Movie review — Raging Bull: Where does the rage end
I recently watched the 1980's film "Raging Bull" directed by Martin Scorsese for the first time. Having no prior knowledge about it, I thought it was a sports movie. But turns out it isn't. Boxing is one part of the whole narrative. It is the real life story of a one time boxing champion, based on the memoir of Jake LaMotta, the titular central character. Despite being a biopic of a sports personality, this is not a hero's tale. It is more of a cautionary tale: how one can ruin the trajectory of one's life by being blinded by pure rage, ego and self importance.
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The opening shot we see Jake alone in the boxing ring practising and punching in the air. Much like a bull in a pen ready to rodeo. This is what he is throughout the film. A raging bull who lashes out on everything in his life. The opening sequence also has a ballet kind of quality. Like a dancer on a stage, Jake's actions are shown in slow motion with the occasional flash of cameras in the background and a ballet kind of music playing along. The scene also represents the whole story. Jake is fighting himself all along. He is his worst enemy, his own opponent.
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The story chronicles Jake’s life from his 20s when he is an unknown amateur boxer to his stardom years, carrying us through various stages of his life, both personal and professional.
Jake is insecure and jealous. His boxing ability is like his armour and a jewel. He wants the title, the championship belt and in due course he manages to acquire it. But once acquired he doesn’t hold much respect for it. Later when he is down and in need of money, he breaks his championship belt and pawns it. We don’t see any emotional connection he has with the prized possession. No moment of hesitation before breaking it or selling it. This is one of the many instances that portray Jake’s apathy to almost everything apart from his own selfish needs.
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People tend to learn from their own mistakes and grow. That is not the case here. We see other people looking out for Jake. His wife Vicky, his brother Joey, the few friends he had. But never does Jake reciprocate. After the falling out with his brother, he makes no efforts to make amends. He doesn’t even pick up the phone and dial his number. His wife does it for him. Even then you can see the lack of willingness to apologise. The issue remains unresolved and the bond permanently broken, because Jake was bound by his ego.
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The only thing that Jake actually understands and gets right is boxing. The one and only scene in the entire two hour film which shows a glimpse of redemption on Jake's part happens to be in the ring, where he asks his opponent to hit him and keep hitting him. At the end of the match, the opponent wins because Jake never defended himself. He didn't fall down either. He stood his ground upright on his feet. The blood drenched ropes of the ring are symbolic of his penance, a self inflicted punishment which also translates to his endurance quality.
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A person who only understands the language of fists is inherently incapable of apologizing. Earlier in the story Jake asks Joey to hit him in order to demonstrate his own strength. Years later after their relationship is broken, he accidentally catches Joey in a convenience store. He follows Joey to his car, trying to talk to him. Jake hugs an unwilling Joey again demanding him to hug and give him a kiss. He’s just demanding of other people’s affection unaware that he isn’t worthy of it.
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Jake's good at what he does but he is not a good person. He's at the top of his game where there's no one left to fight. But he is paranoid & insecure. He's fixating on issues which aren't even there. He's super jealous if his wife even shakes hands with someone or makes a passing comment on other guy's good looks. I wondered why didn't she leave him earlier. But this is a story set in the 40s and 50s and things were different back then.
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The whole movie is shot in black and white. Except for the video montage of Jake’s wedding and other milestones of his life. These are shown in colour, in complete contrast to the rest of the film. In photos and videos everyone seems happy and everything is rosy. Whereas that is not the case in real life. After initial courtship Jake is as demanding and rude towards Vicky as he was with his first wife. Nothing has changed. Jake’s inability to see things clearly, to grow, to learn from his own mistakes cost him. This is what happens when you let your emotions dictate your actions, and fail to make conscious decisions. Jake looses everyone due to his own doing.
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Throughout the film I never felt connected to him. I never was able to empathize with him. When he is at his lowest, alone in his cell punching the walls and crying, repeatedly asking himself 'Why?', you the audience know why. You pity him slightly for being a dimwit, for not being able to see beyond his own nose and above his own pride. He's constraint by his own inability. You are not given any backstory of where the rage, the insecurity stems from. At this point in the story, you accept Jake for who he is, a deeply flawed human being. But a human being nonetheless.
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Ultimately he gets his comeuppance. The rage has died down, there's no one left to be jealous of, there's nothing left to be insecure about. He is somewhat free from his own self. What now remains is a shell of a person, getting by in life as a mediocre entertainer with not much to look forward to. And you still don't feel bad about him because all the lifelong wrongdoings haven't sinked in Jake yet. Now he is someone you once knew, someone when you bump into them on the street you have a little chat, reminisce and walk away. Someone who excelled in life momentarily.
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What makes this movie remarkable is that it shows the things as they are. The limits to which an egotistical self centred person can go to with no ounce of remorse or guilt or self realisation and how rightfully life serves him.
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