Raging Bull Page #18

JOEY keeps pouring it on. JAKE drops his hands and

takes it.

JAKE (CONT'D)

Go ahead.

(gets punched)

Hit me again.

(gets punched)

I deserve it...

(gets punched)

Pay me back...

(gets punched)

More...

(gets punched)

JOEY stops in mid-punch and stares at JAKE. He

can't figure it out.

JAKE nods and tries to smile, but starts to cry

instead.

JAKE (CONT'D)

More. Go ahead, Joey. I deserve it.

JOEY pauses, then finally throws a very weak punch

to JAKE's shoulder. He leaves his hand there --

then, uncurls his fist -- and finally puts his hand

around JAKE's neck as tears start to fill his eyes.

JOEY hugs JAKE close to him, crying.

They hug each other, both crying. They don't say

anything.

EXT. BARBIZON PLAZA THEATER - NIGHT (1964)

The theater lights are flashing.

This may not be Broadway, but it's a long way from

the Metropole. The entrance to the Barbizon looks

out on the corner of 6th Avenue and Central Park

South.

A stand-up billboard in front of the theater

advertises "An Evening with Jake LaMotta." The

billboard also lists the authors whose works will

be performed:
Paddy Chayevsky, Rod Serling,

Shakespeare, Bud Schulberg, Tennessee Williams.

INT. BARBIZON DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

Same as Scenes One and Eighty-One.

JAKE is alone preparing to go onstage. He

rehearses.

JAKE:

You know, I'm not a philosopher or

anything like that but I been

around a little and the way I look

at it is -- We're, all of us,

lookin' for the same thing: a shot

at the title. No matter what you

wanta be... you wanta shot at bein'

the best. Well, I had mine and

it'll always be in the record

books... it don't make no

difference what happens to me from

here on in -- I got my shot and

that's a fact. Some guys weren't

that lucky... like the one Marlon

Brando played in "On the

Waterfront" -- an up and comer

who's now a down and outer. You

remember... there was this scene in

the back of the car with his

brother Charlie, a small-time

racket guy, and it went somethin'

like this -- "It wasn't him,

Charlie. It was you. You 'member

that night in the Garden you came

down my dressing room and said.

'Kid, this ain't your night. We're

going for the price on Wilson.' You

'member that? 'This ain't your

night!' My night -- I coulda taken

Wilson apart! So what happens? He

gets the title shot outdoors on the

ballpark, and what do I get? A one

way ticket to Palookaville. I never

was no good after that night. It

was like a peak you reach. Then it

went downhill. It was you, Charlie.

You was my brother, Charlie. You

shoulda looked out for me a little

bit.

You shoulda taken care of me just a

little bit so I wouldn't have to

take them dives for the short end

money... You don't understand! I

coulda had class. I coulda been a

contender. I coulda been somebody --

instead of a bum, which is what I

am. Let's face it. It was you,

Charlie."

A shadow goes by the frame; it's a STAGEHAND.

STAGEHAND (O.S.)

Hey Jake, how you doing?

The shadow exits.

JAKE:

How long do I have?

The shadow pops in again.

STAGEHAND (O.S.)

About five minutes

The shadow exits.

JAKE:

OK.

JAKE pauses, then starts to shadow-box in his

dressing room.

His breath comes in quick gasps. His feet pop up

and down like they were on canvas. His tiny fists

jerk forward with short bursts of light.

Still alive. Still a contender. A 42-year-old man

fighting for his shot.

The CAMERA DOLLIES into a FULL SHOT of his fists as

they hit the empty air -- in and out of the frame.

This quote appears: (Music in)

"Verily, verily I say unto thee,

Except a man be born again,

He can not enter into the kingdom of

heaven..."

John 3-3

The CAMERA goes into DARKNESS.

The END CREDITS roll up.

THE END:

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