Raging Bull. 1980. USA. Directed by Martin Scorsese. Screenplay by Paul Schrader, Mardik Martin. With Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty. 35mm. 129 min.
Robert De Niro gives a shattering performance as the tortured middleweight boxer Jake LaMotta, fighting his way to stardom in the 1940s. But LaMotta’s violence in the ring also bleeds into his life at home, and his volcanic temper and obsessive jealousy tear his family apart. Shot in glorious black-and-white and studded with achingly memorable performances by De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, and Joe Pesci, Scorsese’s masterwork is a timeless testament to the promise of the New Hollywood movement.