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Raging Bull
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Raging Bull (1980) More at IMDbPro »

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Lawrence of Arabia (1962) -- AFI's 10 Top 10 - The 10 Greatest Films in 10 Classic Genres
Raging Bull (1980) -- CineMagia.ro - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 6% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Martin Scorsese
Writers:
Jake LaMotta (based on the book by) and
Joseph Carter (with) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Raging Bull on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
19 December 1980 (USA) more
Genre:
Biography | Drama | Sport more
Plot:
An emotionally self-destructive boxer's journey through life, as the violence and temper that leads him to the top in the ring, destroys his life outside it. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won 2 Oscars. Another 19 wins & 16 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(129 articles)
Birthday Suits: The Blonde and the Bookish
 (From FilmExperience. 29 November 2009, 4:00 AM, PST)
Surrealist artwork from The Red Shoes to go on display
 (From The Guardian - Film News. 20 November 2009, 7:31 AM, PST)
User Comments:
Easy to Admire, Difficult to Love more (395 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Robert De Niro ... Jake La Motta
Cathy Moriarty ... Vickie La Motta

Joe Pesci ... Joey
Frank Vincent ... Salvy
Nicholas Colasanto ... Tommy Como
Theresa Saldana ... Lenore
Mario Gallo ... Mario

Frank Adonis ... Patsy
Joseph Bono ... Guido
Frank Topham ... Toppy

Lori Anne Flax ... Irma
Charles Scorsese ... Charlie - Man with Como
Don Dunphy ... Himself - Radio Announcer for Dauthuille Fight
Bill Hanrahan ... Eddie Eagan
Rita Bennett ... Emma - Miss 48's
James V. Christy ... Dr. Pinto
Bernie Allen ... Comedian
Floyd Anderson ... Jimmy Reeves - Reeves Fight
Gene LeBell ... Ring Announcer - Reeves Fight (as Gene Lebell)
Harold Valan ... Referee - Reeves Fight
Victor Magnotta ... Fighting Soldier - Reeves Fight
Johnny Barnes ... Sugar Ray Robinson - First Robinson Fight
John Thomas ... Trainer - First Robinson Fight
Kenny Davis ... Referee - First Robinson Fight
Paul Carmello ... Ring Announcer - First Robinson Fight
Jimmy Lennon Sr. ... Ring Announcer - Second Robinson Fight and Dauthuille Fight (as Jimmy Lennon)
Bobby Rings ... Referee - Second Robinson Fight
Kevin Mahon ... Tony Janiro - Janiro Fight
Marty Denkin ... Referee - Janiro Fight (as Martin Denkin)

Shay Duffin ... Ring Announcer - Janiro Fight
Eddie Mustafa Muhammad ... Billy Fox - Fox Fight
'Sweet' Dick Whittington ... Ring Announcer - Fox Fight

Jack Lotz ... Referee - Fox Fight
Kevin Breslin ... Heckler - Fox Fight
Louis Raftis ... Marcel Cerdan - Cerdan Fight
Frank Shain ... Ring Announcer - Cerdan Fight
Coley Wallace ... Joe Louis - Cerdan Fight
Fritzie Higgins ... Woman with Vickie - Cerdan Fight
George Latka ... Referee - Cerdan Fight

Fred Dennis ... Cornerman #1 - Cerdan Fight
Robert B. Loring ... Cornerman #2 - Cerdan Fight
Johnny Turner ... Laurent Dauthuille - Dauthuille Fight
Vern De Paul ... Dauthuille's Trainer - Dauthuille Fight
Chuck Hassett ... Referee - Dauthuille Fight
Ken Richards ... Reporter at Phone Booth - Dauthuille Fight
Peter Fain ... Dauthuille Corner Man - Dauthuille Fight
Billy Varga ... Ring announcer - Third Robinson Fight (as Count Billy Varga)
Harvey Parry ... Referee - Third Robinson Fight
Ted Husing ... Himself - Third Robinson Fight Announcer (voice) (archive footage)

Michael Badalucco ... Soda Fountain Clerk
Thomas Beansy Lobasso ... Beansy
Paul Forrest ... Monsignor
Peter Petrella ... Johnny
Sal Serafino Tomassetti ... Webster Hall Bouncer

