
as Braddock is carving him up!

Braddock is now
dominating Lewis!
Here comes Jimmy!

[crowd screaming]

Side to side!
Side to side!

(Bond)
In the tenth, riding high
after his dazzling victory...

over John Henry Lewis...

Jim Braddock has just hit
a wall named Art Lasky.

He can't keep taking
those body shots.

I know. He's cracked
a couple of ribs for sure.

(Bond)
Lasky walks through
those jabs...

and keeps working
on Braddock's body.

But Braddock won't fold!

He's making Lasky work hard
for every minute of
every round.

That's it, get on him!

There you go, James!
That's it!

[crowd screaming]

(Bond)
Lasky's starting to
impose his will.

He's showing why
Jimmy Johnston is
making noises...

about matching him
with Max Baer for the title.

(referee)
Break it up!

Come on. Break free.

[bell rings]
Break.

Don't sit down.
You're not tired.
You're fine.

Get that thing out of here!
He don't need it!

(Joe)
Is he looking over at you?

Shake your head
like you don't need it.

Shake your head like
you don't want it. There.

Why isn't he sitting down?
Pay attention.

Yeah, now he's gonna wonder:

"If Braddock is
such an old man,
why is he still standing?

Why is he still
coming at me?"

You're stronger than this guy.
Don't back up! Don't back off!

This guy is a bull-rusher.

He's gonna keep coming at you
all night until you stop him.

He can't back up.
You stop him.

You gotta beat
this son of a bitch!

You gotta beat
this son of a bitch
from the inside out!

You hear me?
You gotta get in there.

You get in there
and you hit him...

and you keep hitting him
until you break his nose.

You fill his face with blood.

Beat him from the inside out,
Jim!
From the inside out!

(Bond)
Lasky continues to fire.

Braddock looks like
he's finally starting to wilt.

That's it!
That's more like it!

Back him up!

Lasky now looking
to put a Grimm ending...

to Braddock's
fairy-tale comeback.

Lasky pounding hard shots
to the body.

Braddock just took
a tremendous shot!

A hard right to the head
which knocked
his mouthpiece...

to the canvas.

Braddock just took
Lasky's best shot!

And it didn't even faze him!

[crowd cheering]

Get in there
and take that sucker!

[Lasky grunting]

He's showing
tremendous determination!

Right in there
and get his nose!

(Bond)
Braddock comes in
with a hard shot to the body!

The younger Lasky
looks like
he's starting to wilt...

under the pressure
from the Bulldog of
North Bergen.

Braddock is now
back on the attack!

Another vicious combination
by Braddock!

And Lasky's flowing blood
from the nose!

The 15th and final round.

Braddock now looks
like the younger fighter...

and grimly determined.

The Garden is on its feet!
Jim Braddock will
not be denied!

[bell rings]

There's the bell!
This one goes
to the scorecards.

And the winner
by unanimous decision...

James J. Braddock!

[all cheering]

Thanks, buddy.

[knocking on door]

Max?
(Baer)
What?

Save a little bit of it...

Jimmy Braddock
just beat Lasky.

They made him
the number one contender.

Max, when are we
gonna go to...
Shut up.

Maxie, you...
Shut up!

I'm not gonna fight
Jimmy Braddock.
He's a chump.

You tell Johnston to bring me
somebody who can fight back.

You gonna bust your contract?
It's done, Max.

[people chattering]

That's him? Yeah?
Yes, it is.

(man)
I'm telling you.
That's Braddock.

[exclaims]

Hey, Mrs. Braddock.

Sara's here.

Yeah?
Yeah.

I got her to sleep.

Hey, Jim.

Mike's gone missing.

How long?

Three days.

I've been staying
at my brother's
since Jake cut him.

Jake fired him?
I didn't know that.

You know how Mike gets.
All his talk. So much trouble.

He's been sleeping nights
down in the Hooverville.

My brother didn't have room
for both him and us.

Mike said, you know, if he had
to stay down there anyway...

he was gonna try
to get everybody organized.

[crying]
Something's wrong, Jim.
I know it.

Now I'm hearing
there's some trouble
in Hooverville.

He wouldn't leave me
and the baby for this long.

He just wouldn't.

