Cinderella Man

Attaboy! Keep him busy!

-One....

-Ah, Jesus!

-Two...

-You got it!

-Three...

-He ain't getting up!

Four...five...

six...seven...

eight...nine...ten.

-Out!

-BELL RINGS

Come here, Jimmy.

Get that sleeping beauty out of here!

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!

You're gonna be the next champ, Jimmy!

Hey, how you doing?

Just give them a few. Leave them want.

-You wanna my name for me, too?

-At least then they can read it!

You've been getting stronger with every fight. I've been seeing it.

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

And you've 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, thousand bucks for the ring fees,

my 26.58 and your 35.44...

makes 8,860.

Stick that in your mattress, Irishman.

Hey, when we get there, you gonna come and see the kids?

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

-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 will you tell her I undercharged on the gym fees and no load on the towel? Would you do that for me?

-I'll be sure to point it out.

-Oh, I appreciate it!

You stop up at the corner here somewhere, Frank.

Home to Jersey for Mr Adventure over here.

All right, see you, Frank.

Oh, I could kill you!

I like the sound of that.

Yeah, I like the sound of that a lot.

-Jimmy!

-Yeah?

-My sister!

Daddy, did we win?

Hey! Yeah, we won!

-How are you, Alice?

-Good. That's wonderful, Jimmy.

Hey, Howard.

Thank you.

So, tell me about him.

Was he a real slugger? Hmm?

You know...

-..you could come and watch.

-Mmm-mmm.

No.

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

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

So, tell me about the girls.

Girls?

Mmm-hmm.

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

Come on. There was one.

There must've been one.

-Nah.

-Blonde?

Brunette.

Oh! Tall?

Like a gazelle.

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

Oh, Mr Braddock!

You're so strong!

Oh, and your hands, they're so big!

Oh, you're so powerful!

Oh, Jimmy.

I'm so proud of you.

I'm so proud of you.

Introducing two-time state Golden Gloves title holder

in both the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions,

21 and 0 at 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!

CAR ENGINE IN DISTANCE

MAE LAUGHS JOYFULLY

< Ma, you woke me up.

< Well, you kicked the covers off, honey.

< Now you go back to sleep, all right?

< Night, Mom.

< Good night, sweetheart.

-LOUDLY:

-I can't find my socks.

-Ssshhhh! Jim!

-QUIETLY:

-I'm sorry.

Mama?

Great(!)

Oh, I'm sorry, baby.

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

-Don't you remember?

-No.

Well, you were out like a light.

How do I keep them this warm?

Mama, I want to eat, too.

Mommy will get you some, honey.

Hey, Rosy-Rosy.

Good morning, good morning!

Oh...

Got a notice yesterday. Gas and electric.

Come on.

Okey-dokey, there we go.

I'll get the milk.

Oh.

Well, I think there's some left over.

Yep.

You know I got that fight tonight at the Armoury?

Yeah, one guy, Abe Feldman. It's 50 bucks win or lose.

Oh, 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.

Oh, 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.

-Well!

And then I had a mountain of mashed potatoes,

and I went back for ice cream three times.

Oh!

I'm stuffed. I'm absolutely full.

I cannot eat another thing.

Wanna give me a hand?

Jim.

Jimmy!

Boys, hurry up. Don't dawdle.

Let's try and sleep a little more.

# 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 bread line charity

# Cheer up! Smile! Nertz!

# Sunny smilers we must be

# The optimist asserts

# Let's hang the fat-head To a tree!

# Cheer up! Smile! Nertz! #

SHOUTING

-Over here.

-Come on!

I need nine men and only nine.

< One.

Two.

Three.

< Four.

Five.

< Six.

Seven.

< Eight. Nine.

That's it!

< All right, let's get a move on!

Come on, get going!

Got a lot of work today!

-Hey, Dad.

-Hey.

-No shifts today, Dad?

-What're you doing, son?

I'm being good. I'm being quiet. I'm being have.

Great.

Daddy! 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. Understand?

It's from the butcher's. He won't say a word about it, will you, Jay?

-LOUDER:

-Will you, Jay?

OK, pick it up. Let's go.

Do not test me, boy. Right now.

Howard, stay here.

