US (1976): Drama/Romance/Sports
Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), a Philadelphia boxer, is but one step removed from total bum-hood. A once promising pugilist, Rocky is now taking nickel-and-dime bouts and running strongarm errands for local loan sharks to survive. Even his supportive trainer Mickey (Burgess Meredith) has given up on Rocky. All this changes thanks to Muhammad Ali-like superboxer Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). With the Bicentennial celebration coming up, Creed must find a Cinderella opponent for the big July 4th bout -- some unknown whom Creed can "glorify" for a few minutes before knocking him cold. The cast also features Talia Shire as Adrian and Burt Young as her brother, Paulie.
Rocky Balboa was not the only "Cinderella" involved here: writer-director Sylvester Stallone, himself a virtual unknown, managed to sell his script (one of many that he'd written over the years) on the proviso that he be given the starring role. Since the film was to be made on a shoestring and marketed on a low-level basis, the risk factor to United Artists was small. For Stallone, this was a make-or-break opportunity -- just like Rocky's million-to-one shot with Apollo Creed. Costing under a million dollars, Rocky managed to register with audiences everywhere, earning back sixty times its cost and spawning 5 sequels between 1979 and 1986. (Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide)
10 nominations, 3 Awards
· Best Picture 1976: Robert Chartoff & Irwin Winkler - Producers (Chartoff-Winkler, UA)
· Directing 1976: John G. Avildsen
· Film Editing 1976: Richard Halsey, Scott Conrad
· Actor 1976: Sylvester Stallone
· Actress 1976: Talia Shire
· Supporting Actor 1976: Burgess Meredith
· Supporting Actor 1976: Burt Young
· Writing (Best Screenplay written directly for the screen) 1976: Sylvester Stallone
· Music Best Song 1976: "Gonna Fly Now" Bill Conti - Music, Carol Connors & Ayn Robbins - Lyric
· Sound 1976: Harry Warren Tetrick, William McCaughey, Lyle Burbridge, Bud Alper