I didn't know
who else to come to, Jim.

[dog barking]

[whistle blowing]

(cop #1)
Come on, out of the way!
Beat it! Move along!

[sirens blaring]

[men chattering]

(man)
Get the hell out of here,
coppers!

Mike? Mike Wilson!

Mike Wilson!

(cop #2)
...do nothing. If you let
these Commies in here...

and start a riot,
then what do you
think's gonna happen?

(cop #3)
Get over here.

On your feet!

You pull a knife on me,
you son of a bitch?

(Sergeant)
What the hell happened here?

(cop #1)
We tried to break up these
agitators, peaceful-like...

but they charged us.
What is this?

The horses got spooked.
Wagons turned over.

Three or four of them
got run over.
They're hurt pretty bad.

(Sergeant)
This is a mess.
One hell of a mess.

What did I tell you?
Get back.

(cop #4)
Don't move those two.
Wait for the stretcher.

(Sergeant)
Keep those bastards back!

(cop #1)
Get those guys next,
the ones who got trampled on.

[panting]

Hey, Jim.
Mike.

[moaning]

You're gonna be okay, Mike.

Yeah, tell Sara.

Will you tell her
I'm gonna be...
I'll tell Sara.

I'm gonna be late, Jimmy.

[Father Rorick
praying in Latin]

(Father Rorick)
"Our Father,
who art in heaven,

"Hallowed be thy name.

"Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.

"Give us this day
our daily bread.

"And forgive us
our trespasses...

"as we forgive those
who trespass against us.

And lead us not
into temptation,
but deliver us from evil."

[reporters screaming]

How about it, Pete?

(Pete)
All right, fellas.
Fellas, that's it.

Now, keep your questions short
and to the point.

We're gonna
start off with Frank Essex.

Frank Essex.

(Frank)
All right, take it easy,
Petey, jeez.

Frank Essex, Daily News.

You got a lot of reporters
here today.

A lot of people are interested
in this fight.

What do you got to say
to your fans today, Jimmy?

I guess I'm grateful
for the opportunity.

I know that these days
not everybody gets
a second chance.

You know, I have a lot
to be grateful for.

You know, I have
three beautiful, healthy,
troublemaking kids.

[reporters laughing]

You know, I have
the prettiest wife
a man could wish for...

Bob Johnson, Boston Globe.

Two days ago, we ran a story
about you giving your
relief money back.

Can you tell our readers why?

I believe we live
in a great country.

A country that's great enough
to help a man financially...

when he's in trouble.

But lately I have had
some good fortune
and I'm back in the black.

And I just thought
I should return it.

(Pete)
Wilson, you're up.

Yeah, over here.

Listen, what's the first thing
you're gonna do...

if you make world champion?

First thing,
I'm gonna have to go
and buy some turtles.

(reporters)
What's that? Turtles?

Yeah, well,
I said to the kids when...

I was leaving the house
this morning...

that I was gonna
bring back the title...

and they thought
I said "turtle."

[all laughing]

Yeah.

So naturally,
I don't want to let them down.

But if I could bring home
the title and a turtle...

they sure would be tickled.

You got that?
"Title, turtle," right?

Jake Greenblatt
from Chicago Trib.

Hello, Jake.
(Greenblatt)
It's been a while.

What's changed, Jimmy?

I mean, you couldn't
win a fight for love
or money, right?

How do you explain
your comeback?

(Braddock)
Well, you know,
the truth is, Jake...

for a number of years there
we was fighting injured.

I broke my hand
more than once.

I got in a car accident
one time,
we was on the road...

and I had to get that fixed.

I had a run of bad luck.

And, this time around,
I know what I'm fighting for.

Yeah? What's that, Jimmy?

Milk.

(Greenblatt)
Milk?

Sporty Lewis,
New York Herald.

Sporty.

Actually, my question's
for Mrs. Braddock.

Mrs. Braddock, my readers
would love to know...

how do you feel
about the fact that...

Max Baer's killed two men
in the ring?

So how do you feel
about that, ma'am?

Are you scared
for your husband's life?

She's scared for Max Baer,
is who she's scared for,
Mr. Lewis.

(Joe)
Okay, how about
one more question, folks?

