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''Raging Bull'' is a 1980 American
biographical A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or c ...
sports drama film directed by
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, inclu ...
, produced by
Robert Chartoff Robert Irwin Chartoff (August 26, 1933 – June 10, 2015) was an American film producer and philanthropist. Early life and education Chartoff was born on August 26, 1933 in New York City, the son of Bessie and William Chartoff. His family was J ...
and
Irwin Winkler Irwin Winkler (born May 28, 1931) is an American film producer and director. He is the producer or director of over 58 motion pictures, dating back to 1967's '' Double Trouble'', starring Elvis Presley. The fourth film he produced, '' They Shoot ...
and adapted by Paul Schrader and Mardik Martin from Jake LaMotta's 1970 memoir '' Raging Bull: My Story''. The film, distributed by United Artists, stars Robert De Niro as Jake LaMotta, an Italian-American middleweight boxer whose self-destructive and obsessive rage, jealousy and animalistic appetite destroyed his relationship with his wife and family. Also featured in the film are
Joe Pesci Joseph Frank Pesci ( , ; born February 9, 1943) is an American actor and musician. He is known for portraying tough, volatile characters in a variety of genres and for his collaborations with Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese in the films ''Rag ...
as
Joey Joey may refer to: People *Joey (name) Animals * Joey (marsupial), an infant marsupial * Joey, a Blue-fronted Amazon parrot who was one of the Blue Peter pets Film and television * ''Joey'' (1977 film), an American film directed by Horace ...
, LaMotta's brother, and
Cathy Moriarty Cathy Moriarty (born November 29, 1960) is an American actress and singer whose career spans over 40 years. For her work in Martin Scorsese's 1980 film ''Raging Bull'', she received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress ...
as Vikki, his wife.
Nicholas Colasanto Nicholas Colasanto (January 19, 1924 – February 12, 1985) was an American actor and television director who is best known for his role as "Coach" Ernie Pantusso in the American television sitcom ''Cheers''. He served in the United States Nav ...
,
Theresa Saldana Theresa Saldana (August 20, 1954 – June 6, 2016) was an American actress, activist, and writer. She is known for her role as Rachel Scali, the wife of Police Commissioner Tony Scali, in the 1990s television series ''The Commish'', for which sh ...
and
Frank Vincent Frank Vincent Gattuso Jr. (April 15, 1937 – September 13, 2017) was an American actor. During a five-decade career, Vincent often portrayed mobsters. He was a frequent collaborator of filmmaker Martin Scorsese, appearing as Salvy in ''Raging B ...
play supporting roles in the film. Scorsese was initially reluctant to develop the project, though he eventually came to relate to LaMotta's story. Schrader re-wrote Martin's first screenplay, and Scorsese and De Niro together made uncredited contributions thereafter. Pesci was an unknown actor prior to the film, as was Moriarty, who was suggested for her role by Pesci. During principal photography, each of the boxing scenes was choreographed for a specific visual style and De Niro gained approximately to portray LaMotta in his later post-boxing years. Scorsese was exacting in the process of editing and mixing the film, expecting it to be his last major feature. ''Raging Bull'' premiered in New York on November 14, 1980 and was released in theaters on December 19, 1980. The film had a lukewarm box office of $23.4 million against its $18 million budget. The film received mixed reviews upon its release; while De Niro's performance and the editing were widely acclaimed, it garnered criticism due to its violent content. Despite the mixed reviews, the film was nominated for eight
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
at the
53rd Academy Awards The 53rd Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released in 1980 and took place on March 31, 1981, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles beginning at 7:00 p. ...
(tying with '' The Elephant Man'' as the most nominated film of the ceremony), including
Best Picture This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress# ...
and
Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * BAF ...
, and won two:
Best Actor Best Actor is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actors in a film, television series, television film or play. The term most often refers to the ...
for De Niro (his second Oscar) and Best Editing. After its release, ''Raging Bull'' went on to garner high critical praise, and is now considered one of the
greatest films ever made This is a list of films considered the best in national and international surveys of critics and the public. Some surveys focus on all films, while others focus on a particular genre or country. Voting systems differ, and some surveys suffe ...
. In 1990, it became the first film to be selected in its first year of eligibility for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant", and the
American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Leade ...
ranked it as the fourth-greatest American movie of all time.


