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Attaboy! Keep him busy!
- One! Two! - You got it!
Three! Four! Five!
Six! Seven!
Eight! Nine!
Ten! Out!
Come here, Jimmy. Get that Sleeping Beauty out of here!
- That’s ten in a row, Jimmy. - A knockout!
At one minute 46 seconds of 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! - How you doing?
- Just a few. Leave ‘em wanting. - Wanna sign my name for me?
Well, at least then they can read it.
You’ve been getting stronger with every fight.
You favor the right, sure, but you got no stage fright.
And you have never been knocked out. You’re in line. That’s all I’m saying.
You’re gonna get your shot.
All right, let me see what we’ve got here.
$886 for Jeanette, $772 for Lou and Whitey.
A thousand bucks 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.
That’s very sweet. You still married to the same girl?
- I was this morning. - Congratulations. I’ll take a rain check.
And would you tell her I undercharged on the gym fees and no load on the towel?
- I’ll be sure to point that out. - I appreciate it.
Would you stop up at the corner here, 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.
I like the sound of that a lot.
- Jimmy. - Yeah?
My sister.
Daddy, did we win?
Yeah, we won. How are ya Alice?
- Good. That’s wonderful, Jimmy. - Hey, Howard.
Thank you.
So, tell me about it.
Was he a real slugger?
You know...
you could come and watch.
No.
You get hit, every time it feels like I’m gettin’ hit too.
And I’m not half as tough as you are.
So...
- Tell me about the girls. - Girls?
- I was at the Garden, it was a fight night... - There was one. There must’ve been one.
No.
- Blonde? - Brunette.
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.
Introducing two-times state Golden Gloves titleholder,
in both the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions,
21 and 0, with 16 wins coming by way of a 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!
Mom, you woke me up.
You kicked the covers off, honey. Go to sleep.
- I can’t find my socks. - Jim.
I’m sorry.
Mama.
- Great. - I’m sorry, baby.
I washed ‘em last night. Took ‘em right off your feet.
- Don’t you remember? - No.
You were out like a light.
How do I keep ‘em this warm?
Mama, I want to eat too.
Mommy’ll get you some, honey.
Hey, Rosy-Rosy. Good morning, good morning.
We got a notice yesterday. Gas and electric.
Come on. Okey-dokey. There we go.
I’ll get the milk.
Well, I think there’s some left over.
Yup.
You know I got that fight tonight at the Armory.
One guy. Abe Feldman.
- It’s 50 bucks, 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?
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 havin’ dinner at the Ritz.
- With Mickey Rooney and George Raft. - Really?
I dreamed I had a steak. A thick, juicy steak.
Like this, Rosy.
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?
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 fathead to a tree, Cheer up, smile, nertz
Here, Jake. Over here.
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.
Not a lot of work today.
See you tomorrow, all right?
Hey, Dad.
- No shifts today, Dad? - What are you doing, son?
I’m being good, I’m being quiet, I’m being ‘have.
Great.
Daddy! Daddy!
- Rosy-cheeks. How you doin’? - 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 tellin’ on him.
It’s from the butcher’s, and he won’t say a word about it. Will you, Jay?
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 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.
Just ‘cause things ain’t easy, that’s no excuse to take what’s not yours, is 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.
- Goon. - 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?
You know what to do. You know this type.
The 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 ‘cause 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.
- Now, that break’s still a few weeks away. - I know.
- You were gonna tell me about this when? - It’s fine.
It’s not fine. No, it’s not. What the hell? You don’t tell me?
I owe everybody money, Joe. I owe everybody money.
I can’t get any shifts. I 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.
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?
He’s up against Hymie Caplin’s latest charge,
- young Abe Feldman from Schenectady. - Six-rounder.
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.
He looks to be the real thing and showed real moxie in his recent win over Birkie.
- Who whipped Latzo? - I did.
Goddamn right. Who KO’d 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 s’posed to pucker our assholes over Feldman?
- The guy couldn’t break wind. - No.
Jimmy, Jimmy. Jimmy.
- Any place 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! - Break, break, break!
The boo-birds have started flying. 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.
Give these yokels a shot in the ass!
Feldman ducks a haymaker, but fails to follow up.
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!
The referee pulls the boys apart, and there’s the bell to end the fifth.
Easy now, easy. Easy, easy.
I saw that.
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 his belly.
Last round. Come on, you gotta show me something.
