"RAGING BULL" by Paul Schrader and Mardik Martin MUSIC IN: "Stone Cold Dead in the Market" by Louis Jordon THE TITLES appear on black. They are intercut with CLOSE-UPS of a fighter's body. EXAMPLES: Feet move. Credit over black. Body lunges. Credit over black. Fists swing and punch at the air. Credit over black. WE CATCH A GLIMPSE of young JAKE LAMOTTA. THEN CUT TO: INT. BARBIZON PLAZA THEATRE - DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT (1964) JAKE LAMOTTA, wearing a tux, is shadow-boxing. We are unsure of where he is -- he moves in and out of the shadows. At 42, he's overweight and out of shape, but the balls of his feet still pop up and down like they were on canvas and his tiny fists still jerk forward with short bursts of light. He is rehearsing a nightclub monologue. JAKE Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It's a thrill to be standing here talking to you wonderful people. In fact, it's a thrill to be standing! I haven't seen so many people since my last fight at Madison Square Garden. After that fight, a reporter asked me, 'Jake, where do you go from here?' I said, 'To a hospital!' I fought one hundred and six professional fights and still none of them bums figured out how to fight me -- they kept hitting me in the head! And that's why I'm here tonight... (starts to sing) 'When the fighter's not engaged in his employment, his employment, although he was Champ and quite the rage, he must go somewhere else to seek employment, seek employment. But a fighter's life is not a bowl of cherries, still I'd rather have an egg than a fist upon my face... That's Entertainment!' INT. CLEVELAND ARENA - NIGHT (1941) Bam! JIMMY REEVES, a fast, black middleweight, jabs LAMOTTA, 19 years old, in the face. JAKE staggers forward. No matter how hard LAMOTTA is hit, no matter how often, he always staggers forward -- like a bull. The bell sounds. Battered, JAKE slumps on the stool in his corner. It's September, 1941. Europe and Asia are already at war. Young SOLDIERS, freshly recruited, dot the hostile audience -- each screaming at the FIGHTERS in the ring. Suddenly, words are exchanged, a GIRL screams, and a SOLDIER and a CIVILIAN stand and start swinging. AND IN THE RING: JAKE LAMOTTA takes a swig of water and spits blood into the bucket his younger brother, JOEY, holds for him. TONY, his trainer, works the cuts. JOEY You didn't have to come to Cleveland to get beat by a "moulan yan," Jake! TONY He's got you, Jake! You're outpointed! You're coming up for the tenth. You gotta knock him out! The bell sounds for the tenth. JAKE pulls himself up and charges at REEVES. REEVES slides away, jabbing, punching, piling up points. In JAKE's corner, JOEY stands and yells at JAKE: JOEY A grand apiece! We got a grand apiece on this, Jake! A fucking grand! JAKE suddenly corners REEVES and unleashes a desperate, wild alley-fighting attack. One ferocious punch after another. The SPECTATORS go wild; everyone's up for the kill. REEVES staggers, then falls to the canvas. THE REFEREE COUNTS: REFEREE One, two, three, four... The GAMBLERS call out new odds; ten to one for REEVES, the underdog. JOEY, excited, sees that time is running out and steps in front of the bell. He swings his arms, pretending not to realize he literally holds back the TIMER's arm for a few seconds. This gives JAKE more time for a knockout -- but not enough. JOEY is pushed back and the bell rings at the count of nine, ending the match. Boos and cheers. The BETTORS scramble back to the BOOKIE to get their money. JAKE dances around the ring, kissing his gloves and thrusting them toward the CROWD. JOEY rushes out and hugs him. The ANNOUNCER steps into the ring with the mike: ANNOUNCER Ladies and Gentlemen, the winner, under the rules of the Cleveland Boxing Commission, after ten rounds, by a decision -- Jimmy Reeves. The ANNOUNCER holds up REEVES' arm as his corner tries to lift him off the canvas -- still out cold. TWO ATTENDANTS bring in a stretcher. JAKE is stunned. He still prances around, now trying to figure out what happened. He raises his arms in victory, and the FANS go crazy, cheering, ripping chairs out, fighting with the COPS, throwing bottles and junk into the ring. PEOPLE go into the ring. JOEY (to Jake) Don't get out of the ring. You won the fight -- let him go out first. CUT TO: REEVES being placed on the stretcher. A ringside OFFICIAL signals the ORGANIST and she starts to play the "Star Spangled Banner." REEVES is carried out. Only then do JOEY and TONY escort JAKE out of the ring. EXT. WEBSTER AVENUE AND 169TH ST., THE BRONX - NEXT DAY It's a rough neighborhood, inhabited primarily by welfare cases and street kids. In the street, two young PUNKS, 13 or 14 years old, exchange words and start to fight. Their FRIENDS cheer them on. SALVY and JOEY turn the corner. JOEY Salvy, would I steer you wrong? Let's say that's the truck; it's full of cigarettes, right? Now, two o'clock this morning we move the truck from here to there, (he points; the CAMERA PANS) take the cigarettes out, sell 'em, make some cash. SALVY Hey but Joey, you're thinking nickels and dimes. The money's with your brother. JOEY What do you want from my life, Salvy? He's my brother. SALVY He ain't doin' the right thing. He's makin' beans compared to what he should be makin'. Can't you make him understand that? A COP goes over and starts to break up the fight. JOEY (to cop) Hey, leave the kids alone. SALVY Get lost. (joking, he knows the Cop) Hey kids, "A cop is a rat." Remember that, "A rat." The KIDS yell. JOEY (to Cop) Hey Jimmy, here's a dollar for your trouble. There's some bums around the corner -- they need your help. COP Keep the dollar, Joey. Get yourself a new suit. JOEY (laughs) Here's my new suit. (grabs his crotch) Right here. COP Hey, don't get wise! JOEY Just kidding, take it easy. (to himself) No fuckin' sense of humor. SALVY and JOEY continue to walk a little faster, giggling. INT. JAKE AND IRMA'S KITCHEN - DAY JAKE, bandaged from the REEVES fight the night before, sits at the kitchen table (he's had a few glasses of wine) while his wife, IRMA, 19, cooks at the stove. JAKE gets up and pokes at the frying steak with a fork. JAKE This looks done. IRMA It's not done. JAKE It looks done. I'll take it the way it is. IRMA Here's your steak. You can't wait for it to be done. Here. She slams the steak onto his plate, and reaches back to the stove. IRMA Here's your carrots. You're in such a hurry. You can't wait. JAKE No, I can't wait. You know when I wait? When it's important to wait. It's not important to wait for no steak. It's important to wait for Reeves to leave the ring. It ain't important to wait for no steak! I won that fight. So, I stayed in the ring, and that way I made sure everybody knew it. I shoulda knocked him out earlier, sonofabitch. He starts to eat the steak. He takes a drink of wine. JAKE Wait! I'll wait. But let me tell you, if this steak was the middleweight championship, I'd show you how I'd wait. I'd eat it raw. I'd drink the blood. I'd eat it before it came out of the cow -- that's how I'd wait. EXT. JAKE AND IRMA'S APARTMENT BUILDING/TENEMENT - DAY SALVY and JOEY approach the building. JOEY I can't convince him. He's got such a thick head, I'd like to crack it open myself. Believe me, my own brother. It's very hard. You don't have to convince me -- I know we should be with Tommy. You talk to him. He don't listen to nobody. SALVY Look, I'm just tellin' you how Tommy feels. Jake is makin' it hard on himself. Tommy wants him with us. It's as simple as that. They stop at the doorway. SALVY Talk some sense into him, will ya? You're still his brother. If he ain't gonna listen to you, he ain't gonna listen to nobody! JOEY All right, I'll try. See you later. SALVY Tomorrow, at the gym. Don't forget. JOEY Right, the gym. SALVY leaves. JOEY goes into the building. INT. JAKE AND IRMA'S KITCHEN - DAY JOEY is knocking at the door. IRMA opens it. JOEY (noticing Jake) What's the matter? IRMA He's doing it again. JOEY (goes to Jake) What's the matter? You're drinking. You're eating like an animal. JOEY sits next to JAKE at the kitchen table. JAKE has a drink in his hand, and tears on his face. JOEY What's wrong? JAKE (gets up) Nothing... JAKE goes into the living room. IRMA looks at JOEY. JOEY follows JAKE. INT. LIVING ROOM JOEY walks up to JAKE. JOEY Hey, c'mon, what's the matter? JAKE (privately, to Joey) I ain't ever gonna fight Joe Louis, that's what's the matter. JOEY What're you talking about? He's a heavyweight. You're a middleweight. JAKE holds out his scarred hands. JAKE Look at these hands. These fuckin' hands. I was born with a girl's hands. And even if I put on enough weight to be a heavyweight, I'd be too slow to fight. No matter how big I get, I'll never be big enough to fight