Movie Reviews from the Dark

Most anyone who has seen the 1976 movie ROCKY would describe it as inspirational. Still, I can’t help but wonder how many movie lovers would apply that same label to Sylvester Stallone, the man who starred in the film and wrote the screenplay. My guess is that not many would. For the past fifty years, the public persona of Stallone has been as a mega-wealthy mega-star with a full serving of ego and multiple marriages. Perhaps that fed his desire to pen an autobiography that details his rise from poverty … a rise attributed to resilience, perseverance, determination, and talent. It’s a story only he could tell, and he does so in a manner that finds him likable and relatable – and one to admire and respect.

The three ‘steps’ that make up the bulk of the book are New York, Los Angeles, and Rocky. Readers will find the most ‘new’ information in the New York step, as it details Stallone’s childhood and his later pursuit of a dream. The Stallone we know now lives in a stunning multi-million-dollar seaside mansion, but those early years were often spent in squalor with cockroaches and a mattress made of pizza boxes. This was a young college dropout so determined to find a path that he juggled his waking hours between odd jobs, trying to find an agent, and writing (and writing some more). These jobs included cleaning the lions cage at the Central Park Zoo, slicing fish at a deli, and working the aisles as a movie theater usher. It’s that last one where he didn’t just watch hundreds of movies, but he studied the acting and especially the writing to determine what worked and what didn’t.

The cross-country drive to Los Angeles brought more of the same struggle for Stallone. Continually being told he was not a fit or didn’t have “the look”, he rigorously auditioned for acting roles while writing script after script, honing his skills. Although he avoids an overabundance of name dropping, Stallone sprinkles a few interesting stories along the way … Henry Winkler and Ben Gazzara being two (very different) examples. Times got so economically tough for Stallone, he even sold his beloved dog, Butkus. Of course, the two were later reunited (to co-star in ROCKY). It’s in the Los Angeles ‘step’ where it becomes crystal clear just how crucial the support of Sasha Czack was to his career pursuits as well as his mental state. She spent years by his side, and they eventually married in 1974.

The ROCKY ‘step’ will surprise some readers in just how close it came to never being made. Stallone’s commitment to starring in the film nearly cost him hundreds of thousands of dollars, as well as his first break. Of course, we now know that by sticking to his plan, he became world famous and kicked off one of the most successful franchises in cinema. The casting stories are interesting, and it’s in this section where Stallone circles back to his parents. These are parents incapable of showing love to Stallone or his brother Frank. In fact, Stallone mentions how he never got a hug from either parent, yet his desire to make them proud led to dad’s role in the film and a sad story about inviting mom to the Oscars.

It’s important to note that Sylvester Stallone wrote this autobiography in a style that makes for warm and comfortable reading … like a friend is telling you his life story. However, this isn’t his full ‘life’ story, as it really takes us only through the Academy Awards ceremony in 1977, where ROCKY won three Oscars, including Best Picture. This story isn’t written to boast about a remarkable career. Rather it’s written to inspire and preach the importance of dedication to a cause and how dealing with failure is crucial to dealing with life’s ups and downs. “The Steps” is a perfect title as it fits for life, Stallone’s writing, and the sprint up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

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