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| SOMEBODY UP THERE
LIKES ME (director: Robert
Wise; screenwriters: Ernest Lehman/based on
the autobiography of Rocky Graziano, written with
Rowland Barber; cinematographer: Joseph
Ruttenberg; editor: Albert Akst; music: Bronislau Kaper;
cast: Paul Newman (Rocky Graziano), Pier
Angeli (Norma Graziano), Everett Sloane
(Irving Cohen), Eileen Heckart (Ma Barbella), Sal
Mineo (Romolo), Harold Stone (Nick Barbella), Robert
Loggia (Frankie Peppo), Frank Campanella (Detective),
Steve McQueen (Fidel), Matt Crowley
(Lou Stillman), Court Shepard (Tony
Zale); Runtime: 113; MPAA Rating: NR; producer:
Charles Schnee; MGM; 1956) "The film's money shot is the well-staged fight between Zale and Rocky." Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz Robert Wise ("West Side Story"/"The Body Snatcher"/"Blood on the Moon") directs this inspirational biopic on Rocky Graziano, who overcame being a troubled juvenile delinquent raised in the slums of New York's Lower East Side to become the middleweight champion of the world. Paul Newman in his third film, after the disappointing The Silver Chalice (1954), and the equally disappointing The Rack (1956), delivers a scene-stealing Method Acting star performance as Rocky. It's based on the autobiography of Rocky Graziano, written with Rowland Barber. Ernest Lehman turns in a formulaic screenplay, that nevertheless rises occasionally with a few powerful moments. Though Wise's film noir boxing pic "The Set-Up," TKOs this one in its tautness and more observant story telling. The
first part of the film is set in
Manhattan's Lower East Side, where young Rocky
Barbella is abused by his alcoholic father, ex-boxer
Nick Barbella (Harold Stone) and
tenderly loved by his depressed and fragile mom (Eileen
Heckart). Unable to cope with his family
situation, with being poor and with hanging around
with local hoodlums, Rocky lives a crime-filled life
that starts with petty juvenile crimes and escalates
to heavier crimes. Sent to a reform school and then
drafted into the army, where he beats up a captain
and goes AWOL. Rocky end up as a fighter in
Stillman's gym and takes the last name of
Graziano--the name of an Italian wine. After winning
six fights by knock-outs, Rocky is sent for a year
to the Leavenworth Penitentiary
and is given a dishonorable discharge. Upon his
return, the reformed Rocky is trained by his honest
manager Cohen (Everett Sloane)
and through his sister meets a nice Jewish girl from
Brooklyn named Norma (Pier
Angeli) and marries her. Refusing to
dump a fight or squeal on the rat Frankie
Peppo (Robert
Loggia), a former gangster
acquaintance, Rocky has his boxing license
revoked in NY state for refusing to cooperate.
But he's granted a license in Illinois and
fights the middleweight champion Tony Zale for
the title in Chicago. The film's money shot is
the well-staged fight between Zale and Rocky. The
pic becomes too sentimental and falsely
uplifting, as its agenda to blend together
violence and mush seems disingenuous and a bit
tawdry. James Dean was offered the Rocky part,
but was killed in a car crash. I doubt if he
could have been a better middleweight than the
physically fit Newman REVIEWED ON 9/6/2012 GRADE: B- Dennis Schwartz: "Ozus' World Movie Reviews" © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED DENNIS SCHWARTZ |