[reporters screaming]

Said downstairs you wanted
to see us.

Joe, Jim, come on in.
Have a seat.

Right here.

Editorial says
this fight is good as murder.

And everybody associated
with it should be
hauled into court...

and prosecuted afterwards.

They say the paper's getting
all sorts of letters...

from people saying
you're their inspiration.

Like you saved their lives
or something.

If you ask me,
it's a lot of crap.

But if I'm gonna
promote this fight...

I'm not getting hung out
to dry if something
happens to you.

You're all heart.

My heart's for my family, Joe.

My brains and my balls
are for business...

and this is business.

You got me?
Gotcha.

You will know
exactly what you're
up against.

And my attorney,
Mr. Mills...

will witness that I've done
everything in my power
to warn you.

You know,
I seen the Carnera fight.

Carnera's height saved him.

He was knocked down 12 times.

Exactly. Would've been worse
if he was shorter.

Baer had to punch up
to hit him.
Took a little something off.

[projector whirring]

(Johnston)
That's Frankie Campbell.

Stand-up fighter,
knows how to take a punch.

His style familiar, Jim?

Like looking in a mirror, huh?
Hey, he don't need
to see this.

He'll see it
or I'll call off the fight.

[Johnston exclaiming]

(Johnston)
You see that combination?

Campbell didn't go down
on the first punch.

He was a tough guy.

Second one killed him
on the spot.

Just cut it off, will you?

The autopsy said
that his brain was
knocked loose...

from the connecting tissue.

(Joe)
Consider your ass
fully covered, okay?

Run it again.

[projector whirring]

[sighing]

Remember Ernie Schaaf?

(Johnston)
Nice guy.
You lost one to him in '31.

Ernie took one of those
on the chin from Baer.

He was dead
and didn't know it.

Next fight,
first little nothing jab
put him to sleep forever.

Detached brain, they said.

Joe?

No snappy comeback?

It ain't my skull
the guy's gonna try
and stove in.

You want to think about it?

You think
you're telling me something?

What, like,
boxing's dangerous,
something like that?

You don't think triple shifts
or working nights
on the scaffolds...

is just as likely
to get a guy killed?

How many guys died
the other night living
in cardboard shacks...

trying to save on rent money?

Guys who were trying to feed
their family.
'Cause men like you...

have not yet quite figured out
a way to make money...

out of watching that guy die.

In my profession,
and it's my profession...

I'm a little more fortunate.

[scoffs]

All righty then.
You guys have dinner
here tonight.

Take your wives. It's on me.

We'll snap some pics
on your way out.

If you change your
mind tomorrow...

at least we got some
good press out of it.

(Joe)
Good. Come on.

[people chattering]

It's gorgeous!

Jimmy,
can we get silver faucets?
Of course.

(Braddock)
How many you want? A dozen?
Right.

Listen. A little bird told me
to check the evening edition.

So let's see what we got.

"Boxer Jim Braddock
has come back from the dead...

to change the face of courage
in our nation."

Oh, that's nice.
Yeah.

Sporty Lewis wrote that.
Sporty Lewis?

Yeah. And get this.

"In a land that's
downtrodden...

"Braddock's comeback
is giving hope
to every American.

"People who were ready
to throw in the towel...

"are finding inspiration
in their new hero,
Jim Braddock.

"As Damon Runyon
has already written...

he's truly
the Cinderella Man."

Cinderella Man?
Yeah.

Oh, I like it.
It's kind of girly.
Yeah, kind of. Yeah.

Oh, brother.
Yeah, this is gonna be fun.

Excuse me.
Jim.

I'm not quite finished yet.
Beg your pardon, sir.

(Braddock)
Thank you.

You know what?
I got the bill here. Yeah.

Johnston. He's a big spender.
He's gonna leave
a big, big tip.

(Lucille)
Yeah.
He's a real peach.

Gotta love the guy.
Right, sweetie?

Look at this.
This is me?

I know it is.

Jimmy.

(Joe)
Oh, boy.

You think Johnston
set that up?
Oh, yeah. I think. Maybe.

A few extra pics
for the dailies.

From the gentleman
who just arrived.

Mr. Baer said
to wish you bon voyage.