Louis. JAKE pauses. IRMA watches from the doorway. JOEY That's what I'm sayin'. You shouldn't even think like that. It's crazy. JAKE I tell you one thing. Ok, I'll never be big enough to fight Louis, but I know Joey, I know... JOEY You know? JAKE Yeah. Do me a favor. JOEY Sure. What is it? JAKE Hit me in the face. JOEY (after a pause) You want me to do what? JAKE You heard me, I said hit me. JOEY C'mon, Jack. You had a few drinks. JAKE Go ahead. I ain't drunk. Take your best shot. On the jaw. JOEY Jack, I got no gloves. JAKE (grabs a nearby towel) Here's your glove. JOEY wraps it around his fist. IRMA watches. JOEY hits JAKE with his right. JAKE holds fast. JAKE Go ahead. Hit me. C'mon, don't worry about it. I want you to hit me with everything you got. JOEY hauls off and lands him a real belt. JAKE rolls with it and stands firm. JAKE Again. Harder. JOEY hits him again. JAKE Harder. Go 'head. JOEY hits him again. JAKE Harder. (grabs the towel) Take the towel off. JOEY Jack! Enough! JAKE Go ahead. JOEY hits him again. JAKE holds fast. JAKE starts to walk away. JOEY What was that for? I know you can take punches. I can hit you from now to doomsday. What the fuck does that prove? JAKE See that, I don't feel it. I can take it. I know I can take anybody. EXT. GLEASON'S GYM - NEXT DAY Gleason's, a small gym and fight club, stands on 149th Street and 3rd Avenue above a small sandwich shop. Each day BOBBY GLEASON posts a small sign alongside the door listing the fighters who will be working out. JAKE's name is posted at the top; the other names are unmemorable. INT. GLEASON'S - DAY Gleason's has a single sparring ring and ten training bags. About a dozen managers train their fighters out at Gleason's. For 50 cents, spectators sit in the gallery and watch the workouts. JAKE is sparring with JOEY in the ring. They've been working out for a while now. The bell rings ending the third round. JAKE prances about the ring waiting for the bell to sound again. At that moment, SALVY, along with two other young "BUTTON" MEN (actually, they are very young -- about JOEY's age) enter the gym. They are well-dressed (over-coat, ties, suits, flashy rings, etc.). They say hello to some PEOPLE by the door. JAKE looks over and notices them. SALVY looks over to the ring. SALVY (waves) Hey Joey -- JOEY waves back. SALVY (waves again) Jake, how you doin'? JAKE nods to SALVY very cold. SALVY notices and can feel that he's not exactly wanted there by JAKE. JOEY notices the same and becomes a bit nervous. SALVY sits down near the ring but not as close as he'd like to. His two friends, FRANKIE and GUIDO, sit nearby also. JAKE goes to JOEY's corner. JAKE Did you know they were coming up here? JOEY doesn't answer. JAKE Answer me when I talk to you. JOEY Yeah, yeah. They just wanted to talk to you. So I... JAKE (interrupting) Don't ever bring those kids up here again! I'm working out, I'm killin' myself in here, and they walk around like they fuckin' own the neighborhood. SALVY and the OTHERS see JOEY being chewed out by JAKE. They begin to feel unwelcome at the gym. The bell sounds. JAKE is more aggressive now as he corners JOEY. JAKE swings away with body punches. JOEY can't block them. SALVY and the OTHERS watch. The bell sounds again. With that, SALVY and the OTHERS start to leave. SALVY (to Joey) Hey Joey, we better go. See you later. JOEY, dazed, turns to wave. JAKE Go 'head. Wave goodbye. They're your friends. JAKE watches them leave. JAKE And that hard-on, Salvy. Who's he think he is? I'm gonna let that fuckin' hard-on come up here and act like a big shot. JOEY What are you getting so hot about -- Tommy Como told him to come down here... JAKE (interrupting) Hey, I don't care about Tommy Como. I don't care about Jesus Christ on the fuckin' cross. I gotta give them a percentage of what I make! I'm in here breaking my ass, not them. Don't ever bring them up here again. JOEY I didn't tell them to come. Tommy Como... The bell sounds again. JAKE hits JOEY a few more solid body punches. JOEY gets angry and fights back with a flurry of punches which have no effect on JAKE. JAKE laughs. JAKE That's right, fight back. I got laid three times before I came up here this morning and I can still break your ass. JOEY fights back, but it's no use. JOEY You cocksucker. JAKE laughs. The two continue to swing it out, as SALVY watches unseen from the doorway. EXT. SHOREHAVEN POOL - DAY (1942-43) The Shorehaven Pool, spic-and-span in the summer sun is the closest thing to a country club in the Bronx. An eight foot fence stands between the pool and the street. JAKE, wearing slacks and a sportshirt, hangs out with the "BOYS" near the bar area. Older, "MADE" MEN play cards. A young FAN walks by and says: FAN Hey, Jake. At the opposite end of the pool where the GIRLS gossip, and sunbathe, JOEY swaps small talk with VICKIE, a school girl, about 15. VICKIE is a knockout. SALVY, FRANKIE and JUNIOR are with VICKIE and her FRIENDS. They joke with JOEY. JAKE watches SALVY and VICKIE. JAKE'S P.O.V.: JOEY is talking (PAN) to VICKIE. VICKIE giggles. JOEY stands and walks over to JAKE. JAKE (referring to Vickie) Who's that? JOEY Whadda you care? JAKE Whadda ya mean, whadda I care? Who is she? What's a matter? You afraid I'm gonna take her on you? JOEY No, I'm not afraid. Why? You wanna meet her? JAKE Yeah -- JOEY Cause I'll go right over there and bring her here. JAKE Go 'head. JOEY You sure you wanna meet her? Don't make me go over there, you change your mind and you make me look bad, cause she's really a knockout. She's 15, this kid -- a great piece of ass. JAKE How do you know? You know her that good? JOEY No, I see her around the pool. I know her. I know her like that -- not like that. JAKE (gesturing to his bandage) Nah, not now... I wanna wait. I don't feel right... JAKE watches VICKIE. INT. JAKE AND IRMA'S APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM - LATE NIGHT JOEY (to Jake) I'm tellin' you, she'll be there, I know she'll be there. JAKE 'Cause I wanna catch her alone. JOEY How you gonna catch anybody alone at a dance?... I don't know if she'll be there alone... She'll probably be there with her girlfriends or something. JAKE She ever go with them? Like Salvy? JOEY Nah, she don't go with nobody. She's only 15 years old. JAKE What does that have to do with it? She don't look 15 to me. I heard somethin' with Salvy. She was with him once or somethin', I think. It was like some blonde. That's the one... JOEY Probably. You know she talks to everybody, and not just him. JAKE Yeah, she's nice. JOEY Ah, some piece of ass, I'm tellin' you. JAKE You wasn't with her, were you? JOEY Huh? JAKE You wasn't with her? JOEY With her? How? JAKE You know, like bang her or anything? JOEY Ah, no, no. I didn't bang her. I know her from around here, that's all. You want to meet her or what? JAKE Nah, not now -- all those hard-ons around. I'll wait. Not now. The scene ends on VICKIE as JAKE watches her. INT. JAKE AND IRMA'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - LATE NIGHT JOEY (to Jake) I'm tellin' you, she'll be there, I know she'll be there. Dressed up and everything. JAKE I don't like all those other clowns around. That's all I know. JOEY C'mon, hurry up. We're never gonna get outa here tonight. JOEY sips a drink as JAKE knots his tie. IRMA enters from the bedroom. IRMA Where you going at this hour? JAKE What're you, a cop? I'm goin' out -- business. IRMA You fuckin' worm, if you're going out, I'm going out. JAKE And where you goin'? IRMA None of your fuckin' business. JOEY lifts his eyes up. JAKE Eh, go out. Do what you're gonna do. What do I care? JOEY opens the door to leave. JAKE follows. IRMA That's right -- run out. I ain't gonna be here when you get back. INT. JAKE AND IRMA'S APT. BUILDING - HALLWAY - LATE NIGHT JAKE and JOEY hurry down the stairs. IRMA shouts after them. IRMA Bunch of guys. You all hang out together. Yeah, you're all going out on business. You're all gonna suck each other off. INT. JAKE AND IRMA'S BUILDING - GROUND FLOOR - LATE NIGHT JOEY What a mouth on her -- you shoulda hit her -- no good fuckin' Jewish cunt -- breakin' our balls. You shoulda hit her with a chair. JAKE Hey, watch your mouth. Don't talk like that. She's still my wife. JOEY No, but Jake... how much abuse can you take. JAKE (interrupting) How many times do I have to hit her? I hit her enough. They exit to street. EXT. JAKE AND IRMA'S APARTMENT BUILDING - STREET - LATE NIGHT JOEY and JAKE come out of the building and start walking down the street. IRMA opens the window on the second floor right above them, and shouts out to them: IRMA Go ahead -- that's all you're good for -- to go out and leave me here like a dog. You and your brother! You don't even look like brothers. You look like faggots! That's what you look