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Cinderella Man

 Cinderella Man
type
TVTItem
 Cinderella Man
label
Cinderella Man
 Cinderella Man
page
CinderellaMan
 Cinderella Man
comment
Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_1'); })Cinderella Man is 2005 drama film directed by Ron Howard, starring Russell Crowe, Renée Zellweger, Paul Giamatti, Paddy Considine and Craig Bierko. It loosely follows the story of Real Life boxing champion James J. Braddock, aka "Cinderella Man". It was an uplifting underdog story, set in a time when the country very much needed one.The movie begins during what should have been the upswing of Braddock's career in the late 1920s. Braddock (Crowe) has it all — a successful boxing career, a pretty wife, Mae (Zellweger), and three beautiful children. Cut to several years later, we find out that Braddock was forced to abandon his boxing career after suffering a broken hand. His wife saw this as a both a blessing and a curse, as she feared for his safety in the ring, but knew boxing was the best way for Jim to support their family.Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_2'); })As the Great Depression hits, Braddock is forced to do manual labor, working on the docks to (barely) support his family, who live in extremely poor conditions. At one point, he takes public assistance (a great source of shame to him) to pay his electricity bill, allowing his kids to stay in the house. After another boxer cancels at the last minute, Jim's old manager Joe Gould (Giamatti) asks him to fight the number two contender in the world. There is little chance Jim will win, but this is a Ron Howard film, so...Jim wins the fight, thanks to new-found strength in his non-broken hand from his work on the docks, coupled with an uncompromising drive to support his family. After the stunning upset, Gould and Braddock discuss a full-time return to the ring. Mae is extremely angry with Joe for trying to profit from Jim's willingness to put himself in danger. She is surprised and humbled to see that Joe's belief in Jim is so strong, he and his wife have sold almost all of their possessions in order to pay for Jim's training.Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_3'); })As Jim continues to win fights, he moves closer to fighting the defending world champion, Max Baer (Bierko), an arrogant and dangerous opponent in the ring. Jim's rags-to-riches story captivates the nation, earning him the nickname "Cinderella Man" and the fight is billed as a David vs. Goliath. Max Baer taunts Jim at every turn prior to the fight, attempting to humiliate him publicly. The boxing commissioner insists on showing footage of two of Baer's previous fights, where each boxer died from injuries sustained in the ring, so Jim is aware of what is at stake.But Jim's resolve remains strong and he insists on fighting, because he feels a duty to all those who believe in him. On the night of the fight, Mae can not even bring herself to watch in person, or listen on the radio. In the end, of course, Braddock wins a stunning and hard-fought bout, enabling a Happily Ever After ending. But it is a Ron Howard movie, so this was to be expected.Definitely not to be confused with Cinderella or the Eminem song of the same name. Rosemarie DeWitt, who plays the Braddocks' neighbor Sara, is the real Jim Braddock's Real Life granddaughter.
 Cinderella Man
fetched
2023-02-15T20:42:46Z
 Cinderella Man
parsed
2023-02-15T20:42:46Z
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Dropped link to DisabilitySuperpower: Not a Feature - IGNORE
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Dropped link to TheDeterminator: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN
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TheDeterminator
 Cinderella Man
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DBTropes
 Cinderella Man / int_143939c1
type
Trailers Always Spoil
 Cinderella Man / int_143939c1
comment
Trailers Always Spoil - Since the movie was based on easily-researched historical fact, the trailers didn't try too hard to hide the ending.
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Cinderella Man / int_143939c1
 Cinderella Man / int_18d15922
type
Title Drop
 Cinderella Man / int_18d15922
comment
Title Drop - Media of the day really did call Jim Braddock that.
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 Cinderella Man / int_191a3673
type
Graceful Loser
 Cinderella Man / int_191a3673
comment
Graceful Loser: Despite all the shenanigans that Baer did during the Braddock fight, he graciously shakes Braddock's hand after the match and quietly leaves the ring.
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It Has Been an Honor
 Cinderella Man / int_2612a967
comment
It Has Been an Honor: Joe essentially says this to Jim before his championship fight against Baer.
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 Cinderella Man / int_319e4a2f
type
Even Evil Has Standards
 Cinderella Man / int_319e4a2f
comment
Even Evil Has Standards: Subverted. Baer initially appears to be uncomfortable about potentially leaving Braddock's family without a father, and offers to go easy on him if he doesn't put up too much of a fight. After Braddock turns that offer down though, it soon becomes obvious that in reality Baer has absolutely no problem with killing him, and that his offer to go easy was more than likely a psychological tactic.
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 Cinderella Man / int_47bb1101
type
Amazing Freaking Grace
 Cinderella Man / int_47bb1101
comment
Amazing Freaking Grace: Joe whistles "Danny Boy" while Jim is preparing for his fight against Baer.
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1.0
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Cinderella Man / int_47bb1101
 Cinderella Man / int_527024
type
UltimateSalesman
 Cinderella Man / int_527024
comment
Ultimate Salesman: Joe.
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Cinderella Man / int_527024
 Cinderella Man / int_5979acea
type
Fragile Speedster
 Cinderella Man / int_5979acea
comment
Fragile Speedster: John Henry Lewis is extremely fast but when Braddock finally pins him down, he goes down fast.
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Cinderella Man / int_5979acea
 Cinderella Man / int_5b1a2f4e
type
Ain't Too Proud to Beg
 Cinderella Man / int_5b1a2f4e
comment
Ain't Too Proud to Beg: In a heroic variation, Jim abandons what's left of his pride and goes into Manhattan to beg the managers, agents, and trainers of his old boxing club for money when the power company is a day away from shutting him off. In a movie replete with some pretty bone-jarring pugilism, this is perhaps the hardest scene to watch. Especially when he apologizes to Joe for "embarrassing" him.
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Cinderella Man / int_5b1a2f4e
 Cinderella Man / int_6381b11
type
Game-Breaking Injury
 Cinderella Man / int_6381b11
comment
Game-Breaking Injury: Subverted. Braddock's broken hand is seen as this but he eventually recovers.
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Cinderella Man / int_6381b11
 Cinderella Man / int_72246a54
type
Game Face
 Cinderella Man / int_72246a54
comment
Game Face: Baer's Death Glare partway through the fight with Braddock.
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Cinderella Man / int_72246a54
 Cinderella Man / int_73733868
type
Awesomeness by Analysis
 Cinderella Man / int_73733868
comment
Awesomeness by Analysis: The movie underscores how Jimmy's experience and insight help fuel his victories as he replays encounters in his head from his point of view (some imagined by what he sees on film), and emphasizes the openings in his opponent's guards that he exploits to great effect once he baits those attacks out.
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 Cinderella Man / int_8a986cc7
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The Great Depression
 Cinderella Man / int_8a986cc7
comment
The Great Depression
 Cinderella Man / int_8a986cc7
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1.0
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Cinderella Man / int_8a986cc7
 Cinderella Man / int_8b4f491c
type
Villainy-Free Villain
 Cinderella Man / int_8b4f491c
comment
Villainy-Free Villain: Baer.
 Cinderella Man / int_8b4f491c
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1.0
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Cinderella Man / int_8b4f491c
 Cinderella Man / int_957e5fc2
type
Villainous Breakdown
 Cinderella Man / int_957e5fc2
comment
Villainous Breakdown: After the Schmuck Bait moment above Baer starts screaming at Joe for the rest of the round, ignoring Braddock. The next round he gets his Game Face on and stops messing around. The 14th round was a one-sided beatdown as Jim was pounding away at Baer. Max's only real offense was a low blow which cost him the round since he performed another one earlier in the match (not that it mattered, since Jim clearly won the round).
 Cinderella Man / int_957e5fc2
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Cinderella Man / int_957e5fc2
 Cinderella Man / int_960810e8
type
Recycled Trailer Music
 Cinderella Man / int_960810e8
comment
Recycled Trailer Music: The lack of box office success allows many trailers to reuse the music without as much recognition as other often-recycled scores. It made an appearance as the background music to NBC's final piece about luger Nodar Kumaritashvili from Georgia, who died in a training accident, right before the 2010 Olympics began.
 Cinderella Man / int_960810e8
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Cinderella Man / int_960810e8
 Cinderella Man / int_97fa0a10
type
Mass "Oh, Crap!"
 Cinderella Man / int_97fa0a10
comment
Mass "Oh, Crap!": The crowd visibly reacts (rising to their feet) when champ Max Baer's whole demeanor changes to "kill on sight" at the beginning of the third round.