Plot

In 1964, an aging, overweight Italian American, Jake LaMotta, practices a comedy routine. In 1941, LaMotta is in a major boxing match against Jimmy Reeves, where he suffered his first loss. Jake's brother, Joey LaMotta, discusses a potential shot for the middleweight title with one of his Mafia connections, Salvy Batts, but Jake repeatedly refuses the mafia's help. Some time thereafter, Jake spots a fifteen-year-old girl named Vickie at an open-air swimming pool in his
Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
neighborhood. He eventually pursues a relationship with her, even though he is already married. In 1943, Jake defeats
Sugar Ray Robinson Walker Smith Jr. (May 3, 1921 – April 12, 1989), better known as Sugar Ray Robinson, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1940 to 1965. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. He is often regarded ...
, and has a rematch three weeks later. Despite the fact that Jake dominates Robinson during the bout, the judges surprisingly rule in favor of Robinson and Joey feels Robinson won only because he was enlisting into the
Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
the following week. By 1945, Jake marries Vickie. Jake constantly worries about Vickie having feelings for other men, particularly when she makes an off-hand comment about
Tony Janiro Tony Janiro (born Anthony Gianiro; February 2, 1926 – February 21, 1985) was an American middleweight boxer from Youngstown, Ohio. Janiro never won a championship, although he faced many of the top fighters of his era. Despite his reputat ...
, Jake's opponent in his next fight. His jealousy is evident when he brutally defeats Janiro in front of the local
Mob boss A crime boss, also known as a crime lord, Don, gang lord, gang boss, mob boss, kingpin, godfather, crime mentor or criminal mastermind, is a person in charge of a criminal organization. Description A crime boss typically has absolute or nearl ...
, Tommy Como, and Vickie. As Joey discusses the victory with journalists at the Copacabana, he is distracted by seeing Vickie approach a table with Salvy and his crew. Joey speaks with Vickie, who says she is giving up on his brother. Blaming Salvy, Joey viciously attacks him in a fight that spills outside of the club. Como later orders them to apologize, and has Joey tell Jake that if he wants a chance at the championship title, which Como controls, he will have to take a dive first. In a match against Billy Fox, after briefly pummeling his opponent, Jake does not even bother to put up a fight. He is suspended shortly thereafter from the board on suspicion of throwing the fight, though he realizes the error of his judgment when it is too late. He is eventually reinstated, and in 1949, wins the middleweight championship title against Marcel Cerdan. A year later, Jake asks Joey if he fought with Salvy at the Copacabana because of Vickie. Jake then asks if Joey had an affair with her; Joey refuses to answer, insults Jake, and leaves. Jake directly asks Vickie about the affair, and when she hides from him in the bathroom, he breaks down the door, pushing her to sarcastically state that she had sex with the entire neighborhood (including Joey, Salvy and Tommy) out of exhaustion, exclaiming "What do you want me to say!?". Jake angrily walks to Joey's house, with Vickie following him, and assaults Joey in front of Joey's wife Lenora and their children before knocking Vickie unconscious. After defending his championship belt in a grueling fifteen-round bout against
Laurent Dauthuille Laurent Dauthuille (20 February 1924 – 10 July 1971) was a French boxer. Arriving in Montreal in the late 1940s, he was nicknamed the ''Tarzan of Buzenval.'' During his career Dauthuille beat notable fighters such as Jake LaMotta, Steve Be ...
in 1950, he makes a call to his brother after the fight, but when Joey assumes Salvy is on the other end and starts insulting and cursing at him, Jake says nothing and hangs up. Estranged from Joey, Jake's career begins to decline slowly and he eventually loses his title to Sugar Ray Robinson in their final encounter in 1951. By 1956, Jake and his family have moved to Miami. After he stays out all night at his new nightclub there, Vickie tells him she wants a divorce (which she has been planning since his retirement) as well as full custody of their kids. She also threatens to call the police if he comes anywhere near them. He is later arrested for introducing under-age girls to men in his club. He tries and fails to bribe his way out of his criminal case using the jewels from his championship belt instead of selling the belt itself. In 1957, he goes to jail, sorrowfully questioning his misfortune and crying in despair. Upon returning to New York City in 1958, he happens upon Joey, who forgives him but is elusive. Again in 1964, Jake now recites the "I coulda been a contender" scene from the 1954 film '' On the Waterfront'', where Terry Malloy complains that his brother should have been there for him but is also keen enough to give himself some slack. After a stagehand informs him that the auditorium where he is about to perform is crowded, Jake starts to chant "I'm the boss" while
shadowboxing Shadowboxing is a combat sport exercise in which a person throws punches at the air as though there is an opponent. Practised primarily in boxing, it is used mainly to prepare the muscles before the person training engages in stronger physical ...
.


