DKosty123 When I was growing up, Rocky Grazino had a brand of sausage in our local grocery store. I did not know the story behind the face on the package. It took me a long time to see it.After watching this film, it appears Sylvester Stallone stole his story for Rocky from this real life Rocky. He proved how bad Hollywood marketing was in the 1950's as if this one had been titled Rocky, it would have made more money.The real Rocky G endorsed this as a pretty much accurate account of his life. I am not sure if James Dean would have done a better job than Paul Newman does here. Dean died in a car accident a few months before this was filmed.This one does have a lot of the same props as Stallone's effort but in this case there is more realism. This real Rocky from New York City was a hero to kids and fans alike. He got involved with scandal and he grew up in a rough gang neighborhood. He is portrayed as a high strung but honest worker who deserves a lot of respect. This movie gives him that. At least Stallone's Rocky punched hanging beef. Grazianos sausage is not in evidence here.

LeonLouisRicci Much of the Success that can be Found in this Biopic of Hoodlum Turned Middleweight Champ Rocky Graziano, must go to Director Robert Wise. His Decision to Film only the Night Scenes at the Studio and the Daytime Scenes on Location, add a Noirish Look and Enhances the Films Success.Paul Newman is OK Playing the Larger than Life Boxer and Manages to keep just a Heartbeat from Caricature. The Outstanding Supporting Cast is Highlighted by Pierre Angeli and Everett Sloane with Good Work from everyone else, contribute to the overall Verismillitude, Dramatized Sure, but Not too Much.The Fight Scenes are Great and Work just Fine and the Editing throughout the Picture is Excellent Moving things along at a Stunning Pace. Everything Comes Together to make this a Fine Fight Film.Made Paul Newman a Star. It Set the Box-Office Champ on a Career and He Never Looked Back. The whole Production Team seems to be On the Same Card and They Made this an Above Average Boxing Movie and a Very Good Movie Overall.

Jim Marchese According to his second autobiography published in 1981, Rocky Graziano was paid $200,000 for the rights to make this movie. Perry Como does a memorable job singing the theme while Sammy Cahn wrote the lyrics.The story portrays Rocco Barbella, a young Italian boy who grew up on the East Side of New York during the 1920's and 1930's. During this era life was extremely difficult for Italian immigrant families as they could not get decent jobs which were already taken by other ethnic nationalities who had preceded their arrival in America.Young Rocco was always loyal to his family and especially his mother (played by Eileen Heckart.) Long before his teen years, faced with an abusive alcoholic father and extreme poverty, Rocco learns the way of the streets. He becomes a bona fide hoodlum in the process. In reality, many of his friends and enemies from this era wound up in Sing Sing's electric chair.Eileen Heckart plays a superb role as Ma Ida Barbella, a religious, worry stricken mother who refuses to give up on her difficult son. Harold Stone plays an excellent role as Rocky's father Nick Barbella, whose main resolve is in a wine bottle.We see Rocky as he finally hits rock bottom, a point from which the only way is back up. Coupled with his girlfriend and future bride Norma (played by Pier Angeli,) Rocky takes on the world of professional boxing and shows a talent with great potential. (It should be noted that Rocky was rated as one of the best punchers in middleweight history by Ring Magazine.) I'm critical about some of the early fight scenes; but in all fairness the ones toward the end are extremely well done.The most important thing to remember about the story is that Rocky "turned the leaf" against huge odds; and not doing so might have landed him in the death house at Sing Sing. And so it follows that Somebody up there really did like him ! Great story.

MartinHafer Rocky Graziano was a very, very flawed guy to say the least. To be more blunt, until he settled into a career in boxing, he was an antisocial jerk--a blight on society. However, as was the case with most older bio-pics (such as "The Birdman of Alcatraz" and "The Sound of Music"), in order to make a more marketable flick, the truth was often very, very malleable--as the writers took such huge liberties with the facts that the original of the film was hardly recognizable. And, since Rocky was not a very likable guy, I expected a whitewash with this film. Fortunately, the writers stuck reasonably close to the truth and Paul Newman puts in his first excellent performance (after his disaster in "The Silver Chalice").The film begins with a lovely man (Harold Stone) forcing his young boy to fight. He slaps the little kid around horribly--and it was obvious the father was a complete jerk. From this sort of upbringing, it's understandable why the kid grew up angry (in reality, the father would bit his two sons against each other in boxing matches for his friends to watch--and Rocky's older brother usually beat the snot out of him). This portion of the film shows the many stupid and self-defeating things Rocky did before switching to a life in boxing. Stealing, violence, prison and a stint in military prison--all make up this sordid portion of the movie. To see just how Rocky manages to pull it all together, watch the film.Overall, well-written and with a very likable performance from Newman. This isn't exactly "Raging Bull" but it is well worth seeing.