- You are 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. He’s kinda stupid.
Last round. Last round. Go get him!
The left! The left!
Damn it. I wish he could find his goddamned 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!
No holds, 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.
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.
It’s sad to see a fighter that was once the caliber of James Braddock reduced to this.
It’s all right, Jimmy. It’s all right, it’s all right.
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.
OK. OK. He’s fighting hurt.
Maybe you got fat and happy fighters who can afford to rest between bouts.
- I don’t know. Lucky you. - Christ, he hardly gets a punch in!
Fights being stopped by referees? He’s pathetic!
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.
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 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 broken again in three places.
They said I’m through, Mae. 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 while, and I’ll take in more sewing.
- Mae, I’ll get doubles, triples. - We could make two breadlines a day.
- 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, they won’t pick me. Not the docks or anywhere.
So I’m gonna cover it up- with the shoe polish.
OK?
- I’m sorry. - No.
No.
All right. Five, and only five.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five. That’s it.
- What the hell happened to your face? - I got in a fight.
Yeah? What did you go and do that for?
That’s a good question.
Mike Wilson.
Jim Braddock.
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.
A gambling man’ll 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.
What’s wrong with the goddamn hand?
You see us falling behind, Jake?
He’s all right.
I appreciate it.
I’ll get a cold beer.
- Just a water for me, Quincy. - All I got today, 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.
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 that taxi company. I mean, who loses their dough on cabs in New York City?
Yeah. I thought that one was gold for the grandkiddies.
You know there’s people living in shacks in Central Park? They call it the Hooverville.
This governments 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. We’ll work our 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 lawyer meant 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. Hadn’t thought of that.
Who’s that man at our house?
Excuse me!
- Can I help you? - I’m sorry, lady. You’re past due.
No. No, you can’t.
You can’t. There’s kids.
If I don’t, they let me go.
- They already let two guys go. - Please.
This apartment is what we got left that keeps us hangin’ 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.
Yeah. What happened to those guys?
It’s Howard.
Since this afternoon.
Bless us, O Lord,
and 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 ahead, you no-good bastard!
Go on, then! We don’t need you!
All right. Help me. Pick up some of that wood.
- I got it, Mama. - Let’s go, sweetheart.
Nice and warm.
Baby?
Look at mommy.
Sweet Lord.
Mommy?
What’s wrong?
Nothing, sweetheart.
Mommy will be right back, OK?
Howard’s fever was getting worse,
and then Rosy started to sneeze.
- Where are they, Mae? - Jimmy, we can’t even keep ‘em warm.
Where are the kids?
The boys’ll sleep on the sofa at my father’s. 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. Macdonald...
If we send ‘em away, then all this is for nothing.
- It’s just until... - What else is it for?
If we can’t stay together, we’ve lost, we’ve given up!
I am 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 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.
I’m sorry.
I’m sorry, Jimmy.
What are you doing?
Jim?
Jimmy?
Where are you goin’?
Where are you goin’, Jimmy?
That doesn’t qualify you, sir. What else can you tell me?
My wife is losing all of her teeth.
I got a relief order for her, and 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.
I never thought I’d see you here, Jim.
I want none of my fighters going up against John Henry Lewis.
None of ‘em. This guy’s an animal.
Well, I gotta tell you, he jumped up, kicked his stool out of the ring.
He was furious. He started to holler. 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.
They keep cutting shifts down at the docks.
You just don’t get picked every day.
I sold everything I got to anybody who would buy.
I went on public assistance. I signed on at the relief office. They gave me 19 dollars.
I need another 18 dollars and 38 cents 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.
Jim.
Jimmy.
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, Jim.
How short are you?
About a dollar fifty.
OK.
- We’re home! We’re home! - We’re finally home!
Good.
Hey, all right.
Howard, don’t jump on the bed.
Sorry, Mom. Read to me, Jay.
On his way up and down the stair,
he often paused to sniff, but he never asked for anything...
Happy birthday to you
- Happy birthday, dear Howard - Junior!
- Sarah! - Jean!
Happy birthday to you
- Make a wish, kids. - Blow!
Howard, come on. They’re gonna cut the cake up. You gotta line up.
- Looking forward to some chocolate cake? - I liked it better when we had our own.
I can understand that.
- Hiya, Howard. - Hi.
Did your dad ever tell you 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.
- James. - Excuse me.
Every day, fix the world. How about fixing your family?