Geraldine Smith ... Janet

Mardik Martin ... Copa Waiter
Maryjane Lauria ... Girl #1
Linda Artuso ... Girl #2
Peter Savage ... Jackie Curtie
Daniel P. Conte ... Detroit Promoter
Joe Malanga ... Bodyguard
Sabine Turco Jr. ... Bouncer at Copa
Steve Orlando ... Bouncer at Copa
Silvio García Jr. ... Bouncer at Copa
John Arceri ... Maitre 'D
Joseph A. Morale ... Man at Table #1
James Dimodica ... Man at Table #1
Robert Uricola ... Man Outside Cab
Andrea Orlando ... Woman in Cab
Allan Malamud ... Reporter at Jake's House
D.J. Blair ... State Attorney Bronson
Laura James ... Mrs. Bronson
Richard McMurray ... J.R.
Mary Albee ... Underage I.D. Girl
Lisa Katz ... Woman with I.D. Girl
Candy Moore ... Linda
Richard A. Berk ... Musician #1
Theodore Sauners ... Musician #2
Noah Young ... Musician #3
Nick Trisko ... Bartender Carlo
Lou Tiano ... Ricky
Bob Evan Collins ... Arresting Deputy #1
Wally K. Berns ... Arresting Deputy #2 (as Wally Berns)
Allen Joseph ... Jeweler (as Allan Joseph)
Bob Aaron ... Prison Guard #1
Glenn Leigh Marshall ... Prison Guard #2

Martin Scorsese ... Barbizon Stagehand
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Vincent Barbi ... New Yorker (uncredited)
Joseph Bergmann ... Sailor at Ballroom (uncredited)
Scott Crawford ... Photographer (uncredited)
Bruno DiGiorgi ... Soda Fountain Clerk #2 (uncredited)
Marty Farrell ... Heckler in Bar (uncredited)
Bobby Giordano ... New Yorker (uncredited)
Charles Guardino ... New Yorker (uncredited)

Chuck Hicks ... Cornerman (uncredited)
Michael Charles Hill ... Boxing Fan (uncredited)
Leonard B. John ... New Yorker (uncredited)
Angelo Lamonea ... Cornerman (uncredited)
Walt La Rue ... Cornerman (uncredited)

Tony Lip ... Patron at Nightclub (uncredited)
Bill Mazer ... Reporter (uncredited)
Mike Miles ... Sparring Partner (uncredited)
Thomas Murphy ... J.R.'s Friend (uncredited)

Dennis O'Neill ... Dancer (uncredited)
Gil Perkins ... Cornerman (uncredited)
Gene Allan Poe ... Audie Murphy (uncredited)

Jerry Schram ... Party Dancer (uncredited)

John Turturro ... Man at Webster Hall Table (uncredited)

McKenzie Westmore ... Jake's Daughter (uncredited)

Jimmy Williams ... Reporter (uncredited)
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Directed by
Martin Scorsese 
 
Writing credits
Jake LaMotta  based on the book by (as Jake La Motta) and
Joseph Carter  with &
Peter Savage  with

Paul Schrader (screenplay) and
Mardik Martin (screenplay)

Produced by
Robert Chartoff .... producer
Hal W. Polaire .... associate producer
Peter Savage .... produced in association with
Irwin Winkler .... producer
 
Cinematography by
Michael Chapman (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Thelma Schoonmaker 
 
Casting by
Cis Corman 
 
Set Decoration by
Phil Abramson 
Frederic C. Weiler  (as Fred Weiler)
Carl Biddiscombe (uncredited)
 
Costume Design by
John Boxer 
Richard Bruno 
 
Makeup Department
Verne Caruso .... hairstylist
Mary Keats .... hairstylist
Mike Maggi .... makeup artist
Mona Orr .... hairstylist
Jean Burt Reilly .... hairstylist
Michael Westmore .... makeup creator
Allen Payne .... hair stylist (uncredited)
 
Production Management
James D. Brubaker .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Henry Bronchtein .... dga trainee
Elie Cohn .... second assistant director
Jerry Grandey .... first assistant director
Joan Van Horn .... second assistant director (as Joan Feinstein)
Allan Wertheim .... first assistant director
Robert Barth .... second assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
Terry L. Adams .... assistant property master
Kirk Axtell .... art director: Los Angeles
Hank Bauer .... chief carpenter
Emily Ferry .... property master
Sheldon Haber .... art director: New York
William Lowry .... construction grip (as William J. Lowry Sr.)
Gene Ludvigsen .... construction foreman
Alan Manser .... art director: Los Angeles
Jack Mortellaro .... set dresser
Eugene Powell .... scenic artist
Gene Rudolf .... production designer: New York
Thomas Saccio .... property master (as Tom Saccio)
Hans Swanson .... assistant property master
Louis S. Toth Jr. .... head construction grip (as Lou Toth Jr.)
Linda Conaway-Parsloe .... assistant art director (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Michael Evje .... sound mixer
Gary S. Gerlich .... sound effects editor
Walter A. Gest .... recordist (as Walter Gest)
Richard Guinness .... boom operator
David J. Kimball .... re-recording engineer
Les Lazarowitz .... sound mixer
Victoria Martin .... assistant sound effects editor
Donald O. Mitchell .... re-recording engineer
Bill Nicholson .... re-recording engineer
Gary Ritchie .... recordist
Robert Sciretta .... cableman
Murray Siegel .... cableman
Chester Slomka .... sound effects editor
Pat Suraci .... boom operator
Frank E. Warner .... sound effects supervising editor (as Frank Warner)
Bill Wylie .... sound effects editor (as William J. Wylie)
Ken Dufva .... foley artist (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
Raymond Klein .... special effects
Max E. Wood .... special effects
 