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 cos 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.

It's OK, kid.

You got a little scared. I understand.

It's OK.

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, OK?

-Hm-hm.

You know what to do. You know this type.

That guy's a bum.

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, cos he's a paying customer.

I see.

Well, well, 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.

Oh.

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

-I know.

-Yeah. You were gonna tell me about this when?

-It'll 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 owe everybody money.

I can't get any shifts.

We ain't got any cash.

I got it, I got it.

Screw them. I'll tape it double.

Thanks.

Keep up. Stay up. Keep moving.

Keep your legs moving.

And here comes Braddock with his long-time manager, Joe Gould.

You're washed up, Braddock.

-And now for our main event...

-Hey, which one's us, pal?

Jersey veteran James J Braddock is up against Hymie Caplin's latest charge, Abe Feldman

-from Schenectady, New York.

-Six-rounder.

Some may 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.

Hey, who whipped Latzo?

-I did.

-Goddamn right.

Who KOed Slattery in the ninth when everyone said he didn't have a chance in hell?

-That'd have to be me, too.

-Right.

-We're supposed to pucker our assholes over Abe Feldman? The guy couldn't break wind.

-No.

Hey, Jimmy. Jimmy, Jimmy.

Anyplace else you'd rather be?

-No.

-Good.

Now, what are you gonna do about it?

Here we are halfway through the fifth and it's more of the same.

The boys clinch again.

He's crushing my guy. Get him off! CROWD BOO

Break!

The boo-birds have started flying. They want action from the fighters.

Feldman puts a left in Braddock's face. Braddock's right hand is his only weapon.

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

-Give these yokels a shot in the ass!

Feldman ducks a haymaker but fails to follow up.

Boo!

Another big right by Braddock. There's the Braddock we all recall.

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

Come on!

BONES CRACK

HEART BEAT

DISTANT CROWD NOISES

BELL RINGS

The referee pulls the boys apart. There's the bell to end the fifth.

Easy. Easy. Easy.

I saw that.

You bust it again?

I'm calling it, Jim.

You gonna use the left?

-OK, good. You get in there but don't let him crowd you. Work his belly, hammer it with the left.

-Last round.

-Come on, show me something. Give me a good one.

-You're giving me an ulcer!

-Shut up.

-Work his belly with the left. You got it?

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

Cos he's kind of stupid. OK?

Last round. Last round! Go get him!

The left! The left!

Damn it, I wish he could find his goddamn left. That's it!

Change it up! Southpaw, that's it!

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.

Go home!

Go home, Braddock!

No holding, Braddock!

Cavanaugh's working harder than the fighters.

Dry up!

Another clinch.

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

You're a bum!

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.

I'm telling you, it's sad to see a fighter that was once the calibre of James Braddock reduced to this.

It's all right, Jimmy. It's all right, all right.

An embarrassment, that's what it was.

-An embarrassment!

-Where the hell's the purse?

You wouldn't have to ask that if you gave a shit about your fighter.

OK. OK. 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 any more!

Fights being stopped by referees?

He's pathetic! Fights like that keep people away.

We're revoking his licence, Joe.

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

-Wait a minute.

-That's all.

Oh, boy.

-Mr 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. OK? 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!

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.

They said I'm through, Mae. They said I can't be a boxer no more.

Mercy.

OK.

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.

-Mae.

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

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

-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.

OK?

I'm sorry.

No.

No.

No.

I need five and only five!

-Come on, Jake!

-One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five. That's it!

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.

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.

Hey. That hand ain't gonna work.

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

I need the job, too.

WHISTLE BLOWS

What's wrong with the goddamn hand?

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. You don't have to twist my arm.

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.

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?

Maybe. I hadn't thought of that.

Who is that man at our house?

Excuse me! Excuse me! Can I help you?

Sorry, lady, you're past due.

No. No, you can't, you can't!

-There's kids.

-If I don't, they'll let me go. They already let two guys go.

Please, this apartment, it's what we've got left, it keeps us hanging on.

Lady, I've 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, that still won't add up.

We ain't got nothing.

Nothing left to sell.

All the guys you could have married, huh?

Yeah, what happened to those guys?

COUGHING

It's Howard.