 Cinderella Man / int_97fa0a10
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Cinderella Man / int_97fa0a10
 Cinderella Man / int_99c08028
type
Grin of Audacity
 Cinderella Man / int_99c08028
comment
Grin of Audacity: Art Lasky clocks Jim hard enough to knock his mouthpiece out, and nearly floor Jim. Jim, after some flashes of what he has to fight for, simply gives Lasky a bloody smile on the way to fetch his mouthpiece. Lasky's expression goes from smug and confident to absolutely shaken when he realizes how much punishment Braddock is wiling to take.
 Cinderella Man / int_99c08028
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 Cinderella Man / int_a90fff3
type
Based on a True Story
 Cinderella Man / int_a90fff3
comment
Based on a True Story: Braddock's story is rendered pretty accurately in the film. The main departure from fact is the portrayal of Max Baer, who was a likeable, well-regarded fellow in Real Life. The real Baer killed only one man in the ring and was deeply troubled by it.
 Cinderella Man / int_a90fff3
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Cinderella Man / int_a90fff3
 Cinderella Man / int_aaece264
type
Rousing Speech
 Cinderella Man / int_aaece264
comment
Rousing Speech: Joe is good at giving these in an unusually understated manner.
 Cinderella Man / int_aaece264
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1.0
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Cinderella Man / int_aaece264
 Cinderella Man / int_ab031997
type
Underdogs Never Lose
 Cinderella Man / int_ab031997
comment
Underdogs Never Lose
 Cinderella Man / int_ab031997
featureApplicability
1.0
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Cinderella Man / int_ab031997
 Cinderella Man / int_acedb8f5
type
Oscar Bait
 Cinderella Man / int_acedb8f5
comment
Oscar Bait: Unfortunately due to the timing of its release, it was overlooked for most awards, but did get consideration for Best Supporting Actor for Paul Giamatti. He did not win the Oscar, but did at least win a SAG Award.
 Cinderella Man / int_acedb8f5
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Cinderella Man / int_acedb8f5
 Cinderella Man / int_ad1db87c
type
Oh, Crap!
 Cinderella Man / int_ad1db87c
comment
Oh, Crap!: Joe when seeing Baer with murder in his eyes. Even the crowd reacts to it. Art Lasky has one of these himself when Jim merely smiles after taking a shot that knocks his mouthpiece out.
 Cinderella Man / int_ad1db87c
featureApplicability
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Cinderella Man / int_ad1db87c
 Cinderella Man / int_ae3d6438
type
Deadpan Snarker
 Cinderella Man / int_ae3d6438
comment
Deadpan Snarker: Joe always has a witty line ready. Lampshaded by his boss when he doesn't have one while watching film footage of Baer.
 Cinderella Man / int_ae3d6438
featureApplicability
1.0
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featureConfidence
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Cinderella Man / int_ae3d6438
 Cinderella Man / int_b00498c7
type
Casualty in the Ring
 Cinderella Man / int_b00498c7
comment
Casualty in the Ring: In the movie, Baer has killed two opponents in the ring by the time he faces Braddock. (In Real Life there was only one such death in the ring and, contrary to the movie depiction, he felt really bad about it. A second opponent of Baer's did die, albeit six months after their match while in the middle of another bout, his first match since the Baer fight. Boxing historians tend to agree that this second opponent likely suffered a life threatening concussion against Baer that was aggravated and became a fatal injury when he fought again.)
 Cinderella Man / int_b00498c7
featureApplicability
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Cinderella Man / int_b00498c7
 Cinderella Man / int_b77808f2
type
"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue
 Cinderella Man / int_b77808f2
comment
"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue
 Cinderella Man / int_b77808f2
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1.0
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Cinderella Man / int_b77808f2
 Cinderella Man / int_bd4264a3
type
Slasher Smile
 Cinderella Man / int_bd4264a3
comment
Slasher Smile: A heroic example, Jim gives one to Art Lasky when Lasky hits him so hard it knocks out his mouthguard (Jim was bleeding from the mouth a bit, so the smile is a bit more demented than normal).
 Cinderella Man / int_bd4264a3
featureApplicability
1.0
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hasFeature
Cinderella Man / int_bd4264a3
 Cinderella Man / int_c772e7c5
type
Rags to Riches
 Cinderella Man / int_c772e7c5
comment
Rags to Riches: A story that captivates a down-trodden and destitute country.