Cast


LaMotta's opponents


Production


Development

''Raging Bull'' came about when De Niro read the autobiography upon which the film is based on the set of ''
The Godfather Part II ''The Godfather Part II'' is a 1974 American epic crime film produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The film is partially based on the 1969 novel ''The Godfather'' by Mario Puzo, who co-wrote the screenplay with Coppola. ''Part II'' s ...
''. Although disappointed by the book's writing style, he became fascinated by the character of Jake LaMotta. He showed the book to Martin Scorsese on the set of ''
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore ''Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore'' is a 1974 American comedy drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Robert Getchell. It stars Ellen Burstyn as a widow who travels with her preteen son across the Southwestern United States in se ...
'' in the hope that he would consider the project.Biskind, Peter, ''Easy Riders, Raging Bulls'', 1999, p. 254. Scorsese repeatedly turned down the opportunity to direct the film, claiming he had no idea what ''Raging Bull'' was about, even though he had read some of the text. Never a sports fan, when he found out what LaMotta used to do for a living, he said, "A boxer? I don't like boxing...Even as a kid, I always thought that boxing was boring... It was something I couldn't, wouldn't grasp." His overall opinion of sport in general is, "Anything with a ball, no good."Biskind, Peter ''Easy Riders, Raging Bulls'' 1998, p. 378. The book was then passed onto Mardik Martin, the film's eventual co-screenwriter, who said "the trouble is the damn thing has been done a hundred times before—a fighter who has trouble with his brother and his wife and the mob is after him". The book was even shown to producers Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler by De Niro, who were willing to assist only if Scorsese agreed.Biskind, Peter, ''Easy Riders, Raging Bulls'', 1998, p. 315. After nearly dying from a drug overdose, Scorsese agreed to make the film, not only to save his own life but also to save his career. Scorsese began to relate very personally to the story of Jake LaMotta, and in it he saw how the boxing ring can be "an allegory for whatever you do in life", which for him paralleled moviemaking, "you make movies, you're in the ring each time."Thompson, David and Christie, Ian, ''Scorsese on Scorsese'', pp. 76/77.Friedman Lawrence S. ''The Cinema of Martin Scorsese'', 1997, p. 115.Phil Villarreal. "Scorsese's 'Raging Bull' is still a knockout", ''The Arizona Daily Star'' (Tucson, AZ), February 11, 2005, p. E1.Kelly Jane Torrance. "Martin Scorsese: Telling stories through film", ''The Washington Times'' (Washington, D.C.), November 30, 2007, p. E1. Preparation for the film began with Scorsese shooting some 8 mm color footage featuring De Niro boxing in a ring. One night when the footage was being shown to De Niro, Michael Chapman, and his friend and mentor, the British director Michael Powell, Powell pointed out that the color of the gloves at the time would have only been maroon, oxblood, or even black. Scorsese decided to use this as one of the reasons to film ''Raging Bull'' in black and white. Other reasons would be to distinguish the film from other color films around the time and to acknowledge the problem of fading color film stock—an issue Scorsese recognized.Biskind, Peter, ''Easy Riders, Raging Bulls'', 1998, p. 389.Total Film, ''The 100 greatest films of all time'', pp. 180–181.Thompson, David and Christie, Ian, ''Scorsese on Scorsese'', p. 80. Scorsese went to two matches at Madison Square Garden to aid his research, picking up on minor but essential details such as the blood sponge and later, the blood on the ropes (which would later be used in the film). According to the brief comments on the inlay card of the Raging Bull DVD, Scorsese was not—and still is not—a fan of sports or boxing, which he describes as boring. When he saw the blood-soaked sponges being dipped in a bucket, he recalls thinking to himself, 'And they call this sport.'


Screenplay

Under the guidance of Chartoff and Winkler, Mardik Martin was asked to start writing the screenplay.Biskind, Peter ''Easy Riders, Raging Bulls'' 1998, p. 379. According to De Niro, under no circumstances would United Artists accept Martin's script.Biskind, Peter ''Easy Riders, Raging Bulls'' pp. 384–385 The story was based on the vision of journalist Pete Hamill of a 1930s and 1940s style, when boxing was known as "the great dark prince of sports". De Niro was unimpressed when he finished reading the first draft, however.Baxter John ''De Niro A Biography'', pp. 186–189. '' Taxi Driver'' screenwriter Paul Schrader was swiftly brought in to rewrite the script around August 1978. Some of the changes that Schrader made to the script included a rewrite of the scene with the uncooked steak and inclusion of LaMotta seen masturbating in a Florida cell. The character of LaMotta's brother, Joey, was finally added, previously absent from Martin's script. United Artists saw a massive improvement on the quality of the script. However, its chief executives,
Steven Bach Steven Bach (April 29, 1938 – March 25, 2009) was an American writer and lecturer on film and a former senior vice-president and head of worldwide productions for United Artists studios. Career Starting out at Pantheon Films he worked on ''The P ...
and David Field, met with Scorsese, De Niro, and producer
Irwin Winkler Irwin Winkler (born May 28, 1931) is an American film producer and director. He is the producer or director of over 58 motion pictures, dating back to 1967's '' Double Trouble'', starring Elvis Presley. The fourth film he produced, '' They Shoot ...
in November 1978 to say they were worried that the content would be
X-rated An X rating is a rating used in various countries to classify films that have content deemed suitable only for adults. It is used when the violent or sexual content of a film is considered to be potentially disturbing to general audiences. Aust ...
material and have no chance of finding an audience. According to Scorsese, the script was left to him and De Niro, and they spent two-and-a-half weeks on the island of Saint Martin extensively re-building the content of the film. The most significant change would be the entire scene when LaMotta fixes his television and then accuses his wife of having an affair. Other changes included the removal of Jake and Joey's father; the reduction of organized crime's role in the story and a major re-write of LaMotta's fight with Tony Janiro.Biskind, Peter ''Easy Riders, Raging Bulls'', p. 390.Baxter, John ''De Niro A Biography'', p. 193. They were also responsible for the end sequence where LaMotta is all alone in his dressing room quoting the "I could have been a contender" scene from '' On the Waterfront''. An extract of ''
Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Battl ...
'' had been considered but Michael Powell thought it would be a bad decision within the context of an American film. According to Steven Bach, the first two screenwriters (Martin and Schrader) would receive credit, but since there was no payment to the writer's guild on the script, De Niro and Scorsese's work would remain uncredited.