Since this afternoon.

Bless us, oh, Lord, in these thy gifts which we are about to receive from thy bounty.

Jim.

I'm all prayed out.

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. Come on. Pick up some of that wood.

-I got it, Mama.

-Great, let's go, sweetheart.

-All right.

Nice and warm, huh?

Baby? Baby?

Look at Mommy.

Huh...

Oh, sweetheart.

Mommy...

What's wrong?

Nothing, sweetheart.

Mommy will be right back, OK?

Oh!

Howard's fever was getting worse.

And then Rosie started to sneeze.

-Where are they, Mae?

-Jim, we can't even keep it warm.

Where are the kids?

The boys are asleep on the sofa at my father's in Brooklyn.

And Rosie'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 Macdonald...

-You send 'em away, all of this has been for nothing.

-It's just until we get...

What is it all for? If we can't stay together, that means we lost, we've given up!

I'm not giving up, I am 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.

-Oh.

-You can't do this.

-You weren't here.

You can't break my promises.

Jim, you didn't see.

You weren't here.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, Jimmy.

What are you doing?

Jim?

Jimmy! Where are you going?

Where are you going, Jimmy?

That doesn't qualify you, sir, what else can you tell me?

My wife is losing all of her teeth.

We got a relief order for her and the doctor says it's due to an insufficient diet.

She's still nursing the baby on account of, we can't afford milk for the family.

-OK.

-I can't understand...

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

None of my friends, none of my friends would go up against him,

none of 'em. He was an animal...

He kicked this dude out of the ring, and he was just, he was curious. And he started to hug me, I grabbed...

There's Jimmy Braddock.

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

I can't afford to pay the heater.

I've had to farm out my kids.

You know, if they keep cutting shifts down at the docks, then you just don't get picked every day.

I sold everything I'd got to anybody that 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 can help me through this time, I sure would be grateful.

Sure, Jim, sure.

Good luck.

Jim.

Hey, Jimmy...

Here you go, Jim.

Good luck, Jim.

Sorry, I'm sorry.

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

Jesus Christ, Jim.

How short are you?

-About 1.50.

-OK.

We're home! Hooray, we're home!

We're home!

Good.

-Hey, all right.

-Yippee!

Howard, don't jump on the bed.

Sorry, Mom.

# Happy birthday to you

# Happy birthday to you

# Happy birthday, dear...

# Howard

# Happy birthday to you. #

Make a wish, kids.

Blow! Yeah!

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

Wanna line up, huh? Are you looking forward to some chocolate cake?

I liked it better when we had our own.

I can understand that.

-Hiya, Howard.

-Hi.

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

You hit the Father?!

As often as I possibly could. He was kind of 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.

-Ah.

-James?

-Excuse me.

-Every day, fix the world.

How about fixing your family? I mean, what kind of father are you?

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

Now you're drunk at church, for Christ's sake!

Is that a joke, Sarah? Are you making a joke?

-I'm just saying, it's enough!

-Hey, guys, where's the ref?

Stay out of this, Jim. It's between man and wife.

How d'you even call yourself that?

-What d'you say to me?

-Mike, Mike, come on.

-Get your hands off me!

You had a couple of drinks, no harm in that.

All washed up, can't get a fight. Well, you wanna fight me, huh?

-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'm gonna take your head off! Come on!

Jim, no! Are you OK?

-Are you OK?

-Get off me!

Go to hell, the both of you!

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

Mike, wait!

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

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

There you go. Oh, yeah.

There you go. Good girl.

You got a better jab than your dad.

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?

-Hm-mm.

-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 neighbourhood. Did you ever think of that? Little fresh air.

Joe, this is Jersey.

Yeah. Good point.

Good point.

I got you a fight.

-Ha-ha. 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 only.

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

-Why?

-Cos of who you're fighting.

-How much?

-Just once, ask me who 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.

-Joe, this ain't funny.

-No, it's not.

And it ain't no favour, either. Griffin's opponent got cut and he couldn't fight.

We 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.

Get your programmes here!

Programs here! 45 cents!

Programmes here!

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.

Hey, 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 goodbye 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.

GRUMBLING

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?

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, OK?

-Eat, quick.

-You got a spoon?