Don't open it.
Put it in a bag.
We'll take it with us.

Hey, Joey?
Yeah?

Get the coats.
Jim.

Well,
if it ain't Cinderella Man.

Thanks for the champagne,
Mr. Baer.

You're doing a great job
publicizing the fight.
I really appreciate it.

I hope it's gonna be a very
successful night
for both of us.

You keep telling people
you're gonna kill me
in the ring.

I got three kids at home.

You're upsetting my family,
particularly my wife.

Listen, Braddock.

I'm asking you sincerely
not to take this fight.

Now, you seem like
a decent fellow.
People admire you.

I really don't
want to hurt you.

[snickers]

It's no joke, pal.

People die in fairy tales
all the time.

(man #1)
Hey, Max, how about a picture?

(man #2)
Hey, Jim! How about a shot?

There you go.
Take it easy.
Just smile.

One more!

Yeah. I think the smart thing
would be for you
to take a fall.

Circus act's over, old man.

[Baer laughing]

Right here, Max.
There you go.

I think I'll go a few rounds
with the dancing Baer.

Yeah, there you go.

Come on, Jim.
Very good. Okay.

Come on.
Okay.

Hey, we'll see you
in the ring.
How about that, champ?

Come on. Let's go, Jim.

Max, my wife, Mae.

You ought to talk to him, Mae.

You are far too pretty
to be a widow.

That's not nice, Max.
Not nice. Come on.

On second thought, maybe I can
comfort you after he's gone.

Hey, I said shut your
goddamn mouth, you punk!

[all gasping]

Sorry.
Send me the cleaning bill.

Get that, boys?

Now he's got his wife
doing his fighting for him.

Yeah. Ain't she something?

[all laughing]

All right. Get me a drink.

[Braddock grunting]

(Braddock)
All right.
Three-punch combo, okay?

Pop, pop, bang. Come on.

Yeah.

Oh, that's good.
One more time.

Keep your thumbs tucked in.
Keep your elbows in.

All right.
That's enough, now.

There's some sting in that.

That's enough, please.

(Braddock)
Good. Yeah, that's good. Bang!

(Howard)
I want a turn, Dad.
All right.

Hey, where's your defense?
Come on, get your hand up.

I want a turn.

[metallic clanking]

(Braddock)
Left, right, left.
Pop, pop, bang.

[kids laughing]

Come on, Howie.

All right, that's enough!
No boxing in the house!

No boxing out of the house.
All right?

No boxing. Period!

You're gonna stay in school.

Then you're gonna go
to college...

and you're gonna have
professions.

Because you're not gonna have
your skulls smashed in, too!

Do you understand me?
Is that clear?

Hey, why don't you boys go
and get ready for bed,
all right?

[crying]

I used to pray...

for you to get hurt
just enough...

so you couldn't fight anymore.

And when they took
your license away,
even scared as I was...

I went to the church
and I thanked God for it.

'Cause I always knew...

a day might come
when it could kill you.

I just knew it, Jimmy.
And now it's here.

You just got the jitters,
that's all.

He's killed two men, Jimmy!
What's worth it?

I have to believe I got some
kind of say over our lives.
Okay?

You know,
that if things are bad,
that we can change them...

we can make things better
for our family.

But I need you to be safe...

Nothing's safe anymore, Mae.
...so much.

And without that...

I need you to be safe!
...nothing's safe at all.

All right.

I have stood by for all of it.

Until now.

Not for this, Jimmy.
I just can't.

So you train all you want.

Make a show of it
for yourself, for the papers.

But you find a way
out of that fight.

Break your hand again
if you have to.

[coughing]

(man)
Is he all right?

So, how's he doing?

He's old. He's arthritic.

And his ribs
haven't been right
since the Lasky fight.

What's the bad news,
sunshine?

Joe!
What?

The reporters are here.
Jesus.

Right. Get rid of that
goddamn rib protector.

Jimmy!
Press is here, boy-o!

Get bouncing around
in that ring!

Showtime! Big smiles!
You're the belle of the ball!

Baer don't need to know
about no goddamn ribs.

Bye, Dad.

Come on, let's go. Let's go.

(man)
Hey, look. It's him.

There's Braddock!