Casting

One of Scorsese's trademarks was casting many actors and actresses new to the profession.Evans, Mike ''The Making of Raging Bull'', p. 65. De Niro, who was already committed to play Jake LaMotta, began to help Scorsese track down unfamiliar names to play his on-screen brother, Joey, and wife, Vikki.Evans, Mike ''The Making of Raging Bull'', p. 61.Baxter, John ''De Niro A Biography'' pp. 196–201 The role of Joey LaMotta was the first to be cast. De Niro was watching a low budget television film called '' The Death Collector'' when he saw the part of a young career criminal played by
Joe Pesci Joseph Frank Pesci ( , ; born February 9, 1943) is an American actor and musician. He is known for portraying tough, volatile characters in a variety of genres and for his collaborations with Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese in the films ''Rag ...
(then an unknown and struggling actor) as an ideal candidate. Prior to receiving a call from De Niro and Scorsese for the proposal to star in the film, Pesci had not worked in film for four years and was working at an Italian restaurant in New Jersey. The role of Vikki (respelled as Vickie in the final film), Jake's second wife, had interest across the board, but it was Pesci who suggested actress
Cathy Moriarty Cathy Moriarty (born November 29, 1960) is an American actress and singer whose career spans over 40 years. For her work in Martin Scorsese's 1980 film ''Raging Bull'', she received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress ...
from a picture he once saw at a New Jersey disco. Both De Niro and Scorsese believed that Moriarty, then 18, could portray the role after meeting with her on several occasions and noticing her husky voice and physical maturity. The duo had to prove to the
Screen Actors Guild The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was an American labor union which represented over 100,000 film and television principal and background performers worldwide. On March 30, 2012, the union leadership announced that the SAG membership voted to mer ...
that she was right for the role when Cis Corman showed 10 comparing pictures of both Moriarty and the real Vikki LaMotta for proof she had a resemblance. Moriarty was then asked to take a screen test which she managed—partly aided with some improvised lines from De Niro—after some confusion wondering why the crew were filming her take. Joe Pesci also persuaded his former show-biz pal and co-star in '' The Death Collector'',
Frank Vincent Frank Vincent Gattuso Jr. (April 15, 1937 – September 13, 2017) was an American actor. During a five-decade career, Vincent often portrayed mobsters. He was a frequent collaborator of filmmaker Martin Scorsese, appearing as Salvy in ''Raging B ...
, to try for the role of Salvy Batts. Following a successful audition and screen test, Vincent received the call to say he had received the part.Evans, Mike, ''The Making of Raging Bull'', pp. 65/66.
Charles Scorsese Luciano Charles Scorsese (May 8, 1913August 23, 1993) was an American film actor. He was the father of filmmaker Martin Scorsese . Biography Scorsese was born in New York City, the son of Teresa and Francesco Scorsese, Sicilian immigrants fro ...
, the director's father, made his film debut as Tommy Como's cousin, Charlie. While in the midst of practicing a Bronx accent and preparing for his role, De Niro met both LaMotta and his ex-wife, Vikki, on separate occasions. Vikki, who lived in Florida, told stories about her life with her former husband and also showed old home movies (that later inspired a similar sequence to be done for the film).Baxter, John, ''De Niro: A Biography'', p. 192. Jake LaMotta, on the other hand, served as his trainer, accompanied by
Al Silvani Al Silvani (April 26, 1910 – January 10, 1996) was an American boxing trainer and actor. As one of the most sought-after trainers in the business, Silvani trained over twenty world champions, including Jake LaMotta, Henry Armstrong, Carmen B ...
as coach at the Gramercy club in
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * ...
, getting him into shape. The actor found that boxing came naturally to him; he entered as a middleweight boxer, winning two of his three fights in a Brooklyn ring dubbed "young LaMotta" by the commentator. According to Jake LaMotta, De Niro was one of the top 20 best middleweight boxers of all time.


Principal photography

According to the production mixer, Michael Evje, the film began shooting at the Los Angeles Olympic Auditorium on April 16, 1979. Grips hung huge curtains of black
duvetyne Duvetyne, or duvetyn, (also known as Molton and Rokel) is a twill fabric with a velvet-like nap on one side. It may be woven from cotton, wool, or—in rare cases, mainly in the early 20th century—silk. Duvetyne has a matte finish and its ...
on all four sides of the ring area to contain the artificial smoke used extensively for visual effect. On May 7, the production moved to the
Culver City Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. Founded in 1917 as a "whites only" sundown town, it is now an ethnically diverse city with what was called the "third-most d ...
Studio, Stage 3, and filmed there until the middle of June. Scorsese made it clear during filming that he did not appreciate the traditional way in films of showing fights from the spectators' view. He insisted that one camera operated by the Director of Photography, Michael Chapman, would be placed inside the ring as he would play the role of an opponent keeping out of the way of other fighters so that viewers could see the emotions of the fighters, including those of Jake. The precise moves of the boxers were to be done as dance routines from the information of a book about dance instructors in the mode of
Arthur Murray Arthur Murray (born Moses Teichman, April 4, 1895 – March 3, 1991) was an American ballroom dancer and businessman, whose name is most often associated with the dance studio chain that bears his name. Early life and start in dance Arthur Mur ...
. A punching bag in the middle of the ring was used by De Niro between takes before he aggressively came straight on to do the next scene.Thompson and Christie, ''Scorsese on Scorsese'', pp. 83–84. The initial five-week schedule for the shooting of the boxing scenes took longer than expected, putting Scorsese under pressure. According to Scorsese, production of the film was then closed down for around four months with the entire crew being paid, so De Niro could go on a binge eating trip around northern Italy and France. When he did come back to the United States, his weight had increased from 145 to 215 pounds (66 to 97 kg). The scenes with the heftier Jake LaMotta—which include announcing his retirement from boxing and LaMotta ending up in a Florida cell—were completed while approaching Christmas 1979 within seven to eight weeks so as not to aggravate the health issues which were already affecting De Niro's posture, breathing, and talking.Baxter, John, ''The Making of Raging Bull'', p. 83. According to Evje, Jake's nightclub sequence was filmed in a closed-down San Pedro club on December 3. The jail cell head-banging scene was shot on a constructed set with De Niro asking for minimal crew to be present—there was not even a boom operator. The final sequence where Jake LaMotta is in front of his mirror was filmed on the last day of shooting, requiring 19 takes, with only the 13th being used for the film. Scorsese wanted to have an atmosphere that would be so cold that the words would have an impact as he tries to come to terms with his relationship with his brother.