like -- faggots! JAKE and JOEY walk faster down the block, pretending that IRMA must be shouting at someone else. She throws a bottle at them. It smashes in the street. EXT. WEBSTER HALL - NIGHT (AN HOUR LATER) ESTABLISHING SHOT. INT. WEBSTER HALL - NIGHT A neighborhood dance is in progress. A small BAND is playing while mainly OLDER COUPLES dance. There are TWO PRIESTS present. The younger people are divided into two groups -- the BOYS, who are dressed in suits and ties, and spend most of their time at the bar area -- and the GIRLS, who are in evening dresses, and spend most of their time dancing together. Some of the more popular GIRLS are surrounded by "WISE-GUYS." There are tables near the dance floor with "set ups" (bottles of Scotch, rye, and a bucket of ice) on them. These tables are the "bases of operation" for different neighborhood groups, as if they were street corners. JAKE and JOEY are walking toward a table. VERA, a young neighborhood girl, blocks their way as she bends over to talk to some GUYS at a table. VERA's well-built, and knows it. JOEY tries to move one way; VERA again blocks his way. This little game goes on for a few seconds, then: JOEY Look, could you move a little. Would you mind, darling? VERA Mind what, Mr. Big Shot? JAKE (annoyed) Eh, girlie, take a walk. JAKE starts to move forward; JOEY stops him. JOEY (to Vera) All right, darling, I'll just stand here and wait. JOEY cups his hands and grabs VERA's breasts. VERA squeals, covers her breasts, and moves back. JOEY and JAKE walk past her. JOEY smiles. JOEY and JAKE sit down at an empty table. JAKE Do you see her yet? JOEY Give me a chance. Let me look. MOVING SHOTS JAKE tries to find her -- Camera pans until we find her. JOEY points out a distant table. He spots VICKIE with a couple of other GIRLS. VICKIE looks beautiful and is obviously having a good time. JOEY There she is over there on the other side. What did I tell you? Oh, ain't she nice? Ain't she a fuckin' doll? As they watch, WE SEE, from JAKE's POV: SALVY, FRANKIE, and JUNIOR show up at VICKIE's table. They are in overcoats and hats and don't sit down. They are obviously on their way to bigger things than a neighborhood dance -- and VICKIE and her GIRLFRIENDS are glad to go with them. They get up to leave. JAKE Be right back. SALVY, FRANKIE, JUNIOR, VTCKIE and the other TWO GIRLS leave the dance hall. JAKE, unseen, follows them to the entrance way, as they go out onto the sidewalk. EXT. WEBSTER HALL - NIGHT JAKE watches as SALVY ushers everyone into his Cadillac, and then drives off. JAKE stares after the car for a moment, then goes back inside. EXT. SHOREHAVEN POOL - DAY (1942-43) JAKE and JOEY get out of their Packard convertible and walk over to the fence surrounding the pool. VICKIE is by the pool. JOEY (calling out to Vickie) Hey, Vickie, c'mere. Don't be afraid. C'mere. Just say hello. This is my brother. VICKIE comes over to the fence. JOEY Vickie, I want you to meet my brother, Jake. He's gonna be the next champ. JAKE puts his fingers through the fence. JAKE Joey said you wanted to meet me. Is that right? You wanted to meet me? VICKIE (to Joey) I just wanted to say hello. JAKE You wanted to say hello, eh? I can't believe it. When did you fall outa heaven? Anyone ever tell you you're the most beautiful one here, princess of the pool. You got a baby face. Look at mine. Whatcha wanna meet me for? VICKIE I don't know. 'Cause you're cute. JAKE (to Joey) Ya hear, Joey? She thinks this face is cute? Hey, whatcha doin' now? You wanna go for a ride? PAN to car. VICKIE Sure. Gimme a few minutes. She starts to go. JAKE Hey... She turns. JAKE kisses his hand and holds it up to the fence by her lips. EXT. SHORE ROAD - DAY JAKE drives his Packard convertible down Shore Road. VICKIE sits in the passenger seat, her blonde hair blowing in the wind. VICKIE feels JAKE's eyes all over her, and loves it. On the radio, Bing Crosby sings "Just One More Chance." EXT. MINIATURE GOLF COURSE - DAY JAKE parks across the street from the new miniature golf course on Shore Road. The Shore Road course is one of the best. The first green features a pink windmill. JAKE and VICKIE get out to cross the street. VICKIE You don't talk very much. JAKE I ain't ever talked to a movie star before. VICKIE (giggles) I ain't no movie star. I'm just in high school. JAKE Oh no? I thought you was a movie star. A bus heads toward them. VICKIE Jake! The bus! JAKE holds up his hand. JAKE Any bus gives you trouble, I knock it out for ya. The bus stops for them as they cross the street. EXT. THE FIRST GREEN - DAY JAKE sets VICKIE's ball on the tee facing the windmill. VICKIE You go first. Let me watch how to do this. JAKE You don't get nothin' done by watchin'. You just gotta do it. Here, I'll help you. JAKE hands VICKIE the putter, then moves behind her and puts her hand on the club. JAKE That's it. Just grip up a little tighter. That's it. You're gonna be real good at this. How does that feel? VICKIE It feels real good. JAKE Just keep your eye on the ball. VICKIE Should I hit it? JAKE Just give it a nice little tap. VICKIE swings and the ball rolls into the center of the windmill. VICKIE breaks free and follows her ball. JAKE follows. VICKIE I can't find my ball. JAKE Can you see it? VICKIE bends and looks under the windmill. VICKIE No. JAKE bends and looks. VICKIE Can you see it? JAKE No. VICKIE What does that mean? JAKE takes VICKIE by the arm. JAKE It means the game is over. JAKE throws his putter on the next green. JAKE Let's get outa here. EXT. ARTHUR AVENUE APARTMENT BUILDING - BRONX - DAY JAKE and VICKIE pull up to a tenement. JAKE dashes around the car to open the door for VICKIE. They enter the building. INT. ARTHUR AVENUE APARTMENT - DAY JOSEPH LAMOTTA, SR. is finishing his Sunday dinner with a glass of wine as JAKE and VICKIE enter. JAKE Hi Pop. This is my new girlfriend, Vickie. V for victory. How do you like that Pop? JOE LAMOTTA V for victory. VICKIE (nervous) It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. LaMotta. JOE LAMOTTA (in Italian) Sit down. Eat something. JAKE is anxious. VICKIE is scared. JAKE C'mon, Pop. You've been in America so many years. Speak English. JOE LAMOTTA (joking) You want me to speak English -- Fuck you. That's English. JAKE Pop, don't curse. There's a girl here. I'm gonna show her around the house. Why don't you just finish your wine? JOE stares at him. JAKE grasps VICKIE's arm firmly. INT. ARTHUR AVENUE APARTMENT - BEDROOM - DAY The bedroom is a few rooms away from the kitchen. JAKE closes the door. (There is a warm light in the bedroom.) VICKIE Jake, this is your father's bedroom. JAKE That's all right. He don't mind. The room is sparsely furnished. On the bureau, there is a large framed photo of the boxing brothers: JAKE and JOEY LAMOTTA. (JOEY wears a suit in the picture.) JAKE puts VICKIE on the bed and removes his jacket and tie. VICKIE Jake... JAKE It's OK. He pushes her against the bed and gently undresses her. They make love. INT. OLYMPIA STADIUM - DETROIT (FEB. 5, 1943) JAKE is fighting SUGAR RAY ROBINSON. (It's their 2nd match.) WE SEE highlights of the fight: JAKE is fighting ferociously, but SUGAR RAY is a formidable opponent. AN ANNOUNCER'S VOICE gives a blow by blow description. JAKE takes a lot of punishment from SUGAR RAY -- until the 8th round. Then, JAKE nails SUGAR RAY with a savage left. JAKE chases SUGAR RAY and pounds him with a left and a right. SUGAR RAY gets in a right cross. They stand toe to toe, fighting. Then, JAKE lands a left to SUGAR RAY's stomach, and knocks him through the ropes. JAKE goes after SUGAR RAY, but the REFEREE stops him. SUGAR RAY gets back into the ring and sinks to one knee, while the REFEREE counts to 9. The bell sounds. TIME CUT: THE ANNOUNCER calls out that JAKE is the winner. JAKE throws kisses. The CROWD goes wild. INT. GLEASON'S - DAY (1943) JAKE's press conference. FIVE REPORTERS meander around the gym, waiting for JAKE to finish sparring. They are not thrilled with their assignment. JAKE is not thrilled with having them there. The gallery is spotted with the usual BRONX TYPES. The lone exception is VICKIE, dressed very well, very sensual, and quite content to watch JAKE make his SPARRING PARTNERS' lives miserable, despite their head and belly protectors. JOEY is off in one of the corners arguing with ONE of the reporters: JOEY The fuckin' papers are full of Robinson and nothing on Jake -- and Jake knocked him clear outa the ring in Detroit. He's the only guy ever to beat Robinson. Whatsa matter with you? I thought we had an arrangement. REPORTER We do Joey. You know we do. JOEY You holding me up for more cash or what? The bell sounds, ending the sparring round. REPORTER I can't print nothing if Jake won't give me nothing. JOEY walks over to the ring. The