What kind of father’s too proud to cross the street ‘cause she can’t have her own cake?
You’re drunk at church, for Christ’s sake.
- Is that a joke, Sara? - I’m just saying it’s enough!
- Hey, guys, where’s the ref? - Stay out of it. It’s between man and wife.
- How do you even call yourself that? - What’d you say to me?
- Get off me. - A couple of drinks, no harm in that.
All washed up, can’t get a fight. Well, you wanna fight me?
Don’t do this. I ain’t got no beef with you.
Come on! Can’t make it in the ring?
Come on, Braddock! I could take your head off. Come on!
Jim, no!
- You OK, baby? You OK? - Get off me.
Go to hell. The both of you.
Jesus, Jim. He wasn’t gonna hit me.
Mike! Wait!
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. 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. - Wanna go play while I talk to Uncle Joe?
Joe Gould.
- Still looking dapper, I see. - Certainly. Gotta keep up appearances.
- Good to see you, Jimmy. - Nice to see you, Joe.
Well, nice day.
Yeah.
You drove all the way out here to talk about the weather?
Maybe I was in the neighborhood. You ever think of that? A little fresh air.
Joe, this is Jersey.
Yeah. Good point. Yeah.
Good point.
I got you a fight.
- Go to hell. - Come on. You want it, don’t you?
Are we gonna tell the Boxing Commission or not?
Yes. And they’ll sanction it. This one fight and one fight only.
- It’s not a comeback. It’s just one fight. - Why?
- ‘Cause of who you’re fighting. - How much?
- Just ask me who you’re fighting. - How much?
250 dollars. 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 favor either. Griffin’s opponent got cut and can’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 who’s never been knocked out.
You’re meat, Jimmy.
- Are you on the level, Joe? - Come on. Always.
- For 250 dollars, I would fight your wife. - Now you’re dreaming.
- And your grandmother. - Teeth in or teeth out?
- Take ‘em out. - Then you’re dead. Down, gone.
- 250 bucks? - 250 bananas. Come here.
Programs here.
45 cents. Programs here.
I mean, for Christ’s sake.
A hundred 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.
You know, I might as well get an Aooga horn and chase him round the ring.
That’s good.
- You been drinking? - Are you trying to hurt my feelings?
Well, 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 here.
What the hell was that?
- They ran out of soup on the line. - Ran out of soup on the line?
How the hell are you supposed to fight on an empty stomach?
Good evening.
Welcome to tonight’s broadcast of the Primo Camera/Max Baer fight
for the heavyweight championship of the world.
Hash is all they had, OK?
- Eat. Quick. - You got a spoon?
For Christ’s sake. It’s not there? We gotta go anyway.
- One bite, Joe. I’ll eat it with my fingers. - Whoa, whoa! Hey, hey!
I don’t have time to retape 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 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 ‘em.
Sporty, save the crap for the customers.
- Who’s Jim Braddock? - Get your pencil out. I got your lead line.
I’m not kidding. Write this down.
The walk from the locker room to the ring was the only time tonight Jim Braddock...
- Looking good, Jimmy! - was seen on his feet. You got that?
Before the championship baffle, 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 Camera in training.
His opponent? Looks like they dug old Jim Braddock out of retirement
for one more fight.
Mike.
- What? - Isn’t that your buddy?
In this corner...
the sensational heavyweight slugger from Fort Benning, Georgia,
who’s punching a path to the top of the division,
John Corn Griffin.
Corn Griffin.
His opponent, the popular battler
who has never been KO’d in more than 80 professional bouts...
- Quincy, beer. We got a fight. - Coming right up.
...from North Bergen, New Jersey,
James J. Braddock.
Braddock!
Yeah!
The skinny from ringside is that Braddock won’t last two rounds.
Griffin is the five-to-one favorite.
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, Jimmy!
Braddock takes a left to the body and a right to the head.
Braddock giving ground now.
Get out of there, Jimmy!
- And Braddock is down! - Shut up. I wanna hear this. Shut up.
Jim? You’re fine, you’re fine, you’re fine. Stay down. Stay down.
- One. Two. - Stay down. What’s the hurry?
- Three. - Hey, listen! Work the left. Try two lefts.
Give him two lefts. Pop, pop.
- Double it up. - Seven.
- Up, up, up, up. Let’s go. - Eight. Nine.
- Braddock, up at nine. - Yeah! Come on, Jimmy!
