Rocky

INT. BLUE DOOR FIGHT CLUB - NIGHT

SUPERIMPOSE OVER ACTION... "NOVEMBER 12, 1975 - PHILADELPHIA"

... The club itself resembles a large unemptied trash-can.

The boxing ring is extra small to insure constant battle.

The lights overhead have barely enough wattage to see who is

fighting.

In the ring are two heavyweights, one white the other black.

The white fighter is ROCKY BALBOA. He is thirty years old.

His face is scarred and thick around the nose... His black

hair shines and hangs in his eyes. Rocky fights in a

plodding, machine-like style. The BLACK FIGHTER dances and

bangs combinations into Rocky's face with great accuracy.

But the punches do not even cause Rocky to blink... He grins

at his opponent and keeps grinding ahead.

The people at ringside sit on folding chairs and clamor for

blood... They lean out of their seats and heckle the fighters.

In the thick smoke they resemble spectres. Everyone is

hustling bets... The action is even heavier in the balcony.

A housewife yells for somebody to cover a two dollar bet.

The BELL RINGS and the fighters return to their corner...

Somebody heaves a beer can into the ring.

The Black Fighter spits something red in a bucket and sneers

across the ring at Rocky.

BLACK FIGHTER:

(to cornerman)

... I'm gonna bust his head

wide open!

In Rocky's corner he is being assisted by a shriveled,

balding CORNERMAN, who is an employee of the club... He

works on Rocky without any enthusiasm.

CORNERMAN:

(lackluster)

... Ya waltzin' -- Give the

suckers some action.

ROCKY:

Hey --

CORNERMAN:

(overriding)

Ya movin' like a bum -- Want

some advice --

ROCKY:

... Just gimme the water.

2.

A FIGHT FAN rushes up to Rocky... He is sixty-five, with

yellow teeth and wearing sunglasses.

FAN:

Should I bet the fight don't

go the distance -- Ya feel

strong?

ROCKY:

Absolutely.

CORNERMAN:

... Ya want some good advice?

ROCKY:

... I just want the mouthpiece.

The BELL RINGS... Rocky makes the sign of the cross. The

fighters engage in battle. The other fighter grabs Rocky in

a clinch and purposely butts him... The butt opens a bleeding

cut on the corner of Rocky's eye.

Rocky becomes furious over the foul and drives a flurry into

the man's body... Rocky slams the man on the jaw and the

fighter is out for the night. The fans throw rubbish into

the ring. Rocky ignores it.

The fans loudly go about collecting bets. The referee does

not bother to even count the fighter out and drags him under

the ropes where he is placed on a stretcher. Two new

fighters enter the ring. Rocky slips on a tattered robe.

Embroidered clumsily on the back is, "The Italian Stallion."

ANNOUNCER:

Winner, Rocky Balboa -- Next a

six rounder between local

lightweights.

Without pomp Rocky climbs out of the ring and bums a

cigarette from a spectator... The fighter on the stretcher

passes behind him. He watches for a moment and continues up

the aisle... Before he even reaches the rear of the club the

BELL RINGS and the next fight has already begun... Rocky

fades into the darkness of the rear of the club.

THE TITLE CREDITS END:

INT. DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

Rocky has nearly completed dressing and reaches into his

locker for his hat... Also in the dingy room are ten other

fighters... Two taped fighters talk shop in the corner.

3.

FIGHTER #1

... Tomorrow me an' my woman

are gonna tip on down to

Atlantic City, man.

FIGHTER #2

... It's cold, Bro'.

FIGHTER #1

... That's right, I got the

city to myself...

Another paces nervously... Two other fighters shadowbox and

spit nervously on the floor.

A young pug combs his hair and listens to a portable RADIO

that is BLASTING MUSIC.

The fighter that Rocky has just defeated is drinking a beer

and joking with three other fighters... Some of the fighters

are smoking. The room is cloudy.

A short man of fifty enters. He is dressed in a sweater

buttoned over a t-shirt.

PROMOTER:

...Balboa!?

Rocky raises his head. The promoter steps over.

PROMOTER:

(continuing)

... Twenty bucks for the

locker an' cornerman -- Two

bucks for the towel an'

shower, seven for tax -- The

house owes ya, sixty-one

dollars.

The man peels off the money and departs... Rocky closes his

locker, nods to the defeated fighter, and leaves.

INT. TROLLEY - NIGHT

Rocky is on the trolley heading to South Philly... The

trolley is empty except for a thin old black WOMAN... The

black Woman studies Rocky's bruised face... Rocky becomes

self-conscious.

ROCKY:

(almost apologetic)

I'm a fighter.

4.

WOMAN:

(tired)

... Yo' iz an accident.

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Rocky exits the trolley and walks down the block... He waves

at a pair of high-heeled hookers and they wave back.

Rocky passes a sleeping wino curled in front of a dirty

bookstore. Rocky drags the man into a protective passageway.

Further down the street, Rocky pauses in front of the

"ANIMAL TOWN PET SHOP"... He peers into the dark store and

sees a sad, huge dog sitting in the window. He mumbles to

the dog and continues to the corner.

EXT. ROCKY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

A short while later, Rocky approaches his apartment located

in the most deprived section of South Philly. He kicks away

the litter that has gathered against the apartment steps and

enters.

INT. ROCKY'S HALLWAY - NIGHT

The narrow hallway is painted olive brown. A single light

bulb illuminates the gloomy corridor.

INT. ROCKY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Rocky enters. The one-room apartment is drab, with a

curling boxing poster of Rocky Marciano tacked on the wall...

Nailed against the far wall is a mattress. The mattress is

used as a punching bag. Stuffing spills out of the center.

Rocky drops his coat on the floor. He puts on a pair of

glasses. He crosses to a small turtle bowl... He lifts the

creatures.

ROCKY:

...Look who's home.

Rocky starts to boil a pan of water on his hot plate, then

places an old 45 RPM record on a battered phonograph. The

record is a tune, "ALL IN THE GAME."

... As the CRACKLING MUSIC BEGINS, Rocky picks up his

hairbrush. Using it like a microphone, he mimes to the

record. He assumes the posture of a famous singer crooning

to thousands of adoring fans... He then switches into a

bullish fighting stance and throws several punches.

The water boils. Rocky soaks his badly-swollen hands.

5.

EXT. SUNRISE OF PHILADELPHIA SKYLINE - DAWN

We SEE the jagged skyline, highlighted by the towering

figure of William Penn that rises above the dawn haze as it

sits majestically above City Hall...

EXT. DOCKS - EARLY MORNING

Rocky is walking along the waterfront... He has a bandaid

over one eye. He looks at the rugged stevedores going about

their business... He stuffs his hands in his cheap wool

jacket and approaches a ship being unloaded.

Rocky passes two thick Mafia types leaning against a parked

car. These men look like blood drinkers.

MAFIA #1

Yo, Rock -- How's your Boss?

ROCKY:

Real good.

MAFIA #2

Fightin' again?

ROCKY:

Yeah, here an' there.

MAFIA #1

Mebbe we make sum money

togather soon... Give ya boss

my best.

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