REPORTER follows not far behind. JOEY C'mon, Jake. You're makin' us look stupid. I brought these guys up here, now you don't wanna talk to them? What are ya doin'? Open your mouth, for Christsake. JAKE nods his head, steps out of the ring, and goes directly over to the REPORTER, who is about to say: "Hi, Jake." JAKE (interrupting) I'm tellin' you now, when I read this, it better not make me look bad. REPORTER Jake, did I ever make you look bad before? JAKE Maybe it wasn't you, but you know what I'm talkin' about. JOEY (interrupting) Don't worry. Don't worry. It's gonna be all right. (to reporter) Ask him your questions. REPORTER All right, Jake, you're being talked about as the top middleweight contender. Do you think another victory over Sugar Ray will get you a shot at the title? JAKE Why not? There's nobody else around who wants to fight me; they're all afraid. I don't see why I shouldn't have a shot at the title right now. REPORTER Well, the word is to get a title shot you have to cooperate with the people who control boxing, in New York. And they're saying that you don't cooperate. JAKE You guys know more about that than I do. I just fight... JOEY (interrupting) He fights the toughest guys around that everybody else is afraid to fight... JAKE (interrupting) I'm the only guy ever to beat Sugar Ray, and I still don't have a shot at the title. REPORTER You just fought Sugar Ray two weeks ago and you're training like this right now... Are you afraid Sugar Ray might beat you this time? JAKE I tell you what. You hit me here. (points to his right cheek) Sugar Ray hits me here. (points to his left cheek) I can't tell the difference. I just fight. JAKE turns to VICKIE, smiles, and prepares for his next SPARRING PARTNER. INT. ARTHUR AVENUE APARTMENT - BEDROOM - DAY (FEB. 1943) JAKE, wearing pleated dress slacks, sits on the edge of the bed examining his muscle tone. He studies his small fists. Squeezes each knuckle. Twists his wrists. Clenches. Unclenches. VICKIE steps out of the bathroom wearing a nightie and panties. VICKIE Are you sure we should be doing this? JAKE Come over here. VICKIE You said never to touch you before a fight. JAKE (lovingly) If you let me do it, I'll murder you. Come here. VICKIE You said I couldn't. You've been good for two weeks... JAKE Come here. JAKE watches VICKIE approach him. He respects her as he would a shrine; he slowly removes her sheer nightie. His round hands caress her smooth skin. He glides his bruised knuckles across her shoulders, pride on his face. She kisses his bruised knuckles sensuously, then his bruised face. JAKE Take off my pants. VICKIE Jake... JAKE Do what I say. He touches her breasts as she removes his trousers. JAKE Now take the rest off. VICKIE Jake, you made me promise not to get you excited. JAKE Go 'head. Do it. She pulls off his shorts. VICKIE is now getting excited. She kisses his chest and licks it. VICKIE I like the gym smell. JAKE Now take your panties off. She does. JAKE Now, touch me... (takes her hand) ...here. VICKIE Oh, Jake. She caresses his broad shoulders and runs her hand along his erection. JAKE's lips are trembling. He quickly turns his back on VICKIE, goes into the bathroom, and gets a full glass of cold water. VICKIE watches as he puts his erection in the glass of cold water. She is shocked and surprised. JAKE I can't do it. I can't fool around. This Robinson, I gotta beat him again. I can't fool around. Don't come near me. JAKE grabs her again and kisses her. Then, gently but firmly, he turns her around and pushes her out. (It's starting again, and he must stop it.) He goes back the bathroom and closes the door. INT. OLYMPIC STADIUM - DETROIT (FEB. 26, 1943) This is JAKE's rematch with SUGAR RAY (their 3rd fight). AN ANNOUNCER's VOICE gives a blow by blow description. THE FOURTH ROUND: JAKE is in serious trouble. SUGAR RAY knocks him with a hard right, then a series of rights and lefts. JAKE is punched all the way across the ring, but stays in there. THE SEVENTH ROUND: JAKE, coming on strong, forces SUGAR RAY into his own corner, then lands a left hook to his chin. SUGAR RAY drops, and takes a nine count. This time, however, the blow does not have a crippling effect on SUGAR RAY; instead, he comes back and outboxes JAKE. TIME CUT: THE ANNOUNCER calls out the decision: SUGAR RAY is the winner. JAKE is stunned. The CROWD boos so loud and for so long that THE ANNOUNCER is unable to introduce the fighters in the next bout. INT. OLYMPIA STADIUM - DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT JOEY and TONY are in the dressing room. JAKE sits on the table, dejected. His hand is being examined by a DOCTOR. TWO HANGERS-ON are also present. JOEY (angry) They robbed us! Those fuckin' judges -- What the fuck fight were they watching? If I see them on the street, I'll break their heads. Decision Robinson, my fuckin' ass! Those judges give him the decision 'cause he's goin in the army next week! How else could this have happened?... What do you think they gave him the decision for, that's why. JAKE (almost to himself) Whadda I gotta do, Joey? I knocked him down. What did I do wrong? I don't understand. JOEY You won and was robbed! You didn't do nothin' wrong. JAKE I dunno. Maybe I don't deserve to win. I've done a lot of bad things. I dunno... TONY goes to the door. JOEY Fuck that. This was the fight. This coulda done it. This was our shot. They out and out robbed us. MARIO comes back from the door. MARIO Vickie is here, Jake. JAKE I don't wanna see nobody. JOEY You want us to wait for you? JAKE No, take her home. I wanna be alone for a while. Everybody go. They exit. DISSOLVE TO: INT. BATHROOM NEAR THE DRESSING ROOM JAKE, now alone, goes into the bathroom. He looks in the bathroom mirror. After a pause, he touches his newly acquired bruises and bandages. He combs his hair. We hear the beginning of an early Frank Sinatra song. This song carries over onto the following MONTAGE. MONTAGE This MONTAGE covers the period between 1943 and early 1947. It shows JAKE hard at work fighting all the tough guys he can. Each of the fights will be introduced by the corresponding title card from the "Big Fights" film showing a boxing glove with the fighters' names and the places of the fights superimposed on it. The actual fight images will be black and white newspaper photos JUMP CUT together to simulate real action. For example: In still #1 JAKE is about to land a punch on an OPPONENT. CUT TO: Still #2, and the punch lands, distorting the OPPONENT's face, sweat spraying out everywhere. Live sound effects accompany these stills. The fight stills are INTERCUT with 16mm black and white home movies of JAKE, VICKIE, JOEY, etc. (to be shot in 16mm black and white). It'll go something like this: A) JAKE VS. FRITZIE ZIVIC at the Detroit Olympia (January 14, 1944) B) JAKE, VICKIE, and JOEY, wearing sunglasses, pose in front of a Cadillac. (1944) C) JAKE VS. SUGAR RAY ROBINSON at Madison Square Garden (February 23, 1945) D) JAKE and VICKIE getting married. (This will be a black and white still photo, posed especially for the occasion.) (1945, New Jersey courthouse) E) JAKE VS. SUGAR RAY ROBINSON at Comiskey Park, Chicago (September 26, 1945) F) JAKE and VICKIE on vacation -- very loving. They are dancing, and he allows her to knock him into the pool. Then, JAKE gives VICKIE a present by the poolside. She opens the box and takes out a white garment and turban. She kisses JAKE. CUT TO: VICKIE dressed in the outfit. She looks very much like Lana Turner in "The Postman Always Rings Twice." She kisses JAKE. (1946) G) JAKE VS. JIMMY EDGAR at Detroit (The University of Detroit Stadium) (June 12, 1946) H) JOEY's marriage. JAKE and VICKIE are there as witnesses. (Could also be a still photo as D was.) (1946) I) JAKE VS. BOB SATTERFIELD at Wrigley Field, Chicago (September 12, 1946) J) JAKE and VICKIE in front of their new Pelham Parkway house. It is an affluent, split-level house, an idyllic scene -- stone terrace, freshly cut lawn, etc. JAKE carries VICKIE inside. CUT TO: JAKE and VICKIE with their two boys JACK, age 2, and JOEY, age 1 in the backyard of the Pelham Parkway house; they are having a cookout. JOEY and his WIFE and their two children (a BOY and a GIRL about the same ages as JAKE's) are there also. (1947) K) JAKE VS. TOMMY BELL at Madison Square Garden (March 14, 1947) INT. PELHAM PARKWAY HOUSE (1947) WE SEE an early model, round screen television. Nearby an old radio. On it, Sinatra is finishing the song we heard in the preceding montage. JAKE enters, and turns down the volume on the radio. WE SEE JAKE's living room; it is late forties modern. JOEY and VICKIE are seated around the coffee table, which is near the television. There are some remnants of a snack on the table. JAKE's TWO BOYS are playing