Referee waving Griffin in.
Move in on that! Nice move!
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 look sensational, they look sweet! He’s loading up on you, see?
He opens up after you jab, and you gotta come in with the right.
Real quick. Pop, pop. Bang.
But you gotta stop some of those left hands.
See any gettin’ past my head?
Keep moving. Pop, pop, bang.
Griffin is still winging big shots. He wants to be the first to stop Braddock.
Another big right hand. Snapped Griffin’s head back with that one.
Griffin loading up.
- Move out! - 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 that? Pop, pop, bang.
- Stick with it. Stick with it. - Busy, busy.
Six minutes of fury so far.
Braddock has the look of a man trying to hold back an avalanche.
Griffin cuts him with the left. Braddock is stepping in postholes.
Keep him in front of you!
Lure him in, Jim.
Jimmy’s finally moving his head.
Pick your spot.
Pop, pop - now!
Griffin is down!
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, Jim!
Knock him back to the goddamn Ozarks!
Griffin is ready to go!
Break it up.
Get back.
Get back to 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.
Settle down, for Christ’s sake!
Jesus H. Christ.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Mary Magdalene, all the saints and mothers and... Jesus!
Did I say Jesus? Where the hell did that come from?
When my hand was broken, I had to work down the docks and I had to use my left.
- So... Well, no, that and luck. - Luck?
- Sheer, dumb-ass Irish luck. - Don’t give me that luck of the Irish crap.
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 bouncy. You went: pop, pop, bang!
Pop, pop, bang!
Unbelievable. Pop, pop, slide.
- 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.
Jesus Christ.
Murder him, Maxie!
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.
Throw him down, Maxie!
Give it to him, Maxie!
Ladies and gentlemen, the new heavyweight champion of the world -
Max Baer!
Come on. He’s home.
I won.
I knew you’d win!
- I knew you’d win! - You won, you won, you won!
Get the silverware.
So, was it like you said? Or are they letting you back in?
No, baby. It was just one fight.
- Jake! Jake! - 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 $123.
We owed $118. Left me with five bucks.
- Makes you a rich man. - 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.
I 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, huh? - I don’t know.
...to determine whether the strikers were willing to submit to arbitration...
Why don’t you go play with the boys, sweetheart? Be careful.
- Hey, Rosy. - Hi, Daddy.
Beep beep! Vroom, vroom.
You know, Joe Gould was just here.
- Yeah, I saw him. - 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 dollars so I can train.
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.
I am. I’m so proud of you.
But we got off easy when you broke that hand.
We’re back to even now.
And nine months from now we’ll be back in the same boat.
Baby, please. We just don’t have anything left to risk.
Hey, hey.
There’s still some juice in these legs and I can still take a few.
Baby, please.
Just let me take ‘em in the ring.
At least I’d know who was hitting me.
I’m gonna go tell the kids.
- Jay. Guess what. - What?
- I got another fight. - Who with?
I don’t know, but he’s goin’ down. Hey, Howard!
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 gettin’ by and you take him from his work like a bloodsucking leech.
And I will not let you get him hurt again like that. Do you hear me? I will not let you.
I guess you’d better come in.
- How is it? - Too sweet. Per usual.
Really? Go figure.
- Yours? - Nice, thanks.
Sorry about that.
Just don’t want folks to see you down, that’s all.
I didn’t know. I mean, I thought that...
Yeah. That’s the idea.
Always keep your hands up.
So...
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.
Really, it’s just the world that’s failed, you know.
It’s a lovely apartment.
Thank you.
Now, what am I gonna go and do that for?
You saw the papers. The News had to print extra copies the day after Braddock’s fight.
People are sentimental. Some people are sentimental.
Yeah? So tell me why I care.
You’re still sore over the way Braddock took down Griffin, fine.
It was a heartbreak- for a lot of people, yes.
But look.
You got an elimination series over who gets a shot at Baer for the championship.
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 gets 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,
you got an old 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 oughta put your mouth in a circus.
What do you say?
Don’t chase him. Go around. Cut him off.
Time!
- I got you a fight. - Who?
You’re gonna fight John Henry Lewis again.
- Joey! I could kiss you. - Please, not in front of the fellas.
- Ain’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.
- Who’s this? Who’s our ass up here? - Joe Gould, Mike Wilson. Mike, Joe.
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.
You got more important things to think about. Come here.