(man #2)
Maybe this is your day,
Bulldog!

Look, it's him!
It's Jimmy, look, right there!

We're with you, Jimmy!
You're gonna beat him,
Bulldog!

(Alice)
Well, look who's here.
Hi, Aunt Alice.

Come on in.

No radio, all right?

Yeah, sure.
All right. Be back soon.

Hello, Mae.
I came to pray for Jim.

So did they.

Yeah.

They all think
that Jim's fighting for them.

[Joe whistling]

[sighing]

Hey.

Yeah?

Who beat that
John Henry Lewis?

That Braddock guy.
Correct.

Who whupped that
Art Lasky punk?

James J. Braddock.
Correct again.

Now, refresh me
on this one.

Who was it took that
Corn Griffin and turned him
inside out...

with no questions asked?
Who was that?

I used to think it was me...

but now I'm kinda thinking
it was you.

No, don't you
sell yourself short.

At some stage, you think maybe
you're gonna do
some taping here?

Why not?

All right, let's see.
How's that?

[knocking on door]

What?

Excuse me, ma'am.

You can't win
without me behind you.

That's what I've been trying
to tell you.

Maybe I understand some.

About having to fight.

So you just remember
who you are.

You're the
Bulldog of Bergen...

and the pride of New Jersey.

You're everybody's hope.

And you're your kids' hero.

And you are
the champion of my heart...

James J. Braddock.

You know,
you better get home.

You know, boxers hang around
places like this...

and you don't want to
get tangled up with
that kind of crowd.

Nice girl like you.
Yeah, okay.

I'll see you at home.

Please, Jimmy.

I'll see you at home?

See you at home, baby.

(Bond on radio)
From the ringside of the
Madison Square Garden Bowl.

Tonight, our coast-to-coast
hookup...

brings you the biggest
pugilistic event of the year.

Max Baer versus
the Cinderella Man,
Jimmy Braddock.

[all cheering]

And in a few moments...

the contestants for
tonight's championship bout...

will be making their way
to the ring.

[crowd chattering]

[crowd murmuring]

God Almighty.

(Bond)
Jim Braddock's rise
from the soup lines...

to number one
heavyweight contender
has truly been miraculous.

No, never in all my years
have I seen this arena
so quiet.

(man)
You can do it, Jimmy!

[crowd applauding]

[crowd cheering]

James J. Braddock,
the Cinderella Man...

who just a year ago
was standing in a bread line.

Braddock's a tremendous
underdog with the bettors...

but you wouldn't know it
from the reaction of
the crowd.

Madison Square Garden is
on its feet and the noise
is deafening!

An astonishing crowd is
gathered here this evening.

I saw people lining up to buy
tickets tonight who looked...

as if they were spending
their last dollar.

But they're here now
and 35,000 strong!

Listen to them!

[crowd screaming]

(Braddock)
We understand Max Baer
has left his dressing room.

There he is.

Max Baer has the look
and swagger of
a Hollywood star.

Tonight, though,
there'll be no play-acting...

not with Jim Braddock
in the ring.
This fight is for real.

The table's been set.
Let's get to the main course.

(referee)
Gentlemen,
I gave you the rules

in the dressing room.

One minute to midnight,
Cinderella.

Yeah? Your clock's
about ticked out, asshole.

I'm here to enforce them.
I want clean breaks.

Tell laughing boy here,
no backhanding.

I don't want any backhanding
and hitting on the breakaway.

No low blows!
I'll take care of this, Joe.

You understand? You tell
this bohunk no grabbing,
no manhandling.

Watch your goddamn language,
you nasty little shit.

Look at this!
No low blows means
no low blows.

You gonna let this
little prick talk to me
like that?

No hitting on the breaks.
(Joe)
It talks!

Holy mackerel, it talks!
Look at that!

Keep your hands up
at all times
to protect yourselves.

Now, touch gloves
and come out fighting.

Good luck. Go to your corners.

I'm gonna kick his Mick balls
up to the roof of his mouth.

That ought to be
a familiar taste for him, huh?

Come on, Jimmy boy!

(Joe)
Yeah, boys, get some
pictures here! Come on!

You can do this.
This guy is made for you.

Have a picnic, all right?

