Review of Raging Bull (1980) by Theta S — 20 Apr 2011

For those who haven't seen this film, which included me up until tonight, Raging Bull is the biopic of Jake LaMotta's life predominantly set between 1941 and 1958 and takes in the ups and downs of his boxing career culminating in the capture of the middleweight championship, his volatile relationship with his wife Vickie and his equally volatile relationship with his brother and manager Joey who tries to control Jake's violent and destructive tendencies.

When two people recommended head on that I should watch this film, I had to take notice... it's a pity that it's taken so long.

Martin Scorsese perfectly evokes the 1940's and 1950's period by couching his cinematography in that era and it gives the feel of a film directed in the 40's or 50's, certainly not 1980.

The description that film is art is often overused. With Raging Bull that description is true as Scorcese uses the beautiful Black and White photography and wonderful soundtrack, including the famous theme tune from Paolo Mascagni, to balance out the brutality of LaMotta's world, both in the ring and out.

Robert De Niro physically and emotionally gives a dynamic performance as LaMotta.

Physically he has to portray the fit, young middleweight fighter (which he does convincingly) which later gives way to the larger, over the hill version of the character following his retirement.

Emotionally, he has the tough task of pitching and complimenting the quiet side of his nature, such as when he is seducing Vickie early on in the film, violent rage as epitomised in the fight against Tony Janiro where he disfigures him because of his insecurities as to whether Vickie is cheating on him with other men and paranoia.

If you had to bundle all this up in a scene, you would have to say it was the scene in the prison cell towards the end of the film where bravado turns into quiet resignation, violent headbutting and punching of walls... all of which gives way to a violent primal scream.

The words "acting masterclass" are heavily overused. DeNiro's performance in this film is an acting masterclass.

He is ably complimented by Cathy Moriarty in the role of Vickie who has to move from teenage flirt, to a sexually mature, bordering on predatory, young woman when Jake and Vickie seduce each other, to the victim of his abusive nature - both emotionally and physically and, finally, to the confident woman who divorces Jake after his retirement.

His other main co-star, Joe Pesci, is more known for the character with the violent streak. In this, he's the one who attempts to be the voice of reason to Jake, with varying degrees of success. Pesci's performance is well measured and does not swamp DeNiro's and does not allow it to be swamped - instead you get a wonderfully fleshed out character who compliments his two main co-stars.

All in all, this is a wonderful film that harks back to the classic films of the 40's and 50's, albeit with slightly more "industrial" language.

Thank you Rohit and Niki Soprano for persuading me heavily to see this film all those months ago. Your efforts have not gone in vain.