Cinderella Man

If you are one of those people who are thinking that they will only go see one more movie in a theater, make it Cinderella Man. I'm sure you were going to save it for a movie with great special effects, lots of explosions, but no, see Cinderella Man.

The sheer violence of boxing, depicted so accurately, contrasted with the gentleness Jim Braddock shows to his wife and family is so striking, that I think it needs to be seen in its full glory.

It is 2 1/2 hours long, it flew by and when it was over all I could do was sit transfixed in my seat. Only one couple got up to leave at this point.

The sheer honor shown by this man makes you almost weep due to the shameless people of today. This was a time when men were men, when honor, honesty, and working hard meant something. Even with no food he marched his son back to the butcher's shop and made him return the meat he had stolen. When asked by a gaggle of reporters what he was fighting for, he replies "milk." When he is forced to go on Government Assisstance the scene is heart breaking. He tries to work three shifts a day at the docks to make ends meet.

This is a true story, most of the quotes taken are real to the best of my knowledge, therefore, don't spoil the ending by looking up what happens. Please.

"Cinderella Man is a terrific boxing picture, but there's no great need for another one. The need it fills is for a full-length portrait of a good man."

--Roger Ebert

The only other movie that Wife #1 and I have both loved so much was Band of Brothers, so take it not from me but her, this is not a movie to miss. Just go see it, you will thank me.

***** out of *****

Fritz