nearby. JAKE (to Joey as he turns down the radio) I just weighed myself -- I'm 161. No more deals like this Janiro bullshit. I didn't tell you to do it in the first place. JOEY Jake, you're the one who said you could get down to 155! What did I do, pull it out of the fuckin' hat? JAKE (angry) Well, sometimes you shouldn't listen to me! Now I don't know if I can make it down to 155. I'm having trouble making 160, and without telling me, you sign me for a fight at 155 pounds, and if I don't make 155, I forfeit $15,000! You're supposed to know what you're doin'. You're supposed to be a manager! JOEY You want the title shot? JAKE Say what you're gonna say. JOEY You want the title shot or not? JAKE Say what you gotta say. Don't be a smart ass. JOEY (yelling) This Janiro's an up-and-coming fighter, this kid you gotta knock out. Knockout this fuckin' kid! I'm telling you, this is your step towards getting a shot at the title. Listen to me: I'm telling you. You been killin' yourself for three years. There's nobody left -- they're afraid to fight you. This Janiro's up-and- coming. He don't know. Fuckin' tear him apart, wipe him out! What are you worried about? Your weight? Look, even if you lose they're gonna think you're weak; they're gonna think you're not the fighter you used to be. They'll match you with guys they were afraid to match you with before, and then you'll kill them and you'll get your title shot. And if you beat this kid Janiro, they gotta give you a shot at the title because there's nobody else. Either way you win and you do it on your own -- just like you want it. All right? VICKIE Joey's right. Janiro's up-and coming, he's good looking... JAKE (interrupting) What do you mean, "good looking?" VICKIE Well, he's popular. A lotta people like Janiro. You beat him and it only figures they'll wanna see you get a title shot. But, what do I know? I should keep my mouth shut, I should... JAKE (interrupting) Who asked you? VICKIE But, Jake, I was just... JAKE (interrupting) Who asked you? VICKIE I was just... JAKE (interrupting) Who asked you? VICKIE, amazed, gets up to leave. JAKE glares at her. VICKIE rounds up the kids and takes them into the kitchen. (MOVING SHOT). WE SEE VICKIE in the kitchen angrily throwing things around. We clearly see the tension as she cleans up, muttering to herself. JAKE (turns to Joey) All right, manager. Everybody had their say around here. Now this is what I'm gonna say. I'm gonna get down to 155, and I'm gonna destroy this kid -- get my title shot. And don't ever bet 15 thousand without my say so again. JAKE comes into the kitchen. He tries to make up with VICKIE. She plays hard-to-get. They begin to tease each other. INT. COPACABANA LOUNGE - NIGHT (1947) A COMEDIAN is in the middle of his act. JAKE, VICKIE, JOEY, and JANET sit at a nearby table. JANET, an attractive blonde, is one of JOEY's girlfriends; the moment you set eyes on her, you know this is not his wife. The lounge is very crowded. The COMEDIAN interrupts his routine to point out that JAKE LAMOTTA is in the audience, and even tries a little harmless joking at JAKE's expense. COMEDIAN Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to point out a special guest we have with us tonight -- The Raging Bull, The Bronx Bull, Mr. Jake LaMotta. There is applause. JAKE smiles, and gives a hesitant wave. COMEDIAN Stand up, Jake, c'mon. Oh, you are standing. Sorry. (laughs) Just kiddin', Jake. JAKE waves a fist at the COMEDIAN, good-naturedly playing along with the joke -- even though he hates it. JAKE (to Joey) Look at this abuse I gotta take. JOEY, VICKIE, and JANET are amused. JAKE (joking) What's so funny? (lifting his glass) Cheers! Post-time. Joey, Vickie, and... (to Janet) What's your name again, darling? JANET Janet. JAKE Smiles. They all drink. SALVY, a little older, but still young-looking, and dressed even better than when we last saw him (flashy rings, etc.), comes over to their table. He walks around like he owns the fucking place. JAKE hates it. SALVY Hi, Joey. Jake, how you doin'? Vickie... They respond. JAKE is cold towards SALVY. SALVY goes on his way to COMO's table. As SALVY walks away, JAKE turns to VICKIE. JAKE What're you lookin' at? You lookin' at him? VICKIE No, I'm not. I'm looking at you. JAKE Don't tell me "No." I saw you lookin' at him. Why, you like him? VICKIE I'm not interested in him. JAKE You're not interested in him? VICKIE No, I'm not. JAKE In other words, you're not interested in him but you'd be interested in somebody else, right? VICKIE Jake, c'mon now. Don't start. JAKE (turns to Joey, referring to Salvy) Look at this, all of a sudden everybody's a fuckin' Romeo around here. Did you see the way she was lookin' at him? JOEY Nah, she would never... JAKE (interrupting) Didn't you just see her lookin' at him? She told me no, but I don't believe her. JOEY (uncomfortable) C'mon, Jake. You know she's crazy about you. JAKE gives him a suspicious look. JOEY feels uneasy. JAKE I'd just love to catch her. Oooooh, I'd just love to catch her once. Drinks arrive at their table. WAITER These are from Tommy Como. JAKE looks up but can't see where COMO is. JOEY gets up. JOEY (to Jake) Excuse me for a minute. Be right back. JAKE (sarcastic) Don't be long. I'm afraid with all these tough guys here. JOEY goes to COMO's table in the rear of the lounge. JAKE slides over and watches. JOEY shakes hands with COMO. SALVY is there at COMO's table. JOEY comes right back. JOEY Jake, come over for a few minutes. Tommy wants to say hello to you. C'mon, just come and say hello. JAKE doesn't like the idea, but goes along with it anyway. ANOTHER ANGLE: COMO's table. JAKE comes over. JAKE Hi, Tommy. How are you? TOMMY Jake, sit down for a minute. JAKE sits. SALVY smiles and nods to JAKE. JAKE barely nods back. TOMMY (his arm around Jake) Fuckin' kid! You're the best fuckin' fighter around. Loved what you did to Satterfield. Them "moulan yans" -- forget about it. They're all afraid to fight you. JAKE (a little embarrassed) C'mon, Tommy -- TOMMY How you feelin'? Ok? You feelin' good? JAKE Never felt better. TOMMY Tony Janiro's gotta watch out, eh? JAKE He should. TOMMY (to Salvy) This Janiro's a good fighter, pretty good-lookin' kid. SALVY Bet on him three times. Always come through for me. JAKE just stares, holding his anger in. There is a pause. TOMMY How's the weight? Ok? JAKE Yeah, the weight's Ok. Another pause. TOMMY smiles and moves closer to JAKE. TOMMY All right, lemme ask you something. Let's say I was a good friend of yours. And I was telling you I was gonna bet a lot of money on you in this Janiro fight. What would you tell me? JAKE I'd tell you to bet a bundle. TOMMY sips his drink. INT. PELHAM PARKWAY HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT VICKIE is in bed trying to sleep. JAKE comes out of the bathroom half-dressed, and sits on the edge of the bed (preoccupied). Silence. JAKE Vickie?... Vickie, you asleep? VICKIE What? JAKE You asleep? VICKIE Yeah. JAKE Huh? VICKIE Yeah, what? JAKE Tell me, you think of anybody else when I'm making love to you? VICKIE Nobody. I love you, remember? JAKE Then why'd you say that thing about Tony Janiro? VICKIE What did I say? JAKE That he's got a pretty face. VICKIE I never noticed his face. JAKE You sure you're not thinking of him right now? VICKIE Positive. JAKE You're the one who said he was good looking. You think he's good looking 'cause I know you think he's good- looking. I'll smash his face inside out. I'll make him into dog meat. Nobody's gonna think he's good-looking when I get through with him. So you just go ahead and think about who you want. VICKIE freezes. INT. WORTH STREET BASEMENT - DAY TONY JANIRO, wearing boxer trunks, steps off the scale. Commissioner COL. EDDIE EAGAN, a white-haired, heavyset man in his mid-forties, calls out the weight. The basement of the New York Boxing Commission on Worth Street is a sparse room, crowded with REPORTERS, TRAINERS and MANAGERS. EAGAN Tony Janiro, 151 lbs. and one half. JAKE steps on the scale. He looks weak and woozy. After the customary adjustments, EAGAN calls out: EAGAN Jake LaMotta, 155 lbs. and one fourth. There's a commotion in JAKE's camp. JANIRO smiles. JAKE Just a minute. JAKE, JOEY, and TONY confer. JAKE gets off the scale and enters the men's room. An OFFICIAL follows him. INT. THE MEN'S ROOM JAKE forces himself to urinate. INT. WORTH STREET BASEMENT JAKE comes out of the bathroom, and gets back on the scale. EAGAN Ok. This is official. LAMOTTA stares at JANIRO. EAGAN LaMotta, 155 lbs. on the nose. JAKE throws JANIRO a kiss. INT. MADISON SQUARE GARDEN - NIGHT It's the last round and JAKE is pouring it on a beaten and virtually helpless JANIRO. The Crowd chants: CROWD LaMotta. HALF THE AUDIENCE is already on its feet. The kill is imminent -- and they love it. JAKE lands one blow after another. He is relentless. Several rows back, TOMMY COMO, SALVY and SEVERAL OTHER "MADE" GUYS sit with sober looks on their faces. JAKE moves in fast, and with a powerful barrage, smashes JANIRO's nose -- plastering it against his left cheek. The final bell rings. JANIRO, his legs all rubber, staggers back to his corner. JAKE prances about, kissing his fists and throwing them to the CROWD. JOEY rushes out, throws JAKE's leopard skin robe over him and embraces him. TONY follows. JAKE looks right at COMO and SALVY. AN ANNOUNCER steps into the center of the ring: ANNOUNCER The winner, by unanimous decision, in ten rounds, Jake LaMotta! JOEY I love you. JAKE, weak from losing the weight and winning the fight, still manages to prance around the ring victoriously. VICKIE, now near the ring, throws kisses to JAKE. JAKE (shouts to Vickie) This is my night! Listen to them! I'm gonna be champ! He bends down and gives her a kiss through the ropes. JAKE I'm making everything up to you. INT. COPACABANA - NIGHT (1947) JOEY is at the bar with a DETROIT PROMOTER and JACKIE CURTIE. DETROIT PROMOTER When we gonna get Jake back in Detroit? Jesus, he really did a job on Janiro. Who you after next, Joey? JOEY (evasive) I dunno. We're working on it. He's training at the camp now. JACKIE CURTIE After what I seen, they gotta give him a shot at the title. JOEY We're gonna get our shot. The DETROIT PROMOTER introduces JOEY to JACKIE CURTIE. DETROIT PROMOTER Oh Joey, this is Jackie Curtie. He handles a lot of business in South Ohio. JACKIE CURTIE I like your brother. Made a lot of money on him. JOEY Betcha more than he has. JACKIE CURTIE Made a little cabbage on the Tommy Bell fight too. Whatever happened to him? JOEY Ain't he dead? DETROIT PROMOTER Nah. He's got a job downtown. Runs an elevator in some building. JOEY Yeah? DETROIT PROMOTER Went down to see him the other day. I says, "Tommy, take me up to the fifth floor." And you know, he took me right up there. JACKIE CURTIE Yeah, Tommy always was a stand-up guy. SALVY and PATSY arrive with VERA, SANDY (two neighborhood girls), and VICKIE. They go to a nearby table. The bar area: JOEY sees this. DETROIT PROMOTER Joey, let me get you another drink. JOEY (distracted) Just a minute. Excuse me. I'll be right back. The table area: JOEY arrives at SALVY's table. VICKIE is nervous. There is a cold exchange of "hellos." JOEY (to Vickie) C'mere, let me talk to you for a minute. There is an awkward silence as he grabs VICKIE by the arm and takes her over to the hat-check area. JOEY What're you doin' with Salvy? You shouldn't be here with him. Jake's away killin' himself. Suppose he found out. VICKIE What the hell am I doing wrong? Just because Jake is training, I can't go out? What am I, a goddamn prisoner? JOEY No, you're his wife. VICKIE I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm just trying to have a good time. Do I have to be cooped up in the house all the time? JOEY It don't look right. VICKIE Well, go ahead, tell Jake. He's gonna kill me anyway. It's a matter of time. JOEY I'm not gonna tell him nothing; but if he finds out, he will kill you. What's the matter with you? Aren't you happy? You got everything you want. VICKIE You don't sleep with him. I do. I don't get to breathe without tellin' him. He keeps me in a cage. If he thinks I'm lookin' at somebody the wrong way, I get used as a punching bag. He don't trust nobody. If he saw the two of us talking together right now, you'd be in trouble too -- believe me. Look at me, Joey. I'm 19 years old. I wanna enjoy my life. I love Jake, but you don't know. He gets crazy sometimes. I'm scared. JOEY Try to understand, Vickie. Jake's got a lotta aggravation. He's been a top contender too long. VICKIE That's right, take his part. You're his brother. He's never gonna be champ. Too many people are against him. JOEY And you're drinking with them right now. VICKIE And I'm gonna finish my drink. And, I'm gonna have a good time, because I ain't doing nothing wrong. She starts to go back to the table. JOEY (grabbing her) You're wrong to be here. Let's go. VICKIE pulls away from JOEY, and goes back to the table. The table area: JOEY arrives at the table. He grabs VICKIE. JOEY I said, let's go. SALVY Joey, relax. You're taking this the wrong way. Why don't you sit down and have a drink? JOEY Excuse me, I'm talking to my sister in-law. SALVY Excuse me for living. JOEY What do you think, I'm blind? My brother's breaking his ass in a ring, and you're here with his wife. SALVY Hey Joey, I'm here with Patsy and Vera and Sandy. And Vickie just happened to come along. We're just trying to have a good time. What do you want from me? So, why don't you just take it easy before this gets out of hand. As the conversation gets louder, PEOPLE begin to notice. PAUL, the owner (a tough-looking, well-dressed guy), and some BOUNCERS also become aware of the argument. JOEY Get the fuck outa here. What did you do, take your gangster pills today? I'll tear your fuckin' head off your shoulders! JOEY goes for SALVY. PEOPLE react. The GIRLS begin to scream. VICKIE exits. JOEY notices her leave, and calls after her. JOEY Hey, wait -- PAUL comes over and stops the fight. PAUL Ain't you forgettin' something? Ain't there never supposed to be no trouble in this joint? SALVY and JOEY give each other looks. JOEY goes out after VICKIE. EXT. COPACABANA - NIGHT JOEY looks up the street for VICKIE. She is gone. SALVY and PATSY come out of the entrance. SALVY Hey Joey, whadda ya lookin' to die young? JOEY (as he turns and lashes into Salvy and Patsy) I'll suck your eyes out! I'll fuckin' take the two of you. After a few moments, PAUL and the BOUNCERS from the Copa come out. The BOUNCERS pull PATSY away. They try to separate SALVY and JOEY, but can't. JOEY savagely beats SALVY on the Copa steps and in the street against the parked cars. JOEY Fuckin' low-life, cocksucker, etc.... SALVY tries to fight back, but JOEY is too tough for him. SALVY hits the pavement. JOEY kicks him. PAUL, PATSY, and the BOUNCERS finally pull JOEY away. PATSY tries to go after JOEY again, but PAUL stops him. PATSY (to Paul) Don't fuckin' put your hands on me! You're gonna near about this, Paul. PAUL (to Patsy) Get the fuck outa here. Don't come in my place and start fuckin' trouble -- I don't care who you are! (to Joey) Get outa here. Go on. JOEY looks back at him, and then walks away. INT. THE BACK ROOM OF THE DEBONAIR SOCIAL CLUB The room is furnished with a few round tables and some chairs; it is somewhat reminiscent of an old-fashioned candy store. TOMMY COMO, SALVY, PATSY and JOEY are present. SALVY's face is bruised from the beating JOEY gave him. COMO All right. I don't have to hear any more. I think I understand what happened. I understand it was your brother's wife and there was probably a misunderstanding. I'm not sayin' Salvy shouldn't have acted the way he did. But, Joey, you don't raise your hands. You don't do that kind of thing. This time we forget about it but no more after this. You understand? JOEY Yeah, I understand, Tommy. COMO All right, you guys, shake hands. SALVY, JOEY, and PATSY shake hands. COMO Go 'head. Be friends. That's it. (to Salvy and Patsy) All right, lemme be alone with him for a minute. SALVY and PATSY exit. There is a pause. COMO Aside from everything else, your family all right? JOEY Yeah, they're good. They're good, Tommy. COMO What is it with you? Can't you talk? You got like a funny attitude. I can't figure you out, Joey. What's with you and the quick answers? You wanna get outa here fast? JOEY Aw, Tommy, c'mon, it ain't that. COMO Look Joey, I wanna tell you something. Your brother ain't gonna get nowhere without us -- nowhere. And I'm tellin' you between the two of us, it's gettin' to the point where it's gettin' to be a real embarrassment to me, a real embarrassment. JOEY How can he embarrass you? COMO He's an embarrassment because Frankie and the other guys are expectin' me to do something about it, and I'm lookin' very bad. I can't deliver a kid from my own neighborhood. Why's he make it so hard on himself? He comes to me, I can make it easier for him. JOEY Tommy, Jake respects you. He won't even say hello to anybody else -- you know that. But you know when Jake gets set on somethin', Jesus Christ Almighty could get off the fuckin' cross and he ain't gonna talk him out of it. I'm his kid brother. I got no say with Jake on this. He thinks he can buck everybody and make it on his own. COMO Make it on his own? Does he know the kind of money involved? I mean the real money. He thinks he's gonna become champ on his own? We're gonna sit by and see some nut come in there and hold one of the most important titles in the world? A nut who don't listen to nobody or