SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME
Added 12/9/2009
The movie was very enjoyable. I first saw this movie about 20 years ago. The movie is still up lifting and worth watching over and over again. It is no Raging Bull
but it is Newman at his best.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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One Of The Great Movies Of The 1950s
Added 4/28/2009
"Somebody Up There Likes Me" is one of the most underrated and under-discussed movies of the 1950s. It was interesting from start-to-finish and had drama, humor, suspense, action, romance.....and it's all true. The story was approved by the man it was about: boxer Rocky Graziano. Thus, you know it's not "based on a true story" in which 90 percent of it turns out to be fiction, just for dramatic purposes. No, this was Graziano's story and Paul Newman - despite not looking Italian - did a superb job playing him. This movie put Newman "on the map" as an actor. He was fascinating in here and dominated most of the scenes.
The film's direction by Robert Wise and the cinematography also took center stage. The movie won an Oscar for its photography.
Newman is complemented by the great character actors Harold Stone and Eileen Heckart . Also, Pier Angeli is well-cast as Graziano's sweetheart-turned wife. Her Italian accent fits in perfectly as does her character as the soft and frail-but tough female complement to "Graziano." Too bad we didn't see much of this actress in the USA.
The rest of the supporting cast is top-notch, from Everett Sloane as the fight manager to '50s star/teen idol Sal Mineo as a neighborhood pal to Graziano. Also good was Robert Loggia as the bad- influence hood. This was Loggia's first role on screen. Speaking of first roles, did anyone catch Steve McQueen in here?? I did a double-take when they had a quick gang-fight rumble on top of a roof and there's McQueen! The camera put a closeup shot on him and there was no doubt it was him! He had no lines, unfortunately, but that apparently was his film debut.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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A Classic Story & Paul Newman's Breakthrough Role!
Added 4/10/2009
I love that they have digitally re-mastered / restored this
classic film from 1956 about the beloved hard & scrabbled
italian-american NYC-born and bred boxer Rocky Graziano.
Paul Newman was a young upstart at this time who was dying
to break into the industry, and with the unfortunate & untimely
death of 50's youth icon James Dean, who this role was slated
to be played by, he got his chance to show what he was made of!
And show the world he did!--Throwing himself completely into this
role and turning in the first of many great performances over
what would turn out to be very long and prodigious career!
Sal Mineo, (then age 17) and a very unsung but brilliant
talent who of course was fresh off the mega succcess
of "Rebel Without A Cause" with James Dean,
gives a great supporting performance as
Rocky's childhood sidekick and partner in crime.
Dean's one-time girlfriend, Pier Angeli plays
Rocky's love interest, and future stars Steve McQueen
and Robert Loggia both make their unbilled debuts in this.
This film still holds up over time and is a good DVD collection
addition if you're into classic american cinema.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Thank you Amazon for having this hard to find dvd that my husband just had to have. It was a Christmas suprise. It arrived in time and in excellent condition.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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One of Newman's Best
Added 1/29/2009
After watching this on TCM over the years, it finally made it's way to DVD. This is without a doubt one of the best Paul Newman movies ever. With only one other movie under his belt, it is pure raw talent at its finest. He depicts a stuggling brawler who becomes one of the great boxing champs of all time. This is one of those "make you feel good" movies that we seldom see these days. Do yourself a favor and watch it with a young person so they can get a glimpse of REAL acting!
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME
Added 12/9/2009
The movie was very enjoyable. I first saw this movie about 20 years ago. The movie is still up lifting and worth watching over and over again. It is no Raging Bull
but it is Newman at his best.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
One Of The Great Movies Of The 1950s
Added 4/28/2009
"Somebody Up There Likes Me" is one of the most underrated and under-discussed movies of the 1950s. It was interesting from start-to-finish and had drama, humor, suspense, action, romance.....and it's all true. The story was approved by the man it was about: boxer Rocky Graziano. Thus, you know it's not "based on a true story" in which 90 percent of it turns out to be fiction, just for dramatic purposes. No, this was Graziano's story and Paul Newman - despite not looking Italian - did a superb job playing him. This movie put Newman "on the map" as an actor. He was fascinating in here and dominated most of the scenes.
The film's direction by Robert Wise and the cinematography also took center stage. The movie won an Oscar for its photography.
Newman is complemented by the great character actors Harold Stone and Eileen Heckart . Also, Pier Angeli is well-cast as Graziano's sweetheart-turned wife. Her Italian accent fits in perfectly as does her character as the soft and frail-but tough female complement to "Graziano." Too bad we didn't see much of this actress in the USA.
The rest of the supporting cast is top-notch, from Everett Sloane as the fight manager to '50s star/teen idol Sal Mineo as a neighborhood pal to Graziano. Also good was Robert Loggia as the bad- influence hood. This was Loggia's first role on screen. Speaking of first roles, did anyone catch Steve McQueen in here?? I did a double-take when they had a quick gang-fight rumble on top of a roof and there's McQueen! The camera put a closeup shot on him and there was no doubt it was him! He had no lines, unfortunately, but that apparently was his film debut.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
A Classic Story & Paul Newman's Breakthrough Role!
Added 4/10/2009
I love that they have digitally re-mastered / restored this
classic film from 1956 about the beloved hard & scrabbled
italian-american NYC-born and bred boxer Rocky Graziano.
Paul Newman was a young upstart at this time who was dying
to break into the industry, and with the unfortunate & untimely
death of 50's youth icon James Dean, who this role was slated
to be played by, he got his chance to show what he was made of!
And show the world he did!--Throwing himself completely into this
role and turning in the first of many great performances over
what would turn out to be very long and prodigious career!
Sal Mineo, (then age 17) and a very unsung but brilliant
talent who of course was fresh off the mega succcess
of "Rebel Without A Cause" with James Dean,
gives a great supporting performance as
Rocky's childhood sidekick and partner in crime.
Dean's one-time girlfriend, Pier Angeli plays
Rocky's love interest, and future stars Steve McQueen
and Robert Loggia both make their unbilled debuts in this.
This film still holds up over time and is a good DVD collection
addition if you're into classic american cinema.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