(Bond)
There's the bell!
And the fight is on!

[crowd cheering]

The boys come out...

and immediately Braddock
shoots a left to Maxie's jaw!

That's it!
Take it right to him, Jimmy!

Now, now.

Baer snaps Braddock's head
back with two right uppercuts.

It's always a question of
which Max will show up
in the first round...

the killer or the clown?

Maxie doing well.

It looks like
he's enjoying himself,
mugging for the crowd.

(Joe)
Take it into him!

A big flurry by Braddock!
A vicious right to the head!

Take it easy, pal.
I'll let it go
a couple of rounds.

Madcap Maxie is
heavily favored to put
the long snore on Braddock...

in the first round.

That big right hand of his
has dynamite in it...

especially when he traps
his man on the ropes.

He's gonna carry him
for a couple of rounds.

[both grunting]

(referee)
Braddock! Break it up!

[bell rings]
Break it up, I said!

Go on, Jimmy!

(Bond)
Jim survived the round and
looked pretty good doing it.

Braddock will not be bullied.
Not tonight.

When he does this horseshit,
knock it off.

He's trying to thumb you.
All right?

And then slip inside of there
and shorten up the punches.

All right? Shorten them up.
That's your turf!

(Joe)
Inside is yours!

(man #1)
Good job, Braddock!

(man #2)
Come on, Braddock!

Well, no one expected Braddock
to go past the first round.

Shorten them up.
Stay inside of him.

The experts at ringside
were wrong again.

Shorten them up!
(Bond)
There's the bell!

And here we are
in the second round.

(Joe)
That had some salt on it!

Braddock lands a hard right
to the head.

Max swats him away
with cool contempt!

He appears to be
toying with Braddock.

There's no other word for it.

Max struts around the ring
without a care in the world.

(Joe)
Sharp, efficient, tough,
and short! Good.

[crowd screaming]

Knock that on out.

(Bond on radio)
And Max responds with
swinging rights and lefts.

All power punches from Maxie.

Break him!

And Braddock punches
right to the head!

Cover up!

Is that the right spot, Jimmy?

[bell rings]
All right.
Break it up!

Break it up, you two!
Stay clean!

[crowd whistling]

[groaning]

How are those ribs?
Okay. All right. Take it easy.

(Jeanette)
Good pace. Good pace, Jim.
Take it easy. Just breathe.

Deep breaths. Relax.
Good rhythm.

You're looking great
out there, Jimmy.

Yeah.
You look great.

Hey, Jim?
If he goes for your body...

drop the elbows on him.
Teach him a lesson.

Break his goddamn hand.

(Bond)
That round was tough to score.

Braddock landed
several surprising
right hands.

And those thunderous
body punches by the champ...

should pay dividends
in the later rounds.

In the fifth,
Baer's smile is gone.

(Joe)
Yeah, that's it!

Jimmy comes in
with a hard right...

then neatly slides off
to Baer's left.

Avoiding the counterpunch,
Jimmy sticks a jab.

And now the crowd is jeering
and even laughing
at the champ.

And Maxie's none too pleased.

(referee)
All right, break it.

Break!

[crowd booing]
Baer backhands Braddock
across the face!

That'll cost Maxie.

You lousy shegetz!

That's a warning, Max.

I'm sorry.

How's that wife of yours?

(referee)
Break!

She talk about me?
Knock off the wrestling.

All right. Break it up!

Quit fooling around, Max!

(Joe)
Low blow!

What was that?

Keep them up.
Wake up,
you wet son of a bitch!

[crowd booing]

(Bond)
Max salutes the crowd.
He's one of a kind, folks.

She say my name in her sleep?

Baer took a chin-full
of Braddock's head
in that clinch.

That's it! Work his body!

She miss me?

Baer grips Braddock's head
in a headlock.

Jesus! Hey, Maxila
you gonna punch him
or pork him?

That's your job, asshole.

(Bond)
Jimmy fights his way free.

(Baer)
Hey, buddy...
Gets a shot in to the head.

You kidding me?
Fantastic!

You're gonna get hurt.

Braddock keeps punching.
They hammer each other,
toe to toe.

Okay, break!
There's the bell!