Now, I ain’t gonna bullshit you, all right? You win one, I can get you another.
Win again, and then things maybe start getting serious around here.
Jimmy...
Win.
That’s it.
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. Want to come along?
Come on. Just this once? All right, 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.
- Knock him out, knock him out. - Braddock!
Lewis spins his way up the ropes and looks to resume control at the bell.
There we go. Suck it up, suck it up. Deep breath, deep breath.
- Breathe, breathe. - He’s even faster than I remember.
Yeah, yeah. He’s fast. Big deal. You’re not so bad yourself.
What are you doin’? You beat this guy easy last time.
He ain’t the same guy.
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. 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 slow. He can’t keep up with you.
- How’s that cut? - He’s all right.
Knock the legs out from under him. Trap him in the corner and work him.
Do not fight this fight his way. You make him fight this fight your way.
Let’s go. You got him, you got him.
A left to the body, a right to the head.
A left-right-left by Lewis. His dancing shoes are off. It’s a fight now, folks.
- Work his body! - 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 it!
Don’t give him any room. No room!
- Outta 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. - Getup.
- Two. - Come on. Come on.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
The referee wipes his gloves. Braddock steams back in.
Close it down!
A big right by Braddock. Lewis is a piece of meat and 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. - He’s cracked a couple of ribs for sure.
Lasky walks through those jabs and keeps working on Braddock’s body.
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,
showing why Johnston is making noises about matching him with Baer for the title.
Break it up.
Break clean.
Don’t sit down. You’re not tired. You’re fine.
Get that thing outta here. He don’t need it.
Is he looking over? Shake your head like you don’t need it.
Shake your head like you don’t want it. Yeah.
- Why isn’t he sittin’ down? - Pay attention.
Now he’ll wonder: If Braddock is such an old man, why’s he still standing?
Why’s 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’ll 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 from the inside out!
You hear me? You gotta get in there.
You get in there and hit him and keep hitting until you break his nose.
You fill his face with blood.
Beat him from the inside out, Jim, from the inside out!
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.
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.
Lasky’s wilting under the pressure from the Bulldog of Bergen.
Braddock’s now back on the attack. Another vicious combination by Braddock.
Lasky flowing blood from the nose.
The 15th and final round.
Braddock now looks like the younger fighter.
The Garden is on its feet! Jim Braddock will not be denied!
There’s the bell. This one goes to the scorecards.
And the winner, by unanimous decision,
James J. Braddock!
Thanks, buddy.
- Max? - What?
Max!
Jim Braddock just beat Lasky. They made him the number one contender.
- Max, when are we...? - 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’re gonna bust your contract? It’s done, Max.
There’s Braddock.
Hey, Mrs. Braddock.
- Sara’s here. - 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 organized.
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!
We didn’t do nothing. 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?
We tried to break up these agitators, peaceful like, but they charged us.
- What is this? - Horses got spooked, the wagons tipped.
Three or four of ‘em got run over. They’re hurt pretty bad.
Go away. Come on, move. Move back.
Keep those bastards back.
Get those guys next. The ones who got trampled.
- Hey, Jim. - Mike.
You’re gonna be OK, Mike.
- Tell Sara... Tell her... - I’ll tell Sara.
...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.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil...
Mae. Look up, Mae.
How about it, Pete, yeah? Time-out.
That’s it. Keep your questions short and to the point.
We’re gonna start off with Frank Essex. Frank Essex.
Take it easy, Petey. Jeez. Frank Essex, Daily News.
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.
I have a lot to be grateful for.
I have three beautiful, healthy, troublemaking kids.
And 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.
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.
I said to the kids when I left the house this morning I was gonna bring back the title,
and they thought I said turtle.
So, naturally, I don’t wanna let ‘em down.
But if I could bring back 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?
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 I was on the road, and I had to get that fixed.
Ihad 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.
How about one more question?
- Said downstairs you wanted to see us. - Sure. 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 after.
They’re 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 I’m not getting hung out to dry if something happens to you.
You’re all heart.
My heart’s for my family. My brains and my balls are for business.
- And this is business. You got me? - Got you.
You will know exactly what you’re up against.
And my attorney Mr. Mills will witness I’ve done everything in my power to warn you.
You know, I seen the Camera fight.
- Camera’s height saved him. - He was knocked down 12 times.
Exactly. It 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. - He don’t need to see this.
He’ll see it or I’ll call off the fight.