Post-production

The editing of ''Raging Bull'' began when production was temporarily put on hold and was completed in 1980. Scorsese worked with the editor,
Thelma Schoonmaker Thelma Schoonmaker (; born January 3, 1940) is an American film editor, known for her over five decades of work with frequent director Martin Scorsese. She started working with Scorsese on his debut feature film ''Who's That Knocking at My Door' ...
, to achieve a final cut of the film. Their main decision was to abandon Schrader's idea of LaMotta's nightclub act interweaving with the flashback of his youth and instead they just followed along the lines of a single flashback where only scenes of LaMotta practicing his stand-up would be left bookending the film.Evans, Mike ''The Making of Raging Bull'', p. 90. A sound mix arranged by Frank Warner was a delicate process taking six months. According to Scorsese, the sound on ''Raging Bull'' was difficult because each punch, camera shot, and flash bulb would be different. Also, there was the issue of trying to balance the quality between scenes featuring dialogue and those involving boxing (which were done in Dolby Stereo). ''Raging Bull'' went through a test screening in front of a small audience including the chief executives of United Artists,
Steven Bach Steven Bach (April 29, 1938 – March 25, 2009) was an American writer and lecturer on film and a former senior vice-president and head of worldwide productions for United Artists studios. Career Starting out at Pantheon Films he worked on ''The P ...
and Andy Albeck. The screening was shown at the MGM screening room in New York around July 1980. Later, Albeck praised Scorsese by calling him a "true artist". According to the producers Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler, matters were made worse when United Artists decided not to distribute the film but no other studios were interested when they attempted to sell the rights. Scorsese made no secret that ''Raging Bull'' would be his "
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...
swan song" and he took unusual care of its rights during post-production. Scorsese threatened to remove his credit from the film if he was not allowed to sort a reel which obscured the name of a whisky brand known as "
Cutty Sark ''Cutty Sark'' is a British clipper ship. Built on the River Leven, Dunbartonshire, River Leven, Dumbarton, Scotland in 1869 for the Jock Willis Shipping Line, she was one of the last Clipper, tea clippers to be built and one of the fastest, c ...
" which was heard in a scene. The work was completed only four days shy of the premiere.Baxter, John ''De Niro A biography'', p. 204. In 2012, ''Raging Bull'' was voted by the
Motion Picture Editors Guild The Motion Picture Editors Guild (MPEG; IATSE Local 700) is the guild that represents freelance and staff motion picture film and television editors and other post-production professionals and story analysts throughout the United States. The Moti ...
as the best-edited film in history.


Copyright litigation

Paula Petrella, heir to Frank Petrello whose works were allegedly sources for the film, filed for copyright infringement in 2009 based on MGM's 1991 copyright renewal of the film. In 2014, the Supreme Court held, in '' Petrella v. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.,'' that Petrella's suit survived MGM's defense of " laches", the legal doctrine that protects defendants from unreasonable delays by potential plaintiffs. The case was remanded to lower courts, meaning that Petrella could receive a decision on the merits of her claim. MGM settled with Petrella in 2015.


Reception


Box office

The brew of violence and anger, combined with the lack of a proper advertising campaign, led to the film's lukewarm box office intake of only $23 million, when compared to its $18 million budget. By the time it left theaters, it only earned $10.1 million in theatrical rentals (equivalent to $ million in ). Scorsese became concerned for his future career and worried that producers and studios might refuse to finance his films. According to
Box Office Mojo Box Office Mojo is an American website that tracks box-office revenue in a systematic, algorithmic way. The site was founded in 1998 by Brandon Gray, and was bought in 2008 by IMDb, which itself is owned by Amazon. History Brandon Gray beg ...
, the film grossed $23,383,987 in domestic theaters (equivalent to $ in ).


Critical response

When it first premiered in
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * ...
on November 14, 1980, the initial release of ''Raging Bull'' was met with polarized reviews, but the film would later be met with widespread critical acclaim and is widely regarded as one of Scorsese's best works.Biskind, Peter ''Easy Riders, Raging Bulls'' 1999, p.399. On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 93% based on 85 reviews, with an average rating of 8.90/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Arguably Martin Scorsese's and Robert De Niro's finest film, ''Raging Bull'' is often painful to watch, but it's a searing, powerful work about an unsympathetic hero." Metacritic rates the movie 89 out of 100 based on 27 reviews which represents "universal acclaim". Jack Kroll of '' Newsweek'' called ''Raging Bull'' the "best movie of the year".
Vincent Canby Vincent Canby (July 27, 1924 – October 15, 2000) was an American film and theatre critic who served as the chief film critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1969 until the early 1990s, then its chief theatre critic from 1994 until his death in ...
of '' The New York Times'' said that Scorsese "has made his most ambitious film as well as his finest" and went on to praise Moriarty's debut performance saying: "either she is one of the film finds of the decade or Mr. Scorsese is
Svengali Svengali () is a character in the novel ''Trilby'' which was first published in 1894 by George du Maurier. Svengali is a man who seduces, dominates and exploits Trilby, a young half-Irish girl, and makes her into a famous singer. Definition ...
. Perhaps both."Evans, Mike ''The Making of Raging Bull'' pp. 124–129 '' Time'' praised De Niro's performance since "much of ''Raging Bull'' exists because of the possibilities it offers De Niro to display his own explosive art". Steven Jenkins from the
British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
's (BFI) magazine, ''Monthly Film Journal'', said "''Raging Bull'' may prove to be Scorsese's finest achievement to date".