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!

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?

Braddock, you're up!

Sporty Lewis, how you doing?

How YOU doing?

July 18th, 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 sombre 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.

Who's Jim Braddock?

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

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?

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! Braddock?

Isn't that your buddy?

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!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

His opponent, the popular battler

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

Quincy, beer. We got a fight!

..the power-punching veteran from North Bergen, New Jersey, James J. Braddock!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Yeah!

The skinny from the reporters at ringside is that Braddock won't last two rounds.

Griffin is a 5-1 favourite to do just that. But Joe Gould claims Braddock's right hand is fine.

Jimmy will need two good hands tonight.

Griffin storms out of his corner! Things are up-tempo right away.

Come on, Braddock, make a fight of it!

Get out of it! Get out, Jimmy!

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.

And Braddock is down.

Shut up! I wanna hear this! Shut up!

Jim? You're fine. Stay down.

-One....

-Stay down! What's the hurry?

-Three. Four.

-Hey! Listen.

I liked the left. Try two lefts.

Give him two lefts! Pap, pap! Double it up. How 'bout it? Up, up.

Eight. Nine!

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

The referee waving Griffin in.

Nice move! Bring him in!

Snaps a stiff jab! Another!

BELL

Welcome to New York.

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 looked 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.

Pap, pap. Bang! But you gotta stop some of those left hands.

You see any getting past my head?

Keep moving! Pap, pap, bang!

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!

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

He's a half a step behind you. Do you feel it? Pap, pap, bang!

Stick with it. 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.

Keep him in front of you!

Lure him in, Jim.

Jimmy's finally moving his head.

Pick your spot!

And Griffin is down!

CHEERING

Where the hell have you been, Jimmy Braddock?

One. Two. Three.

He's up at three. The referee wipes his gloves.

That's it! That's it! No daylight!

Take it to him!

Another big right by Braddock!

Finish him, Jimmy!

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!

This fight is over!

This is incredible! 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...!

It's pandemonium here in the Garden!

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

CHEERING

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"? Where the hell did that come from?

I don't know. When my hand was broke, I had to work down the docks and use my left.

So, what? No, that and luck.

-Luck?

-Sheer dumb-ass Irish luck.

Don't give me that luck of the Irish 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. Pap, pap. Bang!

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 goodbye.

Here you go, fellas! Have at him!

Oh, Jesus Christ!

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.

BELL RINGS

-Throw him down, Maxie!

-Give it to him, Maxie!

Ladies and gentlemen, the new heavyweight champion of the world, Max Baer!

FOOTSTEPS ON STAIRS

Come on! He's home.

I won.

Hooray, he won!

I knew you'd win!

He won, he won, he won!

-Get the silverware.

-So was it like you said?

-Or are they letting you back in?

-No, baby. It was just one fight.

I need seven men, and seven only!

One. Two. Three...

Four. Five.

Thanks.

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.

RADIO: "..to determine whether the strikers were willing to submit

"to an arbitration situation. Tension pervaded the New York waterfront yesterday..."

Why don't you go play with the boys, sweetheart? Be careful.

-Hey, Rosy.

-Hi, Daddy!

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.

-Oh.

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. 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. Hey, Jay! Guess what.

-What?

-I got another fight!

-Who with?

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

Hey, Howard.

Oh, Jesus.

Joe, open the door.

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.

How is it?

Too sweet per usual.

Really? Go figure. 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.

Sold the last of it two days ago.

So Jimmy could train.

Why?

Well, 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?

This is a lovely apartment.

Thank you.

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.

Ha, now, say on the other hand, by some minute, infinitesimal chance God forbid, Braddock beats Lewis.

Now you got a sentimental favourite 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 oughta put your mouth in a circus.

-What do you say?

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

-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.

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.

That's it, James! Be a bully, James!

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.

Hey, I got a great idea.

You want to come along?

Come on, just this one time.

All right. OK. OK, I'll make that a rain check then.

Lewis, still moving well here in the fourth. He dances in and out before Braddock can react.

Don't let him set the pace, Jimmy!

There you go, there you go.

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

Get off the ropes. Move out of there.

Lewis spins his way off the ropes and looks to resume control at the bell!