Do 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?
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 workin’ nights on scaffolds is just as likely to kill a guy?
How many guys died the other night living in cardboard shacks trying to save on rent?
Guys just 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.
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.
You change your mind, at least we got some press out of it.
Good. Come on.
It’s gorgeous. It’s gorgeous.
Jimmy.
- Can we get silver faucets? - What do you want, a dozen?
Listen. A little bird told me to check the evening editions. Let’s see what we got.
Boxer Jim Braddock has come back from the dead
to change the face of courage in our nation.
That’s nice.
- Sporty Lewis wrote that. - Sporty Lewis?
Get this: In a land that’s downtrodden,
Braddock’s comeback is giving hope to every American.
People ready to throw in the towel are finding inspiration in their new hero.
As Damon Runyon has already written,
he’s truly the Cinderella Man.
- Cinderella Man? - Yeah.
I like it.
- It’s kinda girly. - Oh, brother. This is gonna be fun.
- Excuse me. - Jim.
- I’m not quite finished yet. - I beg your pardon, sir.
Thank you.
You know what? I got the bill here.
Johnston, he’s a big spender. He’s gonna leave a big, big tip.
It’s a real peach. Gotta love the guy, right, sweetie?
- Look at this! - This is me.
Jimmy.
Oh, boy.
- You think Johnston set that up? - 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. We’ll take it with us.
- Hey, Joey? - Yeah?
- Get the coats. - Whoa, whoa, Jim.
Jim. Jimmy.
- Well, if it ain’t Cinderella Man. - Thanks for the champagne.
You’re doing great publicizing the fight. I appreciate it.
I hope it’s gonna be a very successful night for both of us.
You keep tellin’ people you’re gonna kill me in the ring.
I got three kids. You’re upsettin’ my family, particularly my wife.
Listen, Braddock.
I’m asking you sincerely not to take this fight.
Now, you seem like a decent fella. People admire you.
I really don’t want to hurt you.
It’s no joke, pal. People die in fairy tales all the time.
- Max! - Jim! How about a shot?
- Smile. - There you go.
- Just smile. - One more.
Yeah, the smart thing’d be for you to take a fall.
Circus act’s over, old man.
- Right here. - Great.
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?
Yeah? Come on. Let’s go, Jim.
Max, my wife Mae.
You oughta talk to him, Mae.
You are far too pretty to be a widow.
- That’s not nice, Max. Not nice. - 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 doin’ his fighting for him.
Yeah. Ain’t she something?
Get me a drink.
OK. Three-punch combo, OK?
Pop, pop, bang. Come on.
Yeah. That’s good.
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.
Yeah, good. Bang.
- I want a turn, Dad. - Where’s the defense? Get your hands up.
I want a turn.
Pop, pop, bang.
Pop, bang, 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, and 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 get ready for bed?
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. - Hey. You just got the jitters.
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?
If things are bad, that we can change ‘em. We can make things better for our family.
But I need you to be safe!
- Nothing’s safe, and without that... - So much!
- Nothing’s safe at all. - 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.
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. The reporters are here. - Jesus.
Right. Get rid of that goddamn rib protector. Jimmy!
Press is here, boyo! 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. Lets go. Lets go.
Let’s go. Come on.
- Look! It’s Braddock! - Jimmy!
There’s Braddock!
Hey, this is your night, Bulldog.
- Give him a good fight, now. - We’re with you, Jimmy!
You’re gonna beat him, Bulldog!
- 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.
- 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 that 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 we’ll do some taping, maybe?
Why not, why not?
Let’s see. How’s that?
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 havin’ a 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’d better go home.
You know, boxers hang around places like this
and you don’t want to get tangled up in that kind of crowd.
A nice girl like you.
OK.
I’ll see you at home.
Please, Jimmy.
I’ll see you at home?
See you at home, baby.
Madison Square Garden Bowl...
the biggest pugilistic event of the year.
Max Baer versus the Cinderella Man - Jimmy Braddock.
In a moment, the contestants for tonight’s bout will be making their way to the ring.
God Almighty.
Jim Braddock’s rise to number one heavyweight contender
has truly been miraculous.
Never in all my years have I seen this arena so quiet.
You can do it, Jimmy!
James J. Braddock, the Cinderella Man,
who just a year ago was standing in a bread line.
Braddock’s a tremendous underdog with the betters,
but you wouldn’t know it from the crowd’s reaction.
