The Boxer: George Washington

I was watching Rocky (first one) this after and I still love it! The Bill Conti theme, especially the Gonna Fly Now montage where Rocky runs through the streets of Philadelphia and ascends the top of the Philadelphia museum.

There's a lot I didn't remember about the movie from when I first saw it at the drive-in with my parents. Rock was born in Philadelphia, the night before Thanksgiving. He's a right (Orthodox) fighter by nature but fights with his left hand (a south paw). He explains the boxing term to Adrian. His explanation is different from the boxing definition, but I like Rocky's much better:

"There was a boxer in Philadelphia noticed that his left hand was facing South Jersey. 

 

 “A long time ago, a couple of hundred years ago, this guy was fightin'. I think it was around Philadelphia. He was left-handed. His arm was facin' towards New Jersey. And that's south, so they called him Southpaw. You see? Southpaw, South Jersey, South Camden, Southpaw ... you know what I mean?"

 

Yep. I love the historical reference thrown into the movie. Rocky fights Appollo on Thanksgiving Day in '76. The reference to George Washington, Philadelphia, and '76 are obvious, so, too, the reference to beating the British (okay Hessians) who were drinking it up at a bar on Christmas Day (I think Rocky fought Appollo on either Christmas Day, but it was definitely close to New Year's Eve at least (short attention span when I get into a movie).

 

 

I love when Rocky (Rocky II?) a right handed, orthodox by nature fighter who uses his southpaw switches to his natural right hand midway through a fight, throws Appollo off and wins the fight. Ah, Rocky beat him the right and honest way. Interesting that he learned to fight with his left, but to defeat Appollo switched back to his right/orthodox way of fighting, yet had to train to use his right hand.

 

But he won. Oh, and Rocky Italian. Of course, but it took me a while to figure that out lol. I have no idea what the name Appollo might refer to regarding the American Revolution, though.

 

Just a great movie and a great theme song. I think I posted some of this before but the movie and song...wow.

 

American history through a boxing movie.