There we go. Suck it up.

Deep breath. Deep breath, deep.

-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 slide 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.

-Do not fight this fight his way. You make him fight this fight your way!

-Let's go. You got him.

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.

Keep him in there! Stay with him!

Don't give him any room! No room!

-Get out of the corner.

-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.

-Jump on him!

-And Lewis is down!

Gotcha. Good boy.

One. Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

The referee wipes his gloves and Braddock steams back to ring centre!

-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!

Side to side! Side to side!

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.

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!

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.

Break it up!

Come on. Break free.

BELL RINGS Break!

Don't sit down. You're not tired. You're fine. Get that out of here! He don't need it!

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 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!

Lasky continues to fire.

Braddock looks like he's finally starting to wilt.

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 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!

Get in there and take that sucker!

He's showing tremendous determination!

Right in there and get his nose!

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!

CHEERING

Thanks, buddy.

KNOCK AT DOOR

-Max?

-What?

-MAX!

-Save a little bit of it...

Jim Braddock just beat Lasky.

They made him the number one contender.

-Max, when are we gonna...

-Shut up.

-Maxie...

-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.

-That's him.

-Yeah?

Yes, it is. I'm telling you. That's Braddock.

Hey, Mrs Braddock.

-Sara's here.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-I got her to sleep.

-Hey.

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 organised.

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.

-Come on, out of the way! Beat it!

-Move along!

Get the hell out of here, coppers!

Mike?

Mike Wilson!

Mike Wilson!

...do nothing. If you let these Commies in here

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

Get over here. On your feet!

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

-What the hell happened here?

-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.

-This is a mess. One hell of a mess.

Keep those bastards back!

Get those guys next, the ones who got trampled on.

-Hey, Jim.

-Mike.

You're gonna be OK, Mike.

Yeah, tell Sara.

Will you tell her I'm gonna be late, Jimmy.

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...

Now, keep your questions short and to the point.

We're gonna start off with Frank Essex.

Frank Essex. All right, take it easy, Petey, jeez.

Frank Essex, Daily News. You got a lot of reporters here today.

A lot of people 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.

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.

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.

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.

LAUGHTER

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.

-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?

-Well, the truth is, 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.

-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.

-OK, how about one more question?

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 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.

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.

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.

Consider your ass fully covered, OK?

Run it again.

Remember Ernie Schaaf?

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?

Hey, 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 just trying to feed their family?

Cos 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.

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.

Good. Come on.

It's gorgeous! Jimmy, can we get silver faucets?

-Of course. 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.

Oh, brother.

-Excuse me.

-Jim.

-I'm not quite finished yet.

-Beg your pardon, sir.

-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.

He's a real peach. Gotta love the guy. Right, sweetie?

Jimmy.

-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.

Whoa, Jim. Jim?

Jimmy?

Well, if it ain't Cinderella Man.

Thanks for the champagne, Mr Baer. You're doing a great job publicising 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. It's no joke, pal.

People die in fairytales all the time.

Hey, Max, how about a picture? How about a shot?

-Take it easy. Just smile.

-One more!

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

Circus act's over, old man.

Right here, Max. There you go.

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

Very good, OK. OK.

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.

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

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

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 right. Get me a drink.

All right. Three-punch combo, OK?

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.

-Bang!

-I want a turn, Dad.

-All right. Hey, where's your defence? Come on, get your hand up.

I want a turn.

Left, right, left. Pop, pop, bang.

Come on, Howie.

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 go to college and have professions,

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

Do you understand me? Is that clear?

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

I...used to pray...

for you to get hurt just enough

so you couldn't fight any more.

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

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

Cos I always knew a day might come when it could kill you.

I just knew it, Jimmy.

-And now it's here.

-Hey, you just got the jitters, that's all.

He's killed two men, Jimmy!

What's worth it? Huh? What's worth it?

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

You know, that if things are bad, we can change them. We can make things better for our family.

But I need you to be safe.

Nothing's safe any more, Mae.

I need you to be safe!

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.

(HE COUGHS)

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.

Oh, Jesus. Right. Get rid of that goddamn rib protector. Jimmy!

Press is here, boy-o!

Get bouncing around in that ring! Showtime! Big smiles!