Accolades

The Oscars were held the day after President Ronald Reagan was shot by
John Hinckley John Warnock Hinckley Jr. (born May 29, 1955) is an American man who attempted to assassinate U.S. President Ronald Reagan in Washington, D.C. on March 30, 1981, two months after Reagan's first inauguration. Using a .22 caliber revolver, Hinc ...
, who did it as an attempt to impress Jodie Foster, who played a child prostitute in another of Scorsese's famous films, '' Taxi Driver'' (which also starred De Niro). Out of fear of being attacked, Scorsese went to the ceremony with
FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, t ...
bodyguards disguised as guests who escorted him out before the announcement of the
Academy Award for Best Picture The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since the awards debuted in 1929. This award goes to the producers of the film and is the only category ...
was made (the winner being Robert Redford's '' Ordinary People''). The Los Angeles Film Critics Association voted ''Raging Bull'' the best film of 1980 and De Niro best actor. The National Board of Review also voted De Niro best actor and Pesci best supporting actor. The
Berlin International Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the fes ...
chose ''Raging Bull'' to open the festival in 1981. The 2012
Parajanov-Vartanov Institute The Parajanov-Vartanov Institute is an American film organization based in Los Angeles, California, that works to study, preserve and promote the legacy of filmmakers Sergei Parajanov Sergei Parajanov, ka, სერგო ფარაჯა� ...
Award honored screenwriter Mardik Martin "for the mastery of his pen on iconic American films" ''Mean Streets'' and ''Raging Bull''.


Legacy

By the end of the 1980s, ''Raging Bull'' had cemented its reputation as a
modern classic A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or highest quality, class, or rank – something that exemplifies its class. The word can be an adjective (a '' ...
. It was voted the best film of the 1980s in numerous critics' polls and is regularly pointed to as both Scorsese's best film and one of the finest American films ever made.Walker, John Halliwell's Top 1000, The Ultimate Movie Countdown 2005, p. 561. Several prominent critics, among them
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
, declared the film to be an instant classic and the consummation of Scorsese's earlier promise. Ebert proclaimed it the best film of the 1980s, and one of the ten greatest films of all time. The film has been deemed "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1990. ''Raging Bull'' was listed by '' Time'' magazine as one of the '' All-TIME 100 Movies''. '' Variety'' magazine ranked the film number 39 on their list of the 50 greatest movies. ''Raging Bull'' was fifth on '' Entertainment Weekly's'' list of the 100 Greatest Movies of All Time. The film tied with ''
The Bicycle Thieves ''Bicycle Thieves'' ( it, Ladri di biciclette; sometimes known in the United States as ''The Bicycle Thief'') is a 1948 Italian neorealist drama film directed by Vittorio De Sica. It follows the story of a poor father searching in post-World Wa ...
'' and ''
Vertigo Vertigo is a condition where a person has the sensation of movement or of surrounding objects moving when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. This may be associated with nausea, vomiting, sweating, or difficulties w ...
'' at number 6 on '' Sight & Sound'' 2002 poll of the greatest movies ever. When ''Sight & Sound'' directors' and critics' lists from that year are combined, ''Raging Bull'' gets the most votes of any movie that has been produced since 1975. In 2002,
Film4 Film4 is a British free-to-air television network owned by Channel Four Television Corporation launched on 1 November 1998, devoted to broadcasting films. While its standard-definition channel is available on Freeview and Freesat platforms, i ...
held a poll of the 100 Greatest Movies, on which ''Raging Bull'' was voted in at number 20. ''
Halliwell's Film Guide Robert James Leslie Halliwell (23 February 1929 – 21 January 1989) was a British film critic, encyclopaedist and television rights buyer for ITV, the British commercial network, and Channel 4. He is best known for his reference guides, '' Fil ...
'', a British film guide, placed ''Raging Bull'' seventh in a poll naming their selection for the "Top 1,000 Movies". '' TV Guide'' also included the film on their list of the 50 best movies. '' Movieline'' magazine included the film on its list of the 100 best movies. Leonard Maltin included ''Raging Bull'' on his ''100 Must-See Films of the 20th Century'' list. ''Video Detective'' also included the film on its list of the top 100 movies of all time.
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
named "Robert De Niro's transformation from sleek boxer to paunchy nightclub owner in ''Raging Bull''" as one of the ''100 Greatest Movie Moments''. The
National Society of Film Critics The National Society of Film Critics (NSFC) is an American film critic organization. The organization is known for its highbrow tastes, and its annual awards are one of the most prestigious film critics awards in the United States. In January 2014, ...
ranked it #75 on their ''100 Essential Films'' list. '' Rolling Stone'' magazine ranked it #6 on their list of the ''100 Maverick Movies in the Last 100 Years''. A 1997 readers poll conducted by the '' L.A. Daily News'' ranked the film #64 on a list of the greatest American movies. The Writers Guild of America named the film as the 76th best screenplay of all time. ''Raging Bull'' is #7 on '' Time Out Film Guide's'' "Centenary Top 100" list, and it also tied at #16 (with ''
Lawrence of Arabia Thomas Edward Lawrence (16 August 1888 – 19 May 1935) was a British archaeologist, army officer, diplomat, and writer who became renowned for his role in the Arab Revolt (1916–1918) and the Sinai and Palestine Campaign (1915–1918 ...
'') on their 1998 readers poll. In 2008, ''
Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
'' magazine held a poll of ''The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time'', taking votes from 10,000 readers, 150 film makers, and 50 film critics in which ''Raging Bull'' was placed at number 11. It was also placed on a similar list of 1000 movies by '' The New York Times''. In 2010, ''
Total Film ''Total Film'' is a British film magazine published 13 times a year (published monthly and a summer issue is added every year since issue 91, 2004, which is published between July and August issue) by Future Publishing. The magazine was launched i ...
'' selected the film as one of ''The 100 Greatest Movies of All Time''.
FilmSite.org Filmsite is a film-review website established in 1996 by senior editor and film critic-historian Tim Dirks, and continues to be managed and edited by him for over two decades. Overview The site contains over 300 detailed reviews of English langu ...
, a subsidiary of
American Movie Classics AMC is an American multinational basic cable television channel that is the flagship property of AMC Networks. The channel's programming primarily consists of theatrically released films, along with a limited amount of original programming. The ...
, placed ''Raging Bull'' on their list of the 100 greatest movies. Additionally, Films101.com ranked the film as the 17th best movie of all time in a list of the 10,790 most notable. In 2012, the
Motion Picture Editors Guild The Motion Picture Editors Guild (MPEG; IATSE Local 700) is the guild that represents freelance and staff motion picture film and television editors and other post-production professionals and story analysts throughout the United States. The Moti ...
listed the film as the best-edited film of all time based on a survey of its membership. In the 2012 ''Sight & Sound'' polls, it was ranked the 53rd-greatest film ever made in the critics' poll and 12th in the directors' poll. Contemporaries of Scorsese, like Francis Ford Coppola, have included it routinely in their lists for favorite films of all time. In 2015, ''Raging Bull'' ranked 29th on
BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
's "100 Greatest American Films" list, voted on by film critics from around the world.


