Cinderella Man: The Shooting Script - Softcover

Hollingsworth, Cliff; Goldsman, Akiva; Howard, Ron; Grazer, Brian

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1557046514 ISBN 13: 9781557046512

Publisher: Newmarket Press, 2005

Synopsis

The Academy Award®-winning team behind A Beautiful Mind—comprised of producer Brian Grazer, director Ron Howard, screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, and actor Russell Crowe—reunites to tell the quintessentially American story of legendary boxer Jim Braddock. Cliff Hollingsworth joins them in his screenwriting debut.

During the darkest years of the Great Depression, Braddock (Russell Crowe), a once promising light heavyweight, is forced into retirement after a string of losses. Braddock must accept any job to support his wife, Mae (Renée Zellweger), and their children, and they suffer with the rest of the nation through those bleak times. Nine months later, thanks to a last-minute cancellation, Braddock finds himself back in the ring at Madison Square Garden with little time for preparation, yet somehow he miraculously wins. He goes on to claim victories in two more bouts and qualifies as the challenger to the world heavyweight champion, Max Baer (Craig Bierko). Dubbed the "Cinderella Man," Braddock with his unlikely comeback becomes the people's champ, and his devotion to provide for his family is now elevated to the status of national legend in the eyes of his hopeful fans.

About this title

About the Authors

Cliff Hollingsworth grew up in the town of Barnwell, South Carolina, and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a screenwriting career. Cinderella Man is his first produced screenplay.

Akiva Goldsman received the 2001 Academy Award®, Golden Globe and Writers Guild Award for A Beautiful Mind. His writing credits also include The Client, Batman Forever, A Time to Kill, Practical Magic, and I, Robot.

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard is one of his generation’s most popular directors. From the critically acclaimed dramas A Beautiful Mind, Frost/Nixon, Rush, and Apollo 13 to the hit comedies Parenthood and Splash, he has created some of Hollywood’s most memorable films. Howard made his directorial debut in 1977 with Grand Theft Auto. He began his career in film as an actor, performing in The Journey when he was four years old. He also starred in The Music Man, the long-running television series The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days, and in the film American Graffiti. His most recent films as a director are Hillbilly Elegy and the upcoming Thirteen Lives.

From the Back Cover

The Academy Award®-winning team behind A Beautiful Mind—comprised of producer Brian Grazer, director Ron Howard, screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, and actor Russell Crowe—reunites to tell the quintessentially American story of legendary boxer Jim Braddock. Cliff Hollingsworth joins them in his screenwriting debut.

During the darkest years of the Great Depression, Braddock (Russell Crowe), a once promising light heavyweight, is forced into retirement after a string of losses. Braddock must accept any job to support his wife, Mae (Renée Zellweger), and their children, and they suffer with the rest of the nation through those bleak times. Nine months later, thanks to a last-minute cancellation, Braddock finds himself back in the ring at Madison Square Garden with little time for preparation, yet somehow he miraculously wins. He goes on to claim victories in two more bouts and qualifies as the challenger to the world heavyweight champion, Max Baer (Craig Bierko). Dubbed the "Cinderella Man," Braddock with his unlikely comeback becomes the people's champ, and his devotion to provide for his family is now elevated to the status of national legend in the eyes of his hopeful fans.

Reviews

The story of James Braddock-a down-on-his-luck boxer trying to keep his family fed and sheltered during the Great Depression-is indeed compelling, as reading this shooting script of the film based on Braddock's life clearly shows. The book will certainly please fans of the movie, even if the introductions by filmmakers Howard and Grazer on why they were drawn to the story are obvious ("I found it so heartbreaking and emotional," says Grazer). Screenwriter Goldsman's contribution may be the best; it delves into how he shapes narrative. The way to do it, Goldsman says, is to "build your screenplay around conflict." Goldsman's challenge with Cinderella Man, however, was that Braddock "didn't have a dark side." In addition to the introductions and script, the book contains stills, showing Russell Crowe in his role as Braddock, and Renée Zellweger in her role as Braddock's wife, Mae. Historical notes and reproduced New York Time articles about Braddock's legendary championship fight against Max Baer round out the book, placing Braddock's life into the larger context of the Depression. Photos.
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Edition details

• Publisher: Newmarket Press
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1557046514
• ISBN 13: 9781557046512
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 176