Rocky Page #15

The office clock indicates it is several hours later. Rocky

is engrossed in watching another Apollo Creed film. He sits

motionless.

Rocky sits upright. Something catches his eyes... He

springs at the projector. He reruns the scene several times.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. MICKEY'S OFFICE - SEVERAL HOURS LATER

Several hours later Rocky is engrossed in watching another

Apollo Creed film... He sits motionless. Something catches

his eye. Rocky stops the projector as Apollo is delivering

a knockout blow to an unfortunate opponent.

Rocky moves right up to freeze frame and inspects it like it

was a priceless painting... He backs off and begins writing

on a note pad.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. MICKEY'S OFFICE - DAWN

The first light of dawn streams through Mickey's filthy

windows... Rocky is slumped in a chair and it is apparent he

has lost interest in watching the movies.

The film has completed its run through the projector and

lazily flops around on the top reel... Listlessly Rocky rubs

his reddened eyes.

97.

The door opens and Mickey flips on the light... The two men

stare at each other for a long moment. Mickey studies

Rocky's despondent expression and knows what is on the

fighter's mind.

MICKEY:

... I know what you're

thinkin'm kid -- At least ya

gotta shot -- All ya can do is

try ya' best.

Rocky stands and, with his dog, inches past Mickey and exits

the room. Mickey walks over and turns off the projector.

He idly pushes the machine with a lazy motion until it

slides off the desk and crashes to the floor.

EXT. STREET - DAWN

After leaving Mickey's gym, Rocky and his dog listlessly

move down the street and head for home.

INT. ROCKY'S APARTMENT - DAY

Rocky arrives at his apartment... Adrian is asleep on the

couch. He lowers himself beside her. Her eyes open.

ROCKY:

... Can't do it.

ADRIAN:

... What?

ROCKY:

... I can't beat him.

ADRIAN:

Apollo?

ROCKY:

Yeah, I can't beat him.

Adrian touches his face.

ROCKY:

I been watchin' the movies --

studyin' -- He ain't weak

nowhere.

ADRIAN:

What're we going to do?

ROCKY:

... I dunno.

98.

ADRIAN:

Oh, Rocky -- you worked so hard.

ROCKY:

It ain't so bad, 'cause I was

a nothin' before --

ADRIAN:

Don't say that.

ROCKY:

C'mon, it's true -- But that

don't bother me -- I just

wanna prove somethin' -- I

ain't no bum... It don't

matter if I lose... Don't

matter if he opens my head...

The only thing I wanna do is

go the distance -- That's all.

Nobody's ever gone fifteen

rounds with Creed. If I go

them fifteen rounds, an' that

bell rings an' I'm still

standin', I'm gonna know then

I weren't just another bum

from the neighborhood...

Adrian touches Rocky's face... The fighter gently lowers

himself beside his woman.

ROCKY:

(continuing)

... No foolin' around.

INT. ARENA - NIGHT

It is the night of the Bicentennial fight... The location is

the Philadelphia Spectrum.

The Spectrum is filling to capacity... Grandly dressed

celebrities and wealthy fight fans lower themselves into

their ringside seat. Nearly everyone is holding a red,

white, and blue sweater...

The arena is decorated in tons of patriotic red, white and

blue. High above the ring are huge posters of GEORGE

WASHINGTON - ABE LINCOLN - DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. - BEN

FRANKLIN - and APOLLO CREED.

INT. APOLLO'S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

Apollo Creed sits in his dressing room... It is dead silent

except for some NOISE that filters under the door from the

arena.

99.

It is a CLOSE-UP of Apollo's hand being taped... The RASPING

SOUND of the adhesive tape is very pronounced.

INT. ROCKY'S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

The atmosphere is identical to Apollo's dressing room.

Adrian watches in silence as Mike wraps Rocky's hand.

Again, the most pronounced SOUND is the RASPING of the

adhesive tape.

INT. APOLLO'S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

Apollo's other hand is being wrapped. Dead silence except

for the TAPE and APOLLO'S BREATHING.

INT. ROCKY'S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

Rocky's other hand is being wrapped in a CLOSE-UP. The only

SOUND is the TAPE and ROCKY'S mounting BREATHING PATTERN.

INT. APOLLO'S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

CLOSE-UP of drops being placed in his nose to help increase

his intake of oxygen. The tremendously magnified SOUND of

APOLLO TAKING IN AIR.

INT. ROCKY'S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

CLOSE-UP of the drops being placed in Rocky's nose.

INT. APOLLO'S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

A heavy coating of vaseline is applied around the Champion's

eyes... In an EXTREME CLOSE-UP, the eyes shine brightly with

the grease.

INT. ROCKY'S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

Grease is smeared around Rocky's eyes... In the EXTREME

CLOSE-UP several deep scars are SEEN.

INT. APOLLO'S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

CLOSE-UP of Apollo's trainer digging his fingers deeply into

the thick neck muscles of Apollo's upper back and neck.

INT. ROCKY'S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

CLOSE-UP OF Mike's arms wrapped around Rocky's waist and

lifting his diaphragm up... Magnified BREATHING ROARS from

the screen.

100.

INT. APOLLO'S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

Apollo's trainer slips a mouthpiece into Apollo's mouth.

Apollo shakes his head and the trainer removes it and places

another one in the champ's mouth... Creed nods yes.

INT. ROCKY'S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

Everyone present is motionless as Rocky is in the bathroom.

Alone, Rocky is on his knee praying. Completing his silent

prayer, he stands and looks at himself in the mirror.

Suddenly a wave of emotion sweeps over him as he thinks that

in a few moments he will face the most overwhelming challenge

of his life.

Out in the dressing room, the door opens and a guard leans

in and nods that it is time. He leaves... Rocky steps out.

MICKEY:

... It's time, kid.

Rocky nods and moves toward Adrian.

ADRIAN:

... I'll wait for you here.

Rocky nods and she kisses him. The fighter leaves with his

trainers... Adrian is on the verge of tears.

INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT

Rocky, Mickey and Mike start down the long hallway... Up

ahead are three security guards... Rocky rubs his bare

shoulders.

ROCKY:

Yo, Mick, can I have my rob?

Rocky puts on the robe... Embroidered across the back in

flaming letters is:

"THE ITALIAN STALLION"

*Pennzoil*

Mike helps him into the robe... Mickey is not amused.

MICKEY:

Don't you care what the people

will say?

ROCKY:

... I'm doin' it for a friend.

101.

MICKEY:

Whatta you get outta this?

ROCKY:

I get the robe an' Paulie gets

three grand.

MICKEY:

... Shrewd.

INT. ARENA - NIGHT

TWO RINGSIDE COMMENTATORS sit in front of a panel of closed

circuit televisions.

COMMENTATOR #1

We would like to welcome our

viewing audience to the Grand

World Championship Bicentennial

Heavyweight Fight -- the first

major event of the Bicentennial

Year... A point of interest is

that the fight is being beamed

to more than seven hundred and

fifty million fans in theatres

in nearly every corner of the

world. I would like to

welcome an old friend, and co-

commentator for this evening's

event -- Jimmy Michaels.

COMMENTATOR #2

Thank you, Bob. The

electricity is everywhere

tonight. Rocky Balboa, a

fifty-to-one underdog, is

living a Cinderella story

which has captured peoples'

imaginations all over the

world -- to quote a popular

sports magazine, 'The fighting

style should be 'The Caveman

Against the Cavalier.' From

the increase in sound it

appears the challenger is now

approaching the ring... His

record is forty-four wins,

twenty losses and thirty-eight

knockouts.

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