 Cinderella Man / int_c772e7c5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cinderella Man / int_c772e7c5
featureConfidence
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Cinderella Man / int_c772e7c5
 Cinderella Man / int_c9868780
type
Playing Possum
 Cinderella Man / int_c9868780
comment
Playing Possum: Late in the Baer fight, Jim gets his bell legitimately rung by Baer and tumbles into the ropes, but recognizes the situation from film of a previous Baer fight. He plays up his grogginess to bait Max into dropping his guard and attempting a finishing right cross, only to surge back to his feet and take Max by surprise.
 Cinderella Man / int_c9868780
featureApplicability
1.0
 Cinderella Man / int_c9868780
featureConfidence
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 Cinderella Man
hasFeature
Cinderella Man / int_c9868780
 Cinderella Man / int_cd3a1755
type
Punch! Punch! Punch! Uh Oh...
 Cinderella Man / int_cd3a1755
comment
Punch! Punch! Punch! Uh Oh...: Lasky is unnerved when Braddock smiles after taking a shot that knocks his mouthpiece out, then promptly gets the crap beaten out of him by Braddock.
 Cinderella Man / int_cd3a1755
featureApplicability
1.0
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featureConfidence
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 Cinderella Man
hasFeature
Cinderella Man / int_cd3a1755
 Cinderella Man / int_d2c0e2ed
type
Schmuck Bait
 Cinderella Man / int_d2c0e2ed
comment
Schmuck Bait: During the Baer fight, Max has Jim in a headlock. Joe taunts Max, and it gives Jim the chance to slip out of the headlock and land a good shot on Max.
 Cinderella Man / int_d2c0e2ed
featureApplicability
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Cinderella Man / int_d2c0e2ed
 Cinderella Man / int_e16217f8
type
Historical Villain Upgrade
 Cinderella Man / int_e16217f8
comment
Historical Villain Upgrade: Max Baer, who, as described above, was actually a generally nice guy in real life and was horrified by the death of one of his opponents, going so far as donating $15,000 ($213,000 in 2005 dollars) to the man's wife. Max Baer's children were outraged at his villainous portrayal in the film.
 Cinderella Man / int_e16217f8
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Cinderella Man / int_e16217f8
 Cinderella Man / int_eaf5a1ac
type
Groin Attack
 Cinderella Man / int_eaf5a1ac
comment
The 14th round was a one-sided beatdown as Jim was pounding away at Baer. Max's only real offense was a low blow which cost him the round since he performed another one earlier in the match (not that it mattered, since Jim clearly won the round).
 Cinderella Man / int_eaf5a1ac
featureApplicability
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Cinderella Man / int_eaf5a1ac
 Cinderella Man / int_eb8ec7c8
type
Jerkass
 Cinderella Man / int_eb8ec7c8
comment
Jerkass: Max Baer.
 Cinderella Man / int_eb8ec7c8
featureApplicability
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Cinderella Man / int_eb8ec7c8
 Cinderella Man / int_f1176f36
type
Second-Person Attack
 Cinderella Man / int_f1176f36
comment
Second-Person Attack: Used for dramatic effect all throughout the fight scenes.
 Cinderella Man / int_f1176f36
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 Cinderella Man / int_ffea0f47
type
Situational Hand Switch
 Cinderella Man / int_ffea0f47
comment
Situational Hand Switch: Braddock is a boxer who breaks his regular hand. To make ends meet, he finds work on the docks where he uses his other arm and hand to handle heavy loads, and starts using this hand in the ring.
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Cinderella Man

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Cinderella Man
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California Doubling / int_9fc82bbb
 Cinderella Man
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Casualty in the Ring / int_9fc82bbb
 Cinderella Man
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Charles Atlas Superpower / int_9fc82bbb
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Dueling-Stars Movie / int_9fc82bbb
 Cinderella Man
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It Has Been an Honor / int_9fc82bbb
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Opposing Sports Team / int_9fc82bbb
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Rags to Riches / int_9fc82bbb
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Second-Person Attack / int_9fc82bbb
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Talk About the Weather / int_9fc82bbb
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The Great Depression / int_9fc82bbb
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 Cinderella Man
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Villainy-Free Villain / int_9fc82bbb
 cinderellaman
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Cinderella Man