Keep your hands up
and your mouth shut, Maxie.

You watching the fight
or the cute guy
in the front row?

Take a seat, Maxie!
He's nothing, nobody.

The guy has got nothing!

Jesus! Sit down!

Give me the sponge.

What are you doing?
Don't worry about it.

Well, quit screwing around.
Hey! Relax.

Give me the goddamn water.

(timer)
Ten seconds!

(Joe)
Hit this guy. Cut him!

[bell rings]
You cut him down to size.
Cut him!

Oh, shit.

(Bond)
In the seventh,
the boys come out again.

And Max is all business now.

(Gary)
Put him away, Max!
Get him!

Attaboy, Maxie! Attaboy!

Slide it, Jimmy!

Braddock starting
to look his age here...

as Baer pushes him
around the ring.

Baer swings hard to the body.

Braddock gets in a right
to the head.

Murder him, Maxie!

Jesus Christ.

Baer with a tremendous shot
right there!

That was the hardest blow
in the fight!

Oh, Christ.

Baer turns him again...

with another right
to the head.
Another right. And another.

[crowd screaming]

Push him, push him!

(Bond)
Braddock gets in
a vicious uppercut.

[bell rings]

Baer keeps on punching!

[bell ringing]
Jesus, Johnny!

Let him go! That's enough!
Break it up!

You're gonna go home
in butcher paper, pal!

(referee)
To your corners!
Butcher paper!

[crowd cheering]

All right.
Let me see that nose.

Get it out.
(Angelo)
You're okay.

Let me see it.
Tilt your head back.

That's nothing.
That's a piece of cake.

Keep your head up.
Breathe through your mouth.

Breathe.

You got all your ugly friends
down from Jersey here.

They're dressed up nice.
They've come to see you.

You're putting them to sleep.
You're not turning him
anymore.

Come on, pick it up.
Spit that out, boy-o.

Good boy.

Come on.

(Bond on radio)
The boys go after each other
immediately.

Braddock gets in
a left to the body.
And a hard right...

Mae.
...to Max's head.

Baer comes swinging across
with a long, swinging...

It's the cops.
...right to Braddock's head.

Braddock stumbles away.

Baer tries that right again!

They come together.
Braddock swings a left
and a right.

Please, Ma.

Max comes back
with a left and
a right of his own.

Braddock sticks out a left!
Baer still after him.

Another left!

And a hard right by Braddock
that rocked Baer for a moment!

Baer tries that right again.

[both grunting]

A hard right
to Braddock's head!

Braddock is hurt.
His legs are gone.

[Baer grunting]

Braddock sticks out a left!
Another left!

Neither man will back down!
It's a slugfest, folks!

And there's the bell!

James J. Braddock
has exhibited
a lot of heart here...

over 11 grueling rounds
with the champion.

Nobody expected him to last
more than a few innings
with Baer.

Yet here he is.
And he's held his own.

But now we head
into the championship rounds,
folks.

Hey, Jim, look at me.

I swear to God, boy,
win, lose or draw...

Thanks, Joey.
For all of it.

You son of a bitch.
All right. Stop talking.

Get in there!

And bury him!

(Ancil)
Finish him off.

Come on, Jimmy!

[crowd cheering]

(Bond)
Here in the 12th,
James J. Braddock...

is showing this crowd
what heart is all about.

Jimmy seems to be
timing that left...

and has slapped it away
several times.

Keep moving, boy-o!
You stay with him!

Son of a bitch!

Braddock with a shoeshine.
Left, right!

Am I seeing what I'm seeing?

Finish him, Jimmy. Finish him!

[crowd chanting]
Braddock, Braddock!

Maxie's glamour-boy smile
is now a bloody grimace.

This crowd is desperately
hoping for a Braddock victory.

But Mr. Baer might
have something to say
about that.

[crowd applauding]

Holy crap!

(referee)
Low blow!

[bell rings]
That last low blow
will cost you the round, Max.

Jesus!
lt'll cost you the round.

Why don't you just kick him
in the balls, huh?

Joe, back in your corner!

What are you afraid of,
you son of a bitch?

(referee)
Get back to your corner!

[screaming]

Come on, Ref!

(Bond on radio)
McAvoy is on the verge of
losing control of this fight.

