Cindrella in the ring
When America was on its knees, he brought us to our feet. -says the tag line for Ron Howard's Cinderella Man
Broken hand, broken ribs, wrong side of an average boxer's age; all on one side with three hungry children and a rock solid life partner on the other. This is what James J Braddock was given with, when he went to the the ring for a World Championship fight against Max Baer- a younger, lot quicker, much feared world number one title holder. Fifteen rounds of sensational boxing with the underdog pulling it off. Ron Howard brings all this and more from Jim's fairy tale history to life, with remarkably well played roles from Russel Crowe, Renee Zwelleger and Paul Giamatti.
Starts when Jim is young, talented and winning as a light weight boxer prior to the Great Depression of America. Apparently, as the depression sets in, Jim's fortunes take the same route. Losing most of the matches, Jim reduces to a pale image of his younger self. Ron masterfully shifts the period from wealth to penury without wasting any reel footage; but tells all by shifting the backdrop in just one turn of camera in the room and the period changes from 1928 to 1933, from upstate villa to a basement apartment.
Ron's depiction of Jim's hardship to meet the most basic needs of his family leave a lump in the throat. Jim, in order to meet the expences, accepts Joe Gould's (Jim's manager, played superbly by Paul Giamatti) occassional offer to fight -inspite of broken hand. Jim's unfit health makes him lose most of the matches along with the confidence of boxing federation in his abilities. His attempt to fight, despite broken hand angers the big bosses in the fed and forces them to revoke his license to fight. With no money from fights and very rare occassional jobs at the dock, Jim is reduced to depend on government help. Ron squeezes a tear out of the viewers here with Jim's begging at the Boxing Fed Club for a few dollars. At such a difficult time in late 1933 comes an odd chance - to fight world number two heavy weight boxing champion- courtesy Joe.
A second chance to live will not go waste if you have fire in the belly. The win in 1933 is only a first among several more to come. The magical rebirth of 'the bull dog' Jimmy aptly named Cindrella Man peaks with a World Championship fight in 35. Against all odds, Jim pulls off a sensational win in that final fight with the title favourite Baer.
The last fight asserts Ron's mastery in movie making; a gripping narration, slick camera work and fine performances ... good to be real.
Broken hand, broken ribs, wrong side of an average boxer's age; all on one side with three hungry children and a rock solid life partner on the other. This is what James J Braddock was given with, when he went to the the ring for a World Championship fight against Max Baer- a younger, lot quicker, much feared world number one title holder. Fifteen rounds of sensational boxing with the underdog pulling it off. Ron Howard brings all this and more from Jim's fairy tale history to life, with remarkably well played roles from Russel Crowe, Renee Zwelleger and Paul Giamatti.
Starts when Jim is young, talented and winning as a light weight boxer prior to the Great Depression of America. Apparently, as the depression sets in, Jim's fortunes take the same route. Losing most of the matches, Jim reduces to a pale image of his younger self. Ron masterfully shifts the period from wealth to penury without wasting any reel footage; but tells all by shifting the backdrop in just one turn of camera in the room and the period changes from 1928 to 1933, from upstate villa to a basement apartment.
Ron's depiction of Jim's hardship to meet the most basic needs of his family leave a lump in the throat. Jim, in order to meet the expences, accepts Joe Gould's (Jim's manager, played superbly by Paul Giamatti) occassional offer to fight -inspite of broken hand. Jim's unfit health makes him lose most of the matches along with the confidence of boxing federation in his abilities. His attempt to fight, despite broken hand angers the big bosses in the fed and forces them to revoke his license to fight. With no money from fights and very rare occassional jobs at the dock, Jim is reduced to depend on government help. Ron squeezes a tear out of the viewers here with Jim's begging at the Boxing Fed Club for a few dollars. At such a difficult time in late 1933 comes an odd chance - to fight world number two heavy weight boxing champion- courtesy Joe.
A second chance to live will not go waste if you have fire in the belly. The win in 1933 is only a first among several more to come. The magical rebirth of 'the bull dog' Jimmy aptly named Cindrella Man peaks with a World Championship fight in 35. Against all odds, Jim pulls off a sensational win in that final fight with the title favourite Baer.
The last fight asserts Ron's mastery in movie making; a gripping narration, slick camera work and fine performances ... good to be real.
posted by kiranpk at 11:07 AM
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