Stunts
Jimmy Nickerson .... stunt coordinator (as Jim Nickerson)
Steven Burnett .... stunts (uncredited)
David Copeland .... stunt double (uncredited)
Bennie Moore .... stunts (uncredited)
Konrad Sheehan .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Dustin Blauvelt .... first assistant cameraman
Peter J. Breen .... dolly grip
Robert Connors .... best boy (as Robert Conners)
Rick Fee .... second assistant cameraman (as Richard Fee)
Henry Fusco .... best boy
Tom Gilligan .... best boy
Edward Gold .... camera operator (as Eddie Gold)
Brian Hamill .... still photographer
Christine M. Loss .... still photographer (as Christine Loss)
Bruce MacCallum .... second assistant cameraman (as Bruce McCallum)
Joe R. Marquette Jr. .... camera operator (as Joe Marquette)
Ray Mendez .... gaffer
Robert Miller .... key grip
Barry Ping .... best boy
Richard Quinlan .... gaffer
Ed Quinn .... key grip
Eddie Ramirez .... first assistant cameraman (as Ed Ramirez)
Ricki-Ellen Brooke .... second assistant camera: "b" camera (uncredited)
Vincent Donohue .... rigging grip (uncredited)
Don E. FauntLeRoy .... first assistant camera (uncredited)
Albert Hood .... electrician (uncredited)
Joe Kelly .... grip (uncredited)
Gábor Kövér .... assistant camera (uncredited)
 
Casting Department
Gail Kaszynski .... casting assistant
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
William Loger .... costumer (as Bill Loger)
Betty M. Nowell .... costumer
Marilyn Putnam .... costumer
Dean Skipworth .... costumer
Andrea E. Weaver .... costumer (as Andrea Weaver)
 
Editorial Department
Craig Bassett .... assistant editor
Donah Bassett .... negative cutter
Mellissa Bretherton .... assistant editor
Lisa Zeno Churgin .... assistant editor (as Lisa Churgin)
Jeffrey Friedman .... assistant editor (as Jeff Friedman)
Yoshio Kishi .... associate editor
John Mavros .... assistant editor
Michael R. Miller .... assistant editor (as Michael Miller)
Susan E. Morse .... associate editor
Sonya Polonsky .... first assistant editor
Erik T. Ramberg .... associate editor
Mary Scott .... assistant editor
Karen I. Stern .... assistant editor (as Karen Stern)
George Trirogoff .... associate editor
Mark Warner .... associate editor
William Chartoff .... apprentice editor (uncredited)
 
Music Department
Jim Henrikson .... music editor
Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna .... musician
 
Transportation Department
George Alden .... transportation captain
Ed Arter .... transportation captain (as Edward D. Arter)
Tom O'Brien .... transportation captain
 
Other crew
Tim Athan .... production assistant
Dale Benson .... location manager
Marion Billings .... publicist
William Chartoff .... production assistant (as Billy Chartoff)
Bud Conley .... craft service
Christopher Cronyn .... location manager (as Chris Cronyn)
Janet Crosby .... assistant to producers
Jean De Niro .... production assistant
Lenay Drucker .... assistant to associate producer
Donna Gigliotti .... assistant: Mr. Scorsese
June Rachel Guterman .... production assistant (as June Guterman)
Jim Henry .... black and white timer
Mary Hickey .... production assistant
Rob Hummel .... special assistance
Lori Imbler .... assistant to producers
Moira Kelly .... production office coordinator
Jake LaMotta .... consultant (as Jake La Motta)
Kyle McCarthy .... assistant to associate producer (as Kyle Mc Carthy)
Emmet Murphy .... special assistance
Gloria Norris .... research
Dan Perri .... title designer
Janice M. Pieroni .... production assistant (as Janice Pieroni)
Lydia Resurreccion .... production accountant
Mark Rubin .... production assistant
Gene Rudolf .... visual consultant: Los Angeles
Hannah Scheel .... script supervisor
Deborah Schindler .... assistant: Mr. Scorsese
Steve Schottenfeld .... production assistant
Meryle Selinger .... production accountant
Al Silvani .... boxing technical advisor
Shawn Slovo .... assistant: Mr. De Niro
Donna Smith .... production office coordinator
Marie Sorell .... first aid
Helene Spinner .... production office coordinator
David Ticotin .... production assistant
Rachel Ticotin .... production assistant
Johanne Todd .... assistant: Mr. De Niro
Frank Topham .... technical advisor
Charles Winkler .... production assistant
Todd Coleman .... personal assistant: Mr. De Niro (uncredited)
Mark Del Costello .... personal assistant: Mr. Scorsese (uncredited)
Michael Neale .... location manager (uncredited)
Marty Eli Schwartz .... location manager (uncredited)
Michael E. Uslan .... production attorney (uncredited)
 