(man)
Knock him on the ground,
Bulldog!

Last round.
That's right! Next champ!

You better worry about
Baer's corner in
this next round.

You know what I mean.

You won this one.
It's a cinch. It is yours.

But I want you to play it
cagey now. All right?

I know you don't like
laying back...

but I want you to stay away
from his right...

do you understand me?
Stay away.

Right hand.

You're behind.
Are you listening to me?

You want to lose
the championship to
this goddamn nobody?

Hey.
(man)
Come on, Jimmy!

This is your night.

(Joe)
Stay away.
Put him down!

Use your right hand.
Right hand.

[men screaming]

(timer)
Ten seconds!
Come on now. Finish him.

(Joe)
It's the last round, Jimmy.
There ain't no more.

You play this bastard smart
and they can't take it
from you!

One more round to go, folks.

McAvoy stands
at center ring...

waiting for the fighters
to join him.

Touch gloves.

(Bond)
The boys touch gloves
at center ring.

And now they're right
back at it.

Oh, no, Jimmy!

Leave him alone!

Stay away from him!

That ain't laying back!

Braddock's corner
is yelling at Braddock...

to stay away from Baer.

Because Baer is looking
for the knockout.

Stay off him, Jim. Come on!

Right hand, Max. Yes!

[both grunting]

What is he, stupid?

Step away!

Braddock trying to survive
this brutal onslaught!

(Joe)
Stay off him!

Don't let him touch you!

Hey, looking good, Maxie!

Watch the uppercut!
Just stay the hell
away from him!

(Bond on radio)
Baer cutting loose
with thunderous shots.

A left to the body.

Baer again with a right!

Braddock covering up,
trying to hang on.

Baer looking for the knockout.

He doesn't want this one
to go to the cards, folks.

They pound each other
with lefts and rights.

Braddock blocking
with his gloves and elbows.

Snaps a big right
to Maxie's jaw!

[crowd whislting]

Baer smashes him
with a big right!

[crowd groans]

Braddock is back on the ropes.

[crowd screaming]

Braddock lands
a crushing right.

Maxie desperately wants
to keep the crown...

from slipping away.

Jesus Christ.

Stay with him!

Both fighters are tired.

[crowd screaming]

Baer is trying wildly
for the knockout!

But Jimmy is still standing...

and he's not only standing,
he's moving forward.

This is the finish.
Both boys are tired.

This is not boxing, folks.
This is a walloping ballet.

Ten seconds!

Time's up!
Son of a bitch.

[bell ringing]

That is the bell! It's over!
This fight is over!

[all cheering]

Son of a bitch!

(Bond on radio)
What a fight! Unbelievable!

Braddock came
into this fight...

the biggest underdog...
Come on, sweetheart.

...in pugilistic history.
You did it!

For 15 rounds
he gave it everything
he had...

against the younger,
stronger champion.

[crowd applauding]

[both laughing]

We are waiting
for the decision.

Mae, it's all right.

(Sporty)
Hey, McAvoy!

What?
Help me out here. Help me out.

How did you score the fight?
Nine-five, one even.

Which way?

You'll have to read it
in the papers, Sporty.

Oh, come on!

What the hell is this crap?

I'll tell you this much,
they take this long
to make a decision...

they're gonna decide
to screw somebody.

(man)
Make a decision.

They're gonna rob
this poor bastard.

Unbelievable bullshit.
You win it.

[crowd booing]

Come on, make a decision!
(man)
Tell us who won, come on!

(Bond on radio)
The crowd, on its feet
for almost the entire fight...

is still standing, yelling
for who
they clearly believe...

to be the winner of
this fight.

But they'll have to wait
and see how the judges
scored it.

[crowd chattering]

[crowd stops chattering]

Ladies and gentlemen...

we have your decision.

It's unanimous!

[crowd cheering]
Winner, and the new world
heavyweight champion...

James J. Braddock!

[screaming]

[all cheering]

You son of a bitch.

(Bond on radio)
James Braddock
has defeated Max Baer...

for the heavyweight
championship of the world!

(Mae)
He won!

[Howard and Jay screaming]

[all cheering]

You earned it.
Hell of a fight.