Rocky Page #13

ROCKY:

Ah -- My buddy Paulie let me

in one day an' I hit the beef

here an' liked it -- An' since

I become a challenger, the

owner don't mind neither.

84.

COMMENTATOR:

Is this a common training

method -- I mean do other

fighters pound raw meat?

ROCKY:

I think me and Paulie invented

it.

COMMENTATOR:

Would you give us a

demonstration?

Rocky steps over to a hanging beef and begins pounding with

incredible intensity... Everyone present is taken aback.

Rocky completes hitting the meat and stands there with his

hands dripping beef blood.

The Commentator is unnerved and Rocky looks straight into

the camera lens and holds up his bloody fists.

COMMENTATOR:

... Diane Lewis in the

meathouse with the Southpaw,

Rocky Balboa.

INT. JERGENS' OFFICE - DAY

Apollo sits behind Jergens' desk. Jergens is not present.

Four middle-aged and younger types and Creed's lawyer sit

around the desk. The desk is flowing with forms and charts.

APOLLO:

How much is being channeled

into West Coast closed-circuit

advertising?

LAWYER:

Three hundred thousand.

APOLLO:

Make it four hundred an' fifty.

(to younger man)

Send two hundred roses to the

mayor's wife from me, get a

picture an' make sure it gets

all the papers.

BUSINESSMAN #3

Do ya want to run the fifteen

radio spots in the mid-west?

I think you could spend the

money better in Canadian

publicity.

85.

APOLLO:

Yeah, I'd like to get Canada --

see, if we can get a tax

break -- Gimme the figures on

the Program Concession.

Meanwhile, the trainer sits across the room in a darkened

corner looking at a small television. He is watching

Rocky's bloody exhibition on the news...

He waves at Apollo.

TRAINER:

(worried)

Apollo, you oughta come see

this boy you're gonna fight on

TV -- looks like he means

business.

Apollo is still engrossed in his paperwork.

APOLLO:

I mean business, too --

(to men)

The gross rental of the arena

is gonna include the four

hundred ushers, right? --

Gimme some coffee.

EXT. PAULIE'S STREET - NIGHT

It is a moonless night and Paulie staggers across the street

and enters his building... He staggers up the stairs.

INT. PAULIE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Paulie removes his coat and tosses it listlessly in a

chair... He rubs his red eyes and sways into the kitchen.

He takes a bottle of wine out of the icebox. As he swills

the wine he hears the SOUND of Rocky's and Adrian's VOICES

traveling from his sister's room. Paulie's face tightens

and he staggers towards the bedroom.

He stands outside the bedroom door and peers through a

crack... Rocky, Adrian, and the dog are watching TV in the

otherwise darkened room.

ADRIAN:

... And he called the

reporters --

ROCKY:

Yeah... Threw my whole day off.

86.

ADRIAN:

Don't be mad at him -- He just

wants to help.

ROCKY:

Yo -- I ain't mad. I'm just

outta joint when reporters are

around -- They take cheap

shots an' Paulie knows it.

ADRIAN:

... Are you going to say

anything to him?

ROCKY:

... What's to say? I dunno

what he wants from me --

Filled with uncontrollable anger, Paulie smashes into the

room.

PAULIE:

Nothin'! I want nothin' from

you!!!

ADRIAN:

Paulie!

PAULIE:

Shutup! I want nothin' -- I

ain't no charity case! Get

outta my house!

ADRIAN:

It's not your house --

PAULIE:

You ain't no friend no more --

Go home! Outta my house I

want ya!

ADRIAN:

Don't talk like that to him!

PAULIE:

Get outta my life both of ya's.

Paulie kicks the door out of frustration and appears to be

bordering on a nervous breakdown.

PAULIE:

(continuing)

Outta my house I want ya!!

87.

ROCKY:

... It's cold outside, Paulie.

Paulie goes to the living room closet and removes a baseball

bat... Rocky and Adrian quickly follow.

PAULIE:

I don't want ya messin' up my

sister no more -- He's scum

from the corner, I don't raise

ya to hang with no bum!

Adrian is speechless... Rocky moves towards Paulie.

PAULIE:

(continuing;

raising the bat)

... Wanna hit on me? C'mon --

C'mon, I'll break both ya arms

so's they never work...

Rocky freezes...

ADRIAN:

... Paulie. Stop now!

PAULIE:

I want 'im outta here --

(to Rocky)

Don't think I'm good enough to

work for Gazzo?

(spits)

That's what I think of bums

like you an' Gazzo!

(spits again)

You're goin' up an' don't care

enough to throw Paulie some

crumbs!

(spits)

I give ya meat, an' I give ya

my sister, too!

ADRIAN:

Only a pig would say that!

Paulie smashes a small table with the bat.

PAULIE:

(to Adrian)

You forget what I went through

to give ya the best.

88.

ADRIAN:

You gave me what?! Knots!

You gave me knots in here

every day -- you made me

scared of everything!

PAULIE:

I always seen ya had the best,

but did ya ever think of

puttin' in a good word for me

with this scumbag!

Paulie smashes a large lamp with the bat.

ADRIAN:

Don't do that again!

PAULIE:

Get away from me -- I could

never even get married 'cause

you couldn't live by yaself --

ya'd die by yaself! So

instead I put you two

together -- Did ya think of

puttin' in a good word for

me? -- You owe me!

ADRIAN:

Owe you what?

PAULIE:

You owe me an' are supposed to

treat me good!

ADRIAN:

Good? Good, Paulie?! I've

been treatin' you like a baby.

Since I can't remember it's so

long -- I'm the only one who

feeds you an' puts you in bed

when ya can't stand up -- and

it's you that made me feel

like a loser -- That's what ya

use to call me 'Loser' -- What

kind of name is that? So can

ya blame me for not remembering

to talk about you when I'm

with Rocky -- I don't owe you,

Paulie, you owe me.

The brother flares up and threatens Adrian with the bat.

PAULIE:

You busted?!

89.

ADRIAN:

What?!

PAULIE:

You a virgin? -- Ya let 'im in

ya pants, didn't ya! Ya

pulled down ya pants an' let

him have it, didn't ya!!

Mortified, Adrian runs to her room... Rocky steps to Paulie.

ROCKY:

(fuming)

Hey --

Paulie c*cks the bat back and tenses... Rocky remains still.

PAULIE:

(softly)

... I can't haul meat no more.

ROCKY:

What can I do about it?

PAULIE:

Christ, I been beggin' ya for

a break until I'm sick inside.

ROCKY:

What break? Huh? What break!

Who am I to give breaks! I'm

a fighter, you haul meat. You

do what you do an' I do what I

do best -- that's it -- that's

life, man!

Paulie looks ashamed... Rocky walks, then returns.

ROCKY:

(continuing)

... An' what ya said to my

girlfriend ain't right -- Do

it again, I'll kill ya.

Rocky goes into the bedroom... Adrian has buried her face in

a pillow... She is rocking slightly. Rocky cradles her and

kisses her cheek.

ROCKY:

(continuing)

Wanna hear a dirty joke?

90.

ADRIAN:

(smiles)

... Yes --

INT. MICKEY'S OFFICE - DAY

Mickey is in his cluttered office above the gym... the room

is dark. Blankets are tacked over the windows. Rocky is

watching 8 mm movies of Apollo Creed in action... Rocky

watches with intense concentration as the fighter moves like

a huge dancer around the ring.

MICKEY:

His defense is great, can't

lie 'bout that -- You have a

rollin' style. Can't retreat

as fast -- But your style

ain't retreatin'.

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