American Film Institute recognition

* AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies: #24 in the 1998 list and #4 in the 2007 list."AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies"
.
American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Leade ...
. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
* AFI's 100 Years... 100 Thrills: #51"AFI's 100 Years... 100 Thrills"
.
American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Leade ...
. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
* AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition): #4 *
AFI's 10 Top 10 ''AFI's 10 Top 10'' honors the ten greatest American films in ten classic film genres. Presented by the American Film Institute (AFI), the lists were unveiled on a television special broadcast by CBS on June 17, 2008. In the special, various act ...
: #1 Sports


Soundtrack

Martin Scorsese decided to assemble a soundtrack made of music that was popular at the time using his personal collection of 78s. With the help of
Robbie Robertson Jaime Royal "Robbie" Robertson, OC (born July 5, 1943), is a Canadian musician. He is best known for his work as lead guitarist and songwriter for the Band, and for his career as a solo recording artist. With the deaths of Richard Manuel in ...
, the songs were carefully chosen so they would be the ones that a person would hear on the radio, at the pool or in bars and clubs which reflected the mood of that particular era.Thompson, David and Christie, Ian ''Scorsese on Scorsese'' p. 83.Evans, Mike ''The Making of Raging Bull'' p. 88. Some lyrics from songs would also be slipped into some dialogue. The
Intermezzo In music, an intermezzo (, , plural form: intermezzi), in the most general sense, is a composition which fits between other musical or dramatic entities, such as acts of a play or movements of a larger musical work. In music history, the term ha ...
from ''
Cavalleria rusticana ''Cavalleria rusticana'' (; Italian for "rustic chivalry") is an opera in one act by Pietro Mascagni to an Italian libretto by Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci, adapted from an 1880 short story of the same name and subsequent play b ...
'' by Italian composer Pietro Mascagni would serve as the main theme to ''Raging Bull'' after a successful try-out by Scorsese and the editor,
Thelma Schoonmaker Thelma Schoonmaker (; born January 3, 1940) is an American film editor, known for her over five decades of work with frequent director Martin Scorsese. She started working with Scorsese on his debut feature film ''Who's That Knocking at My Door' ...
, over the film's opening titles. Two other Mascagni pieces were used in the film: the
Barcarolle A barcarolle (; from French, also barcarole; originally, Italian barcarola or barcaruola, from ''barca'' 'boat') is a traditional folk song sung by Venetian gondoliers, or a piece of music composed in that style. In classical music, two of th ...
from ''
Silvano Silvano may refer to: * Silvano (name) * Silvano (surname) * ''Silvano'' (opera), an 1895 opera by Pietro Mascagni * Da Silvano Da Silvano was an Italian restaurant in the New York City borough of Manhattan's West Village neighborhood known for ...
'', and the Intermezzo (''Ratcliff's Dream'') from '' Guglielmo Ratcliff''. A two-CD soundtrack was released in 2005, long after the film was released, because of earlier difficulties obtaining rights for many of the songs, which Scorsese selected from his childhood memories growing up in New York.


