Howard's 'Cinderella Man' glorifies human spirit

Ron Howard is to be commended, if for no other reason, for being one of the few child actors who made it into adulthood unscathed and successful. While his peers were committing suicide, being arrested on drug charges, beating their spouses or soliciting hookers, Howard was busy directing some of the best movies of the past two decades. He’s a master storyteller, and his direction – from the entrepreneurial spirit of “Night Shift” to the triumph of the U.S. space program in “Apollo 13” – has tended to be decidedly “American” in nature.

So it is with his latest film, “Cinderella Man.”

While set against a boxing background, this movie is much more than a sports tale. It’s the true story of a classically decent human being trying to keep his family alive and well during the Great Depression.

The story of boxer James J. Braddock, “The Bulldog of Bergen,” is such a compelling one it’s a wonder it has never been filmed before.

Braddock’s career was a rags-to-riches, back-to-rags, then back-to-riches story. His greatest triumph came in 1935 when, as a 10-to-1 underdog, he defeated the brutally powerful Max Baer to win the heavyweight title. He held the title for two years, losing it to the legendary Joe Louis, one of the greatest boxers to ever enter the ring.

More than his power, it’s Braddock’s heart that is prominent in “Cinderella Man.” Russell Crowe, an actor who has engaged in his share of fisticuffs in real life, plays Braddock, and he does so with all the heart the character deserves.

In earlier days, this role would have been filled by a Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant or Spencer Tracy.

Renee Zellweger, as Braddock’s wife Mae, is understated but brings to the fore the emotions of a woman who can’t bear to watch her husband ply his trade.

It’s 1928, and Jimmy is a boxer in contention for the light heavyweight title. After breaking his hand and subsequently losing a few bouts, his boxing license is revoked. The country is in the throes of the Depression, and Jimmy struggles – along with everyone else – to get day-to-day work as a dockhand and keep food on the table.

Jimmy’s manager Joe – played by Paul Giamatti who, after “American Splendor” and “Sideways,” is the hottest character actor in the business – procures Jimmy a bout against a heavyweight no one else wants to fight. It’s a “one-time” affair.

Mae is against it, but the $250 purse is something Jimmy cannot pass up. His unexpected victory puts him back in the fight game, and in a short time he finds himself in contention for the heavyweight title.

The champ is Max Baer (father of the actor who played Jethro in TV’s “The Beverly Hillbillies”), a flamboyant boxer who has killed two opponents in the ring. Mae is not happy about it, but Jimmy knows he has to take the chance. The family is so poor they are faced with sending the kids to live with relatives, something Jimmy has vowed he will never allow.

The third act of “Cinderella Man” features more in-the-ring boxing scenes than the rest of the movie, and Howard’s direction ranks with Martin Scorsese’s “Raging Bull” and Clint Eastwood’s “Million Dollar Baby.” There’s not one false scene in “Cinderella Man,” and the action is as real as watching a modern match on ESPN or HBO.

I’m not a sports sort of person, but for some reason, I am a fan of boxing. The purity of the contest is compelling, and many of this country’s most beloved heroes, from Joe Louis to Sugar Ray Robinson to the greatest of all time, Muhammad Ali, have been fighters who defined their eras.

Ali is on the short list of most admired Americans, and he accomplished much more than being the best boxer to ever enter the ring.

Braddock deserves respect as well, not only for his pugilistic prowess, but also for his honesty, love for his friends and family, and his utter dignity.

If you’re not a boxing fan, have no fear. “Cinderella Man” has much more to do with the power of the human spirit than it does with the power of a right hook. It just so happens that Braddock is a boxer. First and foremost, he’s a father, a husband and a friend.

“Cinderella Man” is a rewarding viewing experience. It’s a film that will stay on your mind for a long while.

Jim Wunderle owns Wunderle Sound Services and is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician.