Rocky Page #14

They both watch the flickering images.

MICKEY:

(continuing)

See how he plays sometimes --

Drives his cornermen nuts.

Nobody knows his next move --

Him included.

They watch more action... Creed has a fighter helpless

against the ropes.

MICKEY:

(continuing)

Killer instinct -- Ya both got

the killer touch. Interestin'.

See that! -- Right-cross

combination. Beautiful. But

you got the power to rip the

body.

They watch more action.

MICKEY:

(continuing)

Rocky, when ya climb into the

square, an' know ya' meetin'

the best fighter in the world,

ya' gonna be ready, ya' gonna

be ready 'cause I been waitin'

for fifty years -- Fifty years.

When I'm done with you, you'll

gonna be able to spit nails.

(MORE)

91.

MICKEY (CONT'D)

You'll gonna be able to eat

lightin' and crap thunder --

You'll be a very, very

dangerous person...

The SCENE FADES on Mickey's voice and Rocky staring

transfixed at the images projecting on the wall...

INT. GOLDMILL'S GYM - DAY

Rocky is pounding the heavy bag with intense concentration.

As he strikes from all angles, Mickey instructs.

INT. GOLDMILL'S GYM - LATER

Rocky now works on the incline situp board... While doing

situps, he pounds himself in the stomach with a dumbbell.

The pain is evident on his face.

INT. GOLDMILL'S GYM - STILL LATER

Pushups between two chairs as Mike sits on his shoulders...

Mickey coaching drives him on.

INT. GOLDMILL'S GYM - STILL LATER

Mike has on a pair of target gloves and Rocky moves around

the ring swinging at them.

INT. GOLDMILL'S GYM - STILL LATER

Drenched in sweat, Rocky hums the speed bag. His expression

is hard and flushed. Mickey clicks a stopwatch and pats

Rocky's shoulder... He is very happy.

INT. GOLDMILL'S GYM - STILL LATER

Rocky has just completed exercising with the medicine ball...

Dino hands him a towel... Paulie crosses the gym as Rocky

heads to the steam room... A thin man crosses the gym and

Mickey nods.

MICKEY:

What cha say, Benny -- Meet

'The Rock.' This is our

cutman, Benny Stein.

ROCKY:

Yo, Benny.

MICKEY:

Check the eyes, Ben.

92.

Benny checks the skin around Rocky's eyes.

BENNY:

Ain't bad. Seen worse --

Cover up an' things should be

okay.

MICKEY:

Take a shower.

Heading towards the shower, Rocky is intercepted by Paulie

who traverses the gym. He stops Rocky at the shower room

entrance.

PAULIE:

Yo, Rock, I think I found an

angle to make some bread usin'

ya name, ya mind?

Exhausted, Rocky studies Paulie's face a moment and nods

'yes.'... Rocky sways into the shower room and Paulie

strides off.

EXT. STREET - DAY

Running... Rocky's crowd of trailing boys has tripled.

Dashing through the streets, he resembles the Pied Piper.

EXT. ART MUSEUM STAIRS - DAY

It is twilight and Rocky is alone at the very bottom of a

huge flight of steps that seem to stretch into the heavens...

Rocky takes a deep breath and sprints up the never-ending

stairs... Halfway up, his body shows the strain. Nearing

the top, Rocky pumps with all his strength and arrives at

the very top... He looks down the steep stairs and swells

with pride... He is ready.

INT. MAYOR'S OFFICE - DAY

Rocky is led into Mayor Rizzo's office by an aide... Rocky

is very nervous as he approaches the mayor, who is seated

behind his wide desk.

MAYOR:

Sit down, Rocky.

Flips open a thick file that lays in front of him.

93.

MAYOR:

(continuing)

I've been going over your

record -- You've been the busy

type --

(reading)

Nineteen arrests -- probation

three times -- expelled from

seven public schools in 1964

and '65.

Rocky tries to sink into the chair.

MAYOR:

(continuing)

I'm a very busy man, but I

just wanted to remind you that

you'll be setting an example

for thousands of guys like

yourself and maybe start them

off in a new direction and

give our police force a

break -- I also hope you try

your very best and bring pride

to Philadelphia.

ROCKY:

... I'll try.

The mayor presses a button and a photographer enters.

MAYOR:

Would you stand up, please.

Rocky rises and the mayor shakes his hand... Their picture

is taken three times... The photographer exits.

MAYOR:

(continuing)

Thank you for coming by,

Rocky -- good luck.

ROCKY:

(turns)

Any time.

MAYOR:

(sitting)

Wait... After the fight you'll

have nearly a hundred and

fifty thousand dollars -- What

do you plan to do with it?

94.

ROCKY:

(smiles)

... Run for mayor.

The mayor is shocked at first but then breaks into a big,

friendly laugh, and Rocky exits.

INT. ROCKY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Adrian and Rocky are at his apartment. They are looking at

new scrapbooks. Newsweek Magazine: Headline: "The Italian

Stallion or Donkey?" -- Philadelphia Magazine -- Rocky

stands with the mayor.

ADRIAN:

Rocky, do you realize everybody

in this country knows your

face, and after the fight

everybody in the world is

going to.

ROCKY:

Yeah...

She flips through Sports Illustrated, The American Sportsman,

Ring Magazine, World Boxing, True, and a multitude of other

clippings.

The TELEPHONE RINGS... Rocky rises and walks to the new

white object hanging on the wall.

ROCKY:

(continuing)

My first call... Hello? Yeah,

speakin' -- Who is this?

Bruce? Bruce who? -- Yo,

Bruce! How ya been? I ain't

seen ya for nine or eight

years -- Yeah, things is

great, how's things with you

upstate -- Ya sellin' real

estate, hey, that's a good

job... Yeah, I gotta advance,

but I bought ringside seats

for the guys at the gym. I

get the hundred an' fifty

grand after the fight...

Adrian overhears the statement.

95.

ROCKY:

(continuing)

... Yeah, I know it's a lotta

money -- Condominiums? Nobody

uses them anybody. Listen, I

think a pet shop is a good

investment, y'know -- I don't

care 'bout long hours --

there's no depreciation --

that don't matter none to

me -- Yeah, I like animals.

Why don't ya give me ya number

an' I'll call ya back? Lemme

getta pencil --

Rocky makes no motion to get a pencil.

ROCKY:

(continuing)

Okay, what is it -- four-

twelve 659-2424. Yeah, yeah,

thanks for callin' -- Sure

I'll get back to ya, Bruce --

see ya.

Rocky hangs up.

ADRIAN:

What was that you said about a

pet shop?

ROCKY:

(distant)

... What?

ADRIAN:

What did you say about a pet

shop?

ROCKY:

I don't want ya cleanin'

nobody else's cages no more.

ADRIAN:

Is everything all right?

ROCKY:

I gotta go out for a while.

Rocky grabs his coat and moves to the front door.

ROCKY:

(continuing; to dog)

... Come.

96.

INT. GOLDMILL'S GYM - NIGHT

Rocky arrives at Goldmill's Gym... He unlocks the gym's door.

Rocky and the dog move through the eerie shadows of the gym.

Rocky moves across the gym with his dog and moves up the

steps to Mickey's office... At the top of the stairs he

looks down at the ring, reflects for a moment, then enters

the office.

INT. MICKEY'S OFFICE - NIGHT

After turning on the lights, he quickly cleans the cluttered

desk and sets up the projector... He goes to the cabinet and

removes a stack of 16 mm films.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. MICKEY'S OFFICE - SEVERAL HOURS LATER

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