Unauthorized sequel

In 2006, '' Variety'' reported that Sunset Pictures was developing a sequel entitled ''Raging Bull II: Continuing the Story of Jake LaMotta'', chronicling LaMotta's early life, as told in the sequel novel of the same name. Filming began on June 15, 2012 with William Forsythe as an older LaMotta and Morjean Aria as the younger version (before the events of the first film). The film, directed by Martin Guigui also stars
Joe Mantegna Joseph Anthony Mantegna (, ; born November 13, 1947) is an American actor. Mantegna began his career on stage in 1969 in the Chicago production of the musical ''Hair''. He earned a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play and a Joseph Jeff ...
,
Tom Sizemore Thomas Edward Sizemore Jr. (; born November 29, 1961) is an American actor and producer. He is known for his supporting roles in films such as '' Born on the Fourth of July'' (1989), ''Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man'' (1991), ''Passenger ...
,
Penelope Ann Miller Penelope Ann Miller (born Penelope Andrea Miller; January 13, 1964), sometimes credited as Penelope Miller, is an American actress. She began her career on Broadway in the 1985 original production of ''Biloxi Blues'' and received a Tony Award no ...
,
Natasha Henstridge Natasha Tonya Henstridge (born August 15, 1974) is a Canadian actress and model. In 1995, she came to prominence with her debut role in the science-fiction thriller ''Species'', followed by performances in ''Species II'' and '' Species III''. She ...
,
Alicia Witt Alicia Roanne Witt (born August 21, 1975) is an American actress, singer and pianist. She first came to fame as a child actress after being discovered by David Lynch, who cast her in ''Dune'' (1984) and ''Twin Peaks'' (1990). Witt had a critica ...
, Ray Wise, Harry Hamlin, and
James Russo James Vincent Russo (born April 23, 1953) is an American film and television actor. He has appeared in over 150 films in three decades. Early life Russo was born in New York City, New York, to an Italian father and German mother. A graduate of ...
as
Rocky Graziano Thomas Rocco Barbella (January 1, 1919 – May 22, 1990), better known as Rocky Graziano, was an American professional boxer and actor who held the World Middleweight title. Graziano is considered one of the greatest knockout artists in boxing hi ...
. In July 2012,
MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...
, owners of United Artists, filed a lawsuit against LaMotta and the producers of ''Raging Bull II'' to keep the new film from being released. The former party argued that they have rights to make any authorized sequel to the original book, which goes back to an agreement LaMotta and co-author Peter Savage made with Chartoff-Winkler, producers of the original film. In addition, MGM argues that the defendants are publicly claiming the film to be a sequel to the original film, which could most likely "tarnish" its predecessor's reputation. In August 2012, the producers retitled the film '' The Bronx Bull'', disassociating itself as a sequel to ''Raging Bull'', and the lawsuit was subsequently dropped.Patten, Dominic
"MGM Settles 'Raging Bull II' Lawsuit With Movie Name Change."
''Deadline Hollywood'' (August 1, 2012). Retrieved on August 2, 2012.


Notes


References

* * * *


External links

* * * *

at
FilmSite.org Filmsite is a film-review website established in 1996 by senior editor and film critic-historian Tim Dirks, and continues to be managed and edited by him for over two decades. Overview The site contains over 300 detailed reviews of English langu ...
* * * *
Raging Bull: American Minotaur
an essay by Robin Robertson at
The Criterion Collection The Criterion Collection, Inc. (or simply Criterion) is an American home-video distribution company that focuses on licensing, restoring and distributing "important classic and contemporary films." Criterion serves film and media scholars, cinep ...

Raging Bull: Never Got Me Down
an essay by
Glenn Kenny Glenn Kenny (born August 8, 1959) is an American film critic and journalist. He writes for '' The New York Times'' and ''RogerEbert.com''. Biography Kenny attended William Paterson University, where he majored in English literature.
at The Criterion Collection * ''Raging Bull'' essay by Daniel Eagan i
''America's Film Legacy: The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National Film Registry''
A&C Black, 2010 , pages 768–770. {{Authority control 1980 films 1980 drama films 1980s American films 1980s biographical drama films 1980s English-language films 1980s sports drama films American biographical drama films American black-and-white films American boxing films BAFTA winners (films) Biographical films about sportspeople Cultural depictions of American men Cultural depictions of boxers Cultural depictions of Joe Louis Films about domestic violence Films about Italian-American culture Films based on memoirs Films directed by Martin Scorsese Films featuring a Best Actor Academy Award-winning performance Films featuring a Best Drama Actor Golden Globe winning performance Films partially in color Films produced by Irwin Winkler Films produced by Robert Chartoff Films set in Cleveland Films set in Miami Films set in Michigan Films set in New York City Films set in the 1940s Films set in the 1950s Films set in the 1960s Films set in 1941 Films set in 1943 Films set in 1944 Films set in 1945 Films set in 1946 Films set in 1947 Films set in 1949 Films set in 1950 Films set in 1951 Films set in 1956 Films set in 1957 Films set in 1958 Films set in 1964 Films shot in Los Angeles Films whose editor won the Best Film Editing Academy Award Films with screenplays by Paul Schrader Sports films based on actual events United Artists films United States National Film Registry films