7.8
Summary
An uneducated collector for a Philadelphia loan shark is given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fight against the world heavyweight boxing champion.
Cast
Sylvester Stallone
Robert 'Rocky' Balboa
Talia Shire
Adrianna 'Adrian' Pennino
Burt Young
Paulie Pennino
Carl Weathers
Apollo Creed
Burgess Meredith
Mickey Goldmill
Thayer David
George 'Miles' Jergens
Joe Spinell
Tony Gazzo
Jimmy Gambina
Mike
Bill Baldwin
Fight Announcer
Al Silvani
Cut Man
George Memmoli
Ice Rink Attendant
Jodi Letizia
Marie
Diana Lewis
TV Commentator
George O'Hanlon
TV Commentator
Larry Carroll
TV Interviewer
Stan Shaw
Dipper
Don Sherman
Bartender
Billy Sands
Club Fight Announcer
Pedro Lovell
Club Fighter
DeForest Covan
Apollo's Corner
Simmy Bow
Club Corner Man
Tony Burton
Tony "Duke" Evers
Hank Rolike
Apollo Corner Man
Shirley O'Hara
Secretary
Kathleen Parker
Paulie's Date
Frank Stallone Jr.
Streetcorner Singer
Lloyd Kaufman
Drunk
Jane Marla Robbins
Owner of Pet Shop
Jack Hollander
Fats
Joe Sorbello
Bodyguard
Christopher Avildsen
Chiptooth
Frankie Van
Club Fight Referee
Lou Fillipo
Championship Fight Announcer
Paris Eagle
Fighter
Frank Stallone Sr.
Timekeeper
Robert L. Tangrea
Streetcorner Singer
Peter Glassberg
Streetcorner Singer
William E. Ring
Streetcorner Singer
Joseph C. Giambelluc
Streetcorner Singer
Joe Frazier
Himself
Michael Dorn
Apollo Creed's Bodyguard (uncredited)
Arnold Johnson
Spectator (uncredited)
Stu Nahan
Fight Commentator (uncredited)
Frank Pesce
Spectator (uncredited)
Lavelle Roby
Mary Anne Creed (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey
Reporter (uncredited)
John Pleshette
Aftershave Commercial Director (uncredited)
Butkus Stallone
Dog
Crew
Director
John G. Avildsen
Screenplay
Sylvester Stallone
Reviews
GenerationofSwine
January 12, 2023
10
This was the ultimate Rocky story wasn't it?
It was inspiring with the training, it was inspiring with the fight, and it was about the characters and the characters are what makes a great story.
The down side was Creed, he was a little under-developed in this wasn't he? They make up for it in Rocky II, III, and IV, but in Rocky he felt like a faceless nemesis didn't he? He was Mohamed Ali without real depth in this and the story could have used to develop him a little more in the first one.
But... we got it in the sequels.
The biggest selling point was the love story... I know mushy, right? ... but they did a great job of making it awkward and at times intimidating as well as absolutely sweet and charming and it was completely realistic and believable.
You could sit down and watch it and understand how they fell for one another. You got a sense of who they were and that carried over into Rocky II... but kind of ended in III and we only caught a glimpse of it here and there until Balboa.
Still, it was the low budget movie that stole out hearts. And it was the inspiring story about the underdog, and Rocky movies are best when they inspire.