Thanks
Haig Manoogian .... acknowledgement: remembering teacher, May 23, 1916 - May 26, 1980, with love and resolution, Marty. (as Haig P. Manoogian)
Budd Schulberg .... acknowledgement: excerpts taken from the screenplay of "On the Waterfront"
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
129 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White | Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Certification:
Portugal:M/16 | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Australia:M | Australia:MA (DVD rating) | Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | Brazil:16 | Philippines:R-18 | Spain:18 (1st DVD Edition) | New Zealand:R18 | Argentina:18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Chile:18 | Denmark:15 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Israel:16 | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (re-rating) (2000) | UK:18 (video rating) (1986) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R (certificate #26171) | West Germany:16 (bw)
Filming Locations:
Culver Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA more
Company:
United Artists more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Ranked #1 on the American Film Institute's list of the 10 greatest films in the genre "Sports" in June 2008. more
Goofs:
Continuity: when Jake is in the bathroom pouring ice water down his pants, the bruise on his eye has disappeared more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Jake La Motta: I remember those cheers / They still ring in my ears / After years, they remain in my thoughts. / Go to one night / I took off my robe, and what'd I do? I forgot to wear shorts. / I recall every fall / Every hook, every jab / The worst way a guy can get rid of his flab. / As you know, my life wasn't drab. / Though I'd much...
[...]
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Luck by Chance (2009) more
Soundtrack:
Cow Cow Boogie more

FAQ

A NOTE REGARDING SPOILERS
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
Why is this film in B&W?
more

User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
140 out of 252 people found the following comment useful.
Easy to Admire, Difficult to Love, 27 February 2004
7/10
Author: James Hitchcock from Tunbridge Wells, England



The routine use of black-and-white film to make movies seems to have ended in the mid-sixties, probably killed off by the advent of colour television. Since then black-and-white has been used very sparingly; even Polanski's `Chinatown', obviously conceived as homage to the films noirs of the 1940s and 1950s, was shot in colour.

`Raging Bull'- a biography of the boxer Jake La Motta who for a time held the world middleweight championship- is one of the few exceptions. The use of black-and-white seems to have been inspired by the fact that the film depicts real-life events that occurred in the forties and fifties. Scorsese has tried to capture the look of both the films and the newsreels of that period. This is remarkably effective for the boxing scenes, which have a raw, brutal power and graphically depict the aggressive nature of the sport. The other remarkable thing about the film is the performance of Robert de Niro, for which he won a well-deserved Best Actor Academy Award. De Niro actually learned to box for the film, and did all the boxing scenes himself without using a stunt double, but his portrayal of La Motta's private life is equally effective.

Some boxers- Henry Cooper comes to mind- are hard-hitting inside the ring but gentlemanly and restrained outside. La Motta, as portrayed in this film, did not fall into this category. De Niro portrays him as a man with a very short fuse, seething with anger and violence. Unlike his great rival Sugar Ray Robinson, an elegant practitioner of the art of boxing, La Motta tries to overpower his rivals with brute force rather than relying on skill. His aggression is not something confined to the ring, but rather an inherent part of his personality, and comes out in his dealings with others. He treats his beautiful wife Vicki particularly badly, frequently (and irrationally) suspecting her of infidelity and subjecting her to both verbal and physical abuse. Besides De Niro's dominating performance, there are also very good contributions from Cathy Moriarty as Vicki and from Joe Pesci as La Motta's loyal brother Joey, another frequent target of abuse despite his loyalty.

For me, this is a very good film, yet one that falls just short of the classic status that some have claimed for it. At times it is enthralling to watch, but at others, particularly in the first half, it seems to lack structure, as La Motta takes on a series of opponents without the significance of these fights ever becoming clear. More could have been made of the gambling-inspired corruption that infested the sport at this period and which may well have contributed to La Motta's sense of frustration- at one time it is made clear to him that his getting a chance to fight for the world title depends upon his taking a dive in a non-title fight. The main weakness, however, is a sense of emptiness at its centre, resulting from the lack of a character who can engage our sympathies. As I said, it is De Niro's performance that dominates the film, but for all his fine acting, even he cannot make us sympathise with a drunken, self-pitying, paranoid, violent wife-beater. As a character study of an unpleasant character it is excellent, but it can go no further than that. I cannot agree that this is the greatest film of the eighties; indeed, for me it was not even the greatest sporting film of the eighties. (I preferred both `Chariots of Fire' and `Eight Men Out'). It is an easy film to admire, but a difficult one to love. 7/10.

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