Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956 film)
7.6 /10 1 Votes
Director Robert Wise Initial DVD release November 14, 2006 Country United States | 7.6/10 IMDb Genre Biography, Drama, Sport Duration Language English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Release date July 3, 1956 (1956-07-03) Based on Somebody Up There Likes Me
by Rocky Graziano with Rowland Barber Writer Ernest Lehman (screenplay), Rocky Graziano (autobiography), Rowland Barber (with) Story by Rocky Graziano, Rowland Barber Cast Paul Newman (Rocky), Pier Angeli (Norma), Everett Sloane (Irving Cohen), Eileen Heckart (Ma Barbella), Sal Mineo (Romolo), Harold J. Stone (Nick Barbella)Similar movies Southpaw , The Wolf of Wall Street , Rocky , Pulp Fiction , Goodfellas , Unbroken Tagline A Girl Can Lift A Fellow To The Skies! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
241 somebody up there likes me 1956
Somebody Up There Likes Me is a 1956 American drama film based on the life of middleweight boxing legend Rocky Graziano. Joseph Ruttenberg was awarded a 1956 Oscar in the category of Best Cinematography (Black and White). The film also won the Oscar for Best Art Direction (Cedric Gibbons, Malcolm F. Brown, Edwin B. Willis, F. Keogh Gleason). It was directed by Robert Wise.
Contents
- 241 somebody up there likes me 1956
- Somebody up there likes me 1956 official trailer paul newman movie
- Plot
- Main cast
- Production
- Box office
- Accolades
- References
Somebody up there likes me 1956 official trailer paul newman movie
Plot
Rocky Graziano (Paul Newman) has a difficult childhood and is beaten by his father. He joins a street gang, and undergoes a long history of criminal activities. He is sent to prison, where he is rebellious to all authority figures. After his release, he is drafted by the U.S. Army, but runs away. Needing money, he becomes a boxer, and finds that he has natural talent and wins six fights in a row before the Army finds him and dishonorably discharges him. He serves a year in a United States Disciplinary Barracks, and resumes his career as a boxer as a result.
While working his way to the title, he is introduced to his sister's friend Norma, whom he falls in love with and later marries. Starting a new, clean life, he rises to the top, but loses a title fight with Tony Zale. A person he knew in prison finds him and blackmails him into throwing a fight. Rocky fakes an injury and avoids the fight altogether. When he is interrogated by the district attorney, he refuses to name the blackmailer and has his license suspended. His manager gets him a fight in Chicago to fight Zale the middleweight champion, once more. Rocky wins the fight.
Main cast
Production
The role of Rocky Graziano was originally to be played by James Dean, but he died before filming began, and Paul Newman was asked to take the part. Australian actor Rod Taylor was also considered for the part; although unsuccessful, his screen test impressed MGM enough for them to offer him a long term contract.
The film was also notable for being one of Paul Newman's first starring roles and for being one of the first films in which Steve McQueen appeared. It also marked the film debuts of Frank Campanella, Robert Loggia, Angela Cartwright, and Dean Jones, all in uncredited bit parts.
Perry Como's version of the song, "Somebody Up There Likes Me," is played over the opening and closing credits.
Box office
According to MGM records, the film earned $1,915,000 in the US and Canada and $1,445,000 elsewhere, resulting in a profit of $609,000.
Accolades
The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:
References
Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956 film) WikipediaSomebody Up There Likes Me (1956 film) IMDb Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956 film) themoviedb.org