People buying tickets looked as if they were spending their last dollar.
But they’re here now, and 35,000 strong. Listen to them!
We understand Max Baer has left his dressing room. There he is.
Baer has the look and swagger of a Hollywood star.
Tonight there’ll be no playacting, not with Braddock in the ring. This fight is for real.
The table’s been set: let’s get to the main course.
Gentlemen, I gave you the rules in the dressing room.
- One minute to midnight, Cinderella. - Your clock’s about ticked down, asshole.
Tell laughing boy no backhanding.
- No holding and hitting on the breakaway. - No low blows.
- Tell this bohunk no manhandling. - Watch your language, you nasty little shit.
- Holy mackerel, it talks! Look at that. - Keep your hands up at all times.
Touch gloves and come out fighting. Good luck. Go to your corners.
I’ll kick his Mick balls up to the roof of his mouth. That oughta taste familiar.
Come on, Jimmy boy!
Come on, boys. Get some pictures here. Come on!
You can do this. This guy is made for you.
Have a picnic, all right?
There’s the bell, and the fight is on.
The boys come out and immediately Braddock shoots a left to Max’s jaw.
That’s it. Take it right to him, Jimmy.
Now, now.
He snaps Braddock’s head back with two uppercuts.
It’s always the question of which Max will show up in the first round- killer or clown?
It looks like he’s enjoying himself, mugging for the crowd.
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 Jim in the first round.
That right hand is dynamite, especially with his man on the ropes.
He’s gonna carry him for a couple of rounds.
Break it up. Break it up, I said!
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.
And then slip inside of there and shorten up the punches, right?
Shorten ‘em up. That’s your turf. Inside is yours.
- Put him down, Braddock! - Come on, Braddock!
Well, no one expected Braddock to go past the first round.
- Stay inside of him. - The experts were wrong again.
- Shorten ‘em up! - There’s the bell. The second round.
Now add some salt on it!
Braddock lands a hard right to the head. Max swats him away with utter contempt.
He appears to be toying with Braddock. There’s no other word for it.
Struts around the ring without a care in the world.
Sharp and vicious. Clip it, short. Good.
Knock that out.
And Max responds with swinging rights and lefts. All power punches from Maxie.
Braddock comes back with a vicious right to the head.
Cover up. Cover up.
Is that the right spot, Jimmy?
Break it up. Make it clean.
How are those ribs?
OK. All right. Take it easy. Just breathe.
- Deep breaths. Relax. - Good rhythm.
You’re looking great out there, Jimmy. You look great.
Hey, Jim? Jim?
If he goes for your body, drop the elbows on him.
Teach him a lesson. Break his goddamn hand.
That round was tough to score. Braddock landed several 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.
Jimmy comes in there with a hard right, then neatly slides up to Baer’s left.
Avoiding the counterpunch, Jimmy sticks a jab.
Now the crowd is jeering and even laughing at the champ,
and Maxie’s none too pleased.
All right, break it. Break. Break, break.
Baer backhands Braddock across the face. That’ll cost Maxie.
- You lousy shaygitz! - That’s a warning, Max.
I’m sorry.
- Hows that wife of yours? - Break!
- Does she talk about me? - Break off the wrastling. Break it up.
Quit fooling around, Max.
- Low blow! - Keep ‘em up.
Wake up, you wet son of a bitch!
Max salutes the crowd. He’s one of a kind, folks.
Say my name in her sleep?
Baer took a chinful of Braddock’s head in that clinch.
That’s it! Work his body!
She miss me?
Baer grips Braddock’s head in a headlock.
Hey, Max! You gonna punch him or pork him?
That’s your job, asshole.
Jimmy fights his way free, gets a shot to the head.
You kidding me? You watching this?
You’re gonna get hurt.
Braddock keeps punching. They hammer each other toe-to-toe.
Keep your hands up and mouth shut.
You watching the fight, or the cute guy in the front row?
Take a seat, Maxie. He’s nothin’, nobody. The guy has got nothin’.
Jesus. Sit down.
Give me the sponge.
- What are you doin’? - Don’t worry about it.
- Quit screwing around. - Relax.
Give me the goddamn water.
Ten seconds!
Hit this guy. Hit him! Hit him!
Cut him down to size!
Shit.
In the seventh, the boys come out again.
And Max is all business now.
- Get him! - Come on!
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.
Jesus Christ.