respect nobody? Is he really crazy? Listen, Joey, you understand, you tell him. I don't care how great he is or how colorful. He could beat all the Sugar Ray Robinsons and all the Janiros he wants to. He ain't gonna get a shot at the title without us. I'm not askin' you to do another thing except get that message into that thick head! EXT. SHORERAVEN POOL - DAY Another day. JOEY, fully clothed, opens the gate and looks around. JAKE is sitting alone near the deep end. JOEY walks over to him. JOEY Whatcha doin'? JAKE I remember the first time I met Vickie... I know there's somethin' up. I know she's doin' somethin', but I can't catch her... JOEY Maybe she's afraid you're gonna hit her so she can't talk to you the way she wants to. JAKE What do you mean? JOEY Try talkin' to her. She's your wife -- ask her what's the matter. JAKE When I'm away, did you ever notice anythin' funny with her? Tell me the truth. JOEY Jack, if there was anything funny, I would tell you. JAKE I want you to keep an eye on her when I'm not here. Understand? JOEY Sure, I'll keep an eye on her. JAKE What did Tommy say? JOEY I got good news, and I got bad news. The good news is you got your shot at the title. The bad news is... JAKE (interrupting, resigned) Yeah, I know. INT. WORTH STREET BASEMENT - DAY As BILLY FOX steps off the scales, EDDIE EAGAN calls out: EAGAN Billy Fox, 173 3/4 pounds. JOEY removes JAKE's leopard-skin robe as he steps on the scale. The REPORTERS crowd around. EAGAN Jake LaMotta, 167 pounds. JAKE'S HANDLERS urge him with words of encouragement as they walk toward his dressing room. INT. JAKE'S DRESSING ROOM - DAY EAGAN walks over. JAKE What's up, Colonel? EAGAN I'd like to talk to Jake a minute. JOEY Sure. EAGAN I suppose you heard what everybody's been saying, Jake. JAKE What who's been sayin'? EAGAN You were a big favorite in this fight. Then two days ago the odds start jumping all over the place until you're a 12-5 underdog. JAKE I don't follow no gamblin' Commissioner. I'm just a fighter. EAGAN Now the fight's off the books altogether. Meyer Lansky couldn't get a bet down on this fight. Some people are saying you're going into the tank. JAKE Believe what you want. EAGAN I want to believe you, LaMotta. JAKE I'm gonna kill him. That fuckin' jig's gonna wish he never came outa the jungle. You got any money? EAGAN What? JAKE You got any money you want to bet on Billy Fox, you can put it right here... (extends his hand) 'cause Jake LaMotta don't go down for nobody. EAGAN taps JAKE on the shoulder. EAGAN That's all I wanted to hear. JAKE glares at EAGAN as the COMMISSIONER walks away. INT. MADISON SQUARE GARDEN - NIGHT (NOV. 14, 1947) The old Garden is packed. The EX-CHAMPS, the PRESS, the OFFICIALS, the MOB GUYS, the FANS -- they're all here. The FIGHTERS are announced. BILLY FOX and JAKE touch gloves and return to their corners. FOX is taller and has a longer reach than JAKE. The bell sounds and the FIGHTERS come out. FOX goes to the head; JAKE goes to the body. FOX lands a solid blow to JAKE's jaw, but LAMOTTA is unfazed. FOX is surprised. In the past, his opponents have gone down when he connected. In the audience, COMO, SALVY, and some other BOYS watch with interest. JAKE moves in with a rapid series of trademark body blows. All of a sudden, FOX is wobbly. JAKE goes for the head, then cuts his punch short. FOX is about to go down. JAKE throws his arms around FOX to make sure he doesn't fall. JAKE (to Fox) Stand up! What the fuck are you doin'? The REFEREE breaks them apart and FOX remounts his attack. JAKE bicycles into a corner and lets FOX work him over. FOX connects: once, twice, three times. JAKE barely defends himself -- but he doesn't go down either. The CROWD starts to smell a fix. There are calls from the AUDIENCE. CROWD Got your swimming trunks on, Jake? I hope they're paying you enough. Fake, fake. TIME CUT: JAKE's corner. JAKE is acting stunned. TONY, not aware of what's going on, is slapping JAKE. TONY What's the matter with you? What's the matter with you? TIME CUT: The sign reads "Round Four." JAKE is in the center of the ring taking a relentless pasting from FOX. JAKE's arms hang at waist level... FOX lands one blow after another. The stink of a fix permeates the arena. JAKE is furious that FOX can't deck him. He curses through his mouthpiece (as he absorbs blow after blow): JAKE Hit me! Hit me! What's the matter with you, you motherfucker? Hit me! Boos and catcalls echo through the Garden. This is not even a fight. The REFEREE, realizing this, steps in between FOX and LAMOTTA, waves his arms and signals that FOX is the winner by a technical knockout. As he does, JAKE spits his mouthpiece in disgust at FOX and struts back to his corner. JAKE, JOEY, and TONY are already on their way out of the arena as the REFEREE declares FOX the winner. COMO and the OTHERS, satisfied, get up to leave. INT. JAKE'S DRESSING ROOM - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN - NIGHT As a REPORTER and a PHOTOGRAPHER come through the door, WE SEE and hear a commotion in the hall behind them. They rush in, look, and stop by the door. There is silence -- except for JAKE'S uncontrollable sobbing. The atmosphere is like that of funeral. JAKE is seated behind the rubbing table. He is still in his leopard-skin robe. His head hangs low as he sobs. The PHOTOGRAPHER snaps a picture. The HANDLER motions to him to stop, and then goes and sits near the door. The REPORTER still stands near the doorway, seeming quite stunned by the scene he is witnessing, but nevertheless continuing to scribble away on his pad. JOEY, standing near JAKE, has his back to everyone; his shoulders are shaking, his lips are tightly drawn. He cries soundlessly. TONY is pacing nearby. TONY Don't fight anymore! (pause) It's a free country, don't fight anymore! JAKE (between sobs) Why did they have to stop it? Why did they have to stop it? The REPORTER leans over to the HANDLER and whispers. REPORTER What happened? HANDLER (quietly) He must've been really hurt in the 2nd. He didn't answer me when I tried to tell him something in the corner. JAKE, still buried in his robe, becomes aware of the hum of voices and shouts out: JAKE Get everyone out of here! The REPORTER and the PHOTOGRAPHER leave. JAKE continues to sob. INT. PELHAM PARKWAY HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY INSERT: CLOSE UP of a Daily News Headline from November 22, 1947: "Board Suspends LaMotta." JAKE, dejected, sits on the couch. In front of him, on the coffee table are scattered several newspapers -- including the one with the headline we have just seen. JOEY paces in front of JAKE. JOEY (yelling) It woulda been so easy, Jack. So easy... JOEY goes into a boxing stance. JOEY Stick out your hands, Jake. JAKE C'mon, Joey. JOEY G'wan, do it. (jabs at him) Protect yourself, rummy. JAKE, out of reflex, sticks out his hands. As he does, JOEY feigns a hit and falls onto the floor -- "out cold." JAKE looks down at him. JOEY pops to his feet. JOEY See? That's all there was to it. JAKE What the fuck they want? I took the dive. They want me to fall down too? I don't fall down for nobody. I never went down in my life. Joey, what do I gotta do? Crawl on my hands and knees? I made an asshole of myself in the fuckin' Garden! All the newspaper writers make fun of me. I'm the bum of the year. All I want is a shot. Just a fuckin' shot. What do I gotta do? I'll do anything. JOEY Except fall down like a normal person. JAKE Yeah, except fall down. That's right. JOEY All right, you don't wanna fall down, so now you gotta take a rest. So, you enjoy the suspension. 