Movies You Might Not Know: Boxing Edition

When we think of movies based on the “sweet science”, we likely think of Rocky Balboa, Apollo Creed, Ivan Drago, Mick, Adrian, Uncle Paulie, and Clubber Lang in the six-film Rocky saga.

Or perhaps very dramatic titles such as Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull, Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby, and Ron Howard’s Cinderella Man. There’s also biopics such as Michael Mann’s Ali and Norman Jewison’s The Hurricane. Most recently, we’ve seen Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale in David O. Russell’s The Fighter. We even had robots boxing in Real Steel, with Hugh Jackman.

The sport of boxing has given us some great cinematic moments. And here’s two more that go in the more comedic direction that weren’t widely seen and are definitely worth a look, especially for fans of the ring.

First, 1992’s Diggstown, directed by Michael Ritchie. Starring James Woods (you know, the guy the high school is named after on “Family Guy”), Lou Gossett Jr., Bruce Dern, and Heather Graham, the film centers on a con artist who bets on an aging fighter to get him out of a jam. In the summer of ’92, Diggstown came and went from theaters, earning a paltry $4.8 million. It’s worth seeking out though and is a lot of fun.

Second, we have 1996’s The Great White Hype, from director Reginald Hudlin. This comedy centers on a very Don King-like promoter (played wonderfully by Samuel L. Jackson) who realizes the only way to make money on his fights is find a Caucasian fighter to challenge the world champion (Damon Wayans). Featuring a solid supporting cast that includes Jeff Goldblum, Peter Berg, Cheech Marin, Jon Lovitz, and Jamie Foxx (in an early role), The Great White Hype is a smartly written and often hilarious picture. Like Diggstown, it didn’t have any box office impact, grossing only $8 million. It’s a heck of a good time, though.

These two titles represent a lighter take on the boxing movie and both work well. Laughing during a boxing movie doesn’t happen often, but you will here. Unless you count that ridiculous robot who flirts with Uncle Paulie in Rocky IV.