Baer with a tremendous shot. That was the hardest blow in the fight.
Baer pounds him again, with another right to the head.
Push him, push him!
Braddock gets in a vicious uppercut.
- Baer keeps on punching. - Johnny!
That’s enough. Break it up, break it up.
You’re gonna go home in butcher paper.
Butcher paper!
All right, let me see that nose.
Get it out, get it out. Let me see it, Jim.
That’s nothing. That’s a piece of cake.
Keep your head up, breathe through your mouth. Breathe, breathe.
All your ugly friends are down from Jersey. They dressed up nice, came to see you.
You’re putting ‘em to sleep. You’re not turning him anymore, Jimmy.
Come on, pick it up. Spit that out, boyo.
Good boy. Good boy, good boy.
Good boy. Come on.
The boys go after each other immediately.
- Braddock gets in a left to the body and... - Mae.
It’s the cops.
Braddock stumbles away. Baer tries that right again.
They come together. Braddock swings a left and a right.
Please, Ma.
Braddock sticks out a left. Baer still after him.
Another left, and a hard right! That’s knocked Baer for a moment.
Baer tries that right again.
A hard right to Braddock’s head. Braddock is hurt. His legs are gone.
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.
Jim? Look at me.
I swear to God, boyo. Win, lose or draw...
Thanks, Joey. For all of it.
Son of a bitch. All right? Stop talking. Get in there!
And bury him!
Come on, Jimmy!
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.
You stay with him! Son of a bitch!
Braddock with a shoeshine. Left-right, left-right!
- Am I seeing what I’m seeing? - Finish him, Jimmy, finish him!
Braddock! Braddock!
Maxie’s glamour-boy smile is now a bloody grimace.
This crowd is definitely hoping for a Braddock victory.
But Mr. Baer might have something to say about that.
Holy crap!
Low blow!
Jesus!
- Hey! Why not just kick him in the balls? - Joe, back in your corner.
What are you afraid of, you son of a bitch?
- Come on, ref. - Jesus Christ!
McAvoy is on the verge of losing control of this fight.
Knock him on the ground, Bulldog!
- Last round. - That’s right! Next champ!
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 to stay away from his right.
Do you understand me? Stay away.
Right hand.
You’re behind. Are you listening to me?
You wanna lose the championship to this goddamn nobody?
This is your night.
Stay away.
Put him down! Put him down!
Use the right hand, right hand.
This is it. This is your shot.
- Ten seconds! - Finish him.
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. McAvoy is at center ring, waiting for the fighters to join him.
Touch gloves.
The boys touch gloves at center ring. And now they’re right back at it!
No, Jimmy!
Leave him alone!
Stay away from him! That ain’t laying back!
Braddock’s corner is yelling at him to stay away from Baer,
who’s looking for the knockout.
Stay off him, Jim. Come on.
Right hand, Max!
What is he, stupid?
Step away, step away!
trying to survive this brutal onslaught.
Stay off him!
Looking good, Maxie!
That’s the uppercut. Stay the hell away from it.
Baer cutting loose with thunderous shots.
A left to the body. Baer, again with the 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.
Baer smashes him with a big right.
Braddock is back on the ropes.
Braddock lands a crushing right!
Maxie desperately wants to keep the crown from slipping away.
Jesus Christ!
Stay with him.
Both fighters are tired.
Baer is trying wildly for the knockout.
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! - Son of a bitch.
There’s the bell! It’s over! This fight is over!
Son of a bitch!
What a fight! Unbelievable!
Braddock came into this fight the biggest underdog in pugilistic history.
For 15 rounds he gave it everything he had
against the younger, stronger champion.
We are waiting for the decision.
It’s over.
McAvoy. McAvoy.
- What? - Help me out. How’d you score the fight?
- Nine-five, one even. - Which way?
- You have to read it in the papers, Sporty. - No, come on!
What the hell is this crap?
They take this long to make a decision, they’re gonna decide to screw someone.
- Make a decision! - They’re gonna rob this poor bastard.
Unbelievable bullshit.
Come on, make a decision here!
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.
We’ll have to wait and see how the judges scored it.
Ladies and gentlemen,
we have your decision.
It’s unanimous.
Winner and the new world champion,
James J. Braddock!
You son of a bitch.
Jim Braddock has defeated Max Baer
for the heavyweight championship of the world!
He won!
You earned it. Hell of a fight.
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