'Cause there's nothin' you can do about it. Let the Commissioner and the D.A. jerk you around. So you wait. JAKE Jesus Christ! Seven months! What am I gonna do for seven months? I'm gonna go crazy. How do I keep my strength? By that time I'll be too weak to win the title. And my weight? Forget about it -- I'm gonna blow up like a balloon. I ain't never gonna hold my weight down. Seven months! I don't know... JOEY We did what we had to do. Tommy don't forget. Sooner or later you'll get your shot -- if Tommy don't die. EXT. BOOK-CADILLAC HOTEL, DETROIT - DAY (1949) It's raining outside the stately Book-Cadillac. A banner above the door proclaims. The Book-Cadillac Welcomes Marcel Cerdan Middleweight Champion of the World and the Challenger Jake LaMotta INT. BOOK-CADILLAC LOBBY - DAY The lobby is chaotic: FIGHT PEOPLE and SPORTSWRITERS mill anxiously about. Something's in the air. The BELL CAPTAIN pages: BELL CAPTAIN Mr. Williams. MR. WILLIAMS, THE DETROIT PROMOTER last seen in the Copacabana Lounge, answers the page. WILLIAMS listens on the phone a moment, then hands it back to the BELL CAPTAIN and announces: DETROIT PROMOTER It's official. The fight's been postponed twenty-four hours. A groan goes up from the lobby. INT. LAMOTTA'S SUITE - DAY JAKE's suite is modestly decorated and consists of a living room and two bedrooms. DR. PINTO is there sewing up a pork chop. JAKE, shadow-boxing in sportswear, paces back and forth. TONY watches him. VICKIE sits quietly on the sofa, sipping some wine. JOEY is on the phone. JOEY That's right. "No comment." (listens) You like that? Good, 'cause I got a lot more "No comments" where that one came from. JOEY cuts the line off, then leaves the receiver off the hook. JOEY I'm gonna order up some stuff. Have a steak. JAKE I can't eat a steak. If I eat a steak, I'm gonna have trouble making the weigh-in. JOEY So eat just a little. You gotta eat something. JAKE What am I gonna do for 24 hours? I can't even eat! JAKE goes into the bedroom. JOEY goes over to the DOCTOR. DOCTOR (shows him the pork chop) How's that? JOEY How long did it take you? DOCTOR 45 seconds. JOEY No good. Try to get it down. It's gotta be no more than 30 seconds to be on the safe side if we gotta stitch him up. INT. THE BEDROOM JAKE is alone. There is a knock at the door. JOEY opens it and pokes his head in. JOEY Jake, somebody wants to say hello to you. JOEY opens the door wider. TOMMY COMO is at the door with JOEY. JAKE goes over to the door. COMO Hey champ! JAKE Tommy, thanks for coming over. COMO You just take it easy, now. You'll do all right. Feelin' Ok? JAKE I'm Ok. COMO Just come by to wish you luck. (shakes his hand) Need anything? JAKE No, we're all right. Thanks anyway, Tommy. COMO Ok, champ. COMO turns to go. He says goodbye to everyone in the living room. He goes over and kisses VICKIE. JAKE watches this from the bedroom doorway. COMO (as he kisses Vickie) Look at her. As beautiful as always. Take care of that guy, will ya? VICKIE (going to the door with him) I'll take care of him. Thanks, Tommy. Bye. JAKE (to Vickie) C'mere. She goes to the bedroom doorway. JAKE grabs her arm, pulls her in, and slams the door. JAKE (pushing her toward the bed area) Hey, you don't say goodbye to him like that. VICKIE What did I do? JAKE (pushing her) You don't kiss like that. Hello and goodbye, that's all you do. VICKIE All I did... JAKE (interrupting) You know what I'm talking about. Don't ever make me look bad on the night of my big fight. VICKIE You're hurting my arm. JAKE has her by the night table now. They are edging their way to the wall. JAKE Shut up. You just say hello and goodbye to him. You don't kiss him the way you did. That's out of line. JAKE pushes her against the wall. The lamp falls. There is a loud crash. She tries to move away. He grabs her by the throat and pins her against the wall. She's gagging. VICKIE But Jake... I didn't say anything... JAKE Don't ever do that again. You don't (he pushes her against the wall) do it! VICKIE (gagging) Jake... JOEY looks in and then starts to come over. JAKE You hear what I said? You don't do it. He pushes her again. VICKIE tries to get away, but can't move. JAKE (pushing her again) You don't do it. JOEY has his hand on JAKE's arm, trying to pry it away from VICKIE's throat. JOEY Jake, Jake... TONY and the DOCTOR watch from the doorway. VICKIE's eyes close. JAKE releases his grip. JOEY helps VICKIE. JAKE watches this. JAKE (to himself) She ain't gonna ruin this fight for me. EXT. BRIGGS STADIUM - NIGHT (JUNE 16, 1949) Bright floodlights illuminate the arena. The weather's clear and the stadium is filled with cheering fight FANS. An ANNOUNCER steps into the center of the ring and begins to introduce the many CELEBRITIES that have gathered for the fight. ANNOUNCER And here is the young man who has inherited Marcel Cerdan's European championship -- Laurent Dauthuille. DAUTHUILLE jumps into the ring. While WE HEAR him introduce the boxers and celebrities, WE SEE a rapid MONTAGE: JAKE preparing for the title bout: PRE-FIGHT MONTAGE A) JAKE and GROUP arrive in the dressing room. B) In his bathrobe, JAKE puts on his boxing shoes. C) We see a pan with raw steak in it. JOEY drains the blood (juice) into a glass and JAKE takes a long, slow swallow. D) REPRISE of IMAGES from PREVIOUS SCENE (SLOW MOTION) - NEW ANGLE. TOMMY COMO shakes JAKE's hand in the bathroom doorway. VICKIE kisses COMO. Jake watches. ANNOUNCER (V.O.) And our very special guest tonight needs no introduction. The only man to defend the heavyweight crown a remarkable twenty-five times, the king of all heavyweights, the Brown Bomber, Joe Louis. Come into the ring, Joe. JOE LOUIS (V.O.) Thank you, Johnny. Let's bring the middleweight crown back to the old U.S.A. where it belongs. Many cheers. E) DR. PINTO injects a hypodermic needle filled with novocaine into each of JAKE's fists. F) JOEY massages JAKE's neck. G) JAKE's hands are bandaged H) REPRISE of IMAGES from PREVIOUS SCENE (SLOW MOTION - NEW ANGLE) JAKE strangles VICKIE in the bedroom, then releases her. JOEY looks after her, but the IMAGE makes them look as if they're making love. Jake watches. ANNOUNCER And in this corner, the middleweight champion of the world, from Casablanca, Morocco, the Casablanca Clouter, Marcel Cerdan! I) JAKE puts on his cup and trunks. J) MARIO laces up JAKE's gloves. K) JAKE, ready to fight, a towel draped around his head, bounces on the balls of his feet. He starts walking down the corridor from his dressing room, surrounded by MARIO, JOEY, DR. PINTO and his HANDLERS. He enters the stadium. INT. BRIGGS STADIUM - NIGHT JAKE, wearing his leopard-skin robe, is pushed through the CROWD by JOEY, MARIO and his HANDLERS. He's still shadow boxing. JAKE steps into the ring to both cheers and boos (many still remember the Fox fight). JAKE raises his gloves. ANNOUNCER And in the opposite corner, from New York, New York, the challenger, the Bronx Bull, Jake LaMotta! JAKE shakes hands with the assembled CELEBRITIES and EX CHAMPIONS. JAKE I only wish it was you, Joe. JOE LOUIS Win the belt back for us, Jake. Good luck. JAKE glances at VICKIE who is sitting in the third row. She is nervous. TIME CUT: The opening bell sounds. CERDAN and LAMOTTA touch gloves and begin to fight. JAKE is hot: there's no stopping him tonight. He fights like a man possessed. CERDAN clinches JAKE to avoid his brutal body blows. JAKE pushes him out of the clinch in disgust. There are no more boos. JAKE has won over the crowd. TIME CUT: END OF ROUND NINE. JAKE is working over a bloody CERDAN. Punches to the body, then to the head, then back to the body. The bell sounds. JAKE walks back to his corner and sits down. JOEY is ecstatic: JOEY Look at him, Jackie! You got at! The fuckin' championship! He's yours! Finish him off. JAKE doesn't have the chance. The REFEREE, standing in CERDAN's corner, waves his hands signaling the end of the fight. The REFEREE holds up JAKE's hands as THE ANNOUNCER takes the mike: ANNOUNCER The new middleweight champion of the world by a knockout after nine rounds, the Bronx Bull, Jake LaMotta! JOEY is all over him. TONY helps VICKIE through the MOB. In his corner, CERDAN holds his head in his hands and says, "My title, my title!" The OFFICIALS clear a circle as they bring over the jewel studded championship belt. JOE LOUIS fastens the belt around JAKE's waist. JAKE touches the oversized belt with his bloody gloves. Tears fall across JAKE's huge grin as he holds his hands high in the air. It is the most glorious night in his life. EXT. "JAKE LAMOTTA'S" - NIGHT (1956) The name "Jake LaMotta's Lounge" is emblazoned in neon across a lounge/liquor store on Collins Avenue, Miami's main drag. JAKE's bar is across from The Rooney Plaza, one of Miami's more prestigious hotels. Fifties cars are parked outside the club. INT. "JAKE LAMOTTA'S" - NIGHT JAKE LAMOTTA, 34 years old, wearing a tux, steps in front of a large painted wall mural of the Cerdan fight as he enters his club. The Lounge is dominated by a large circular bar. Featured entertainers perform on a raised platform in the center of the bar. The club is half filled with SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT and MOB TYPES. The small BAND plays a routine fanfare as JAKE steps onto the platform. He takes the mike with one hand and silences the BAND with the other. The applause dies out as he speaks: JAKE Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It's a thrill to be standin' here talking to you wonderful people. In fact, it's a thrill to be standin'. I haven't seen so many people since my last fight at Madison Square Garden. After that fight a reporter asked me, "Jake, where do you go from here?" I said, "To a hospital." About HALF THE PATRONS are listening; of them, HALF are laughing, SOME a little too loud. JAKE I fought one hundred and six professional fights and none of them bums figured out how to fight me -- they kept hitting me in the head! (calls to the bar) Will somebod