1
0
Some of my favorite movies to watch are the ones with a Have Character message to them…shocker, right?
Today, I want to discuss the Rocky series. Now, I know you might say, “What is there to read here? Everyone knows about the Rocky movies?” And maybe you’d be right. However, there are a few things that I want to discuss and spotlight about this movie series. This might not be profound, but still very worth the discussion…especially in the context of the Have Character way of life. Call me crazy, but I think every young person should watch these movies for an example of how to handle this thing we call life. It could give them quite the perspective. Let me explain.
Let’s start with the obvious: Rocky is an underdog boxer who has no business fighting the world’s heavyweight champion but gets the opportunity of a lifetime. He sets a goal for himself just to go the distance with the champ. Even doing that would be considered a miracle, but he set this goal for himself anyway. To him, this would make him great, and he dared to be great. He then has a manager who pushes him. (On a side note: The dialogue between Mickey and Rocky in these movies is nothing short of genius and comedy. Some of the best dialogue between two characters I have ever seen).
In the first movie, Rocky accomplishes his goal and goes the distance. Even though the champ beats him, Rocky wins so much more in accomplishing the high goal he set for himself. Set a goal, be relentless in your pursuit of that goal, don’t listen to anyone who tells you you can’t achieve that goal, surround yourself with those who will help push you to reach your goals, and never give up! All bigtime Have Character moments and life lessons!
Then the series moves on to the pinnacle of success when Rocky wins the title in the second movie and goes on a successful title run only to deal with the adversity of running into a killer challenger in Clubber Lang (Mr. T) in the third movie who beats him all while losing his manager, Mickey, at the same time. Rocky’s world comes crashing down and the Have Character moments start to build as he deals with getting up from these tragedies to once again overcome them. This is the theme throughout the Rocky movie series- success, defeat, down but not out, battle to get up, success, and triumph. The life lesson is to never quit and always get up when defeat has come to your doorstep.
However, when I watch the Rocky movies, four things stick out to me and have stayed with me over the years. These 4 things are very clear if you look for them, but I tend to think they get lost behind the underdog overcoming the odds story of the series.
The first one is God having fingerprints all over the Rocky movies. Rocky looks to God for help in his life in times of stress and trouble. In Rocky II, he is late to his fight because he rushes to see Father Carmine, asking him to send down a blessing for him before he goes into the fight. Also, when his wife was in a coma one of the most epic speeches given by Mickey to Rocky happens in the church where Rocky is sitting, obviously implying he is there praying, petitioning God, for his wife. If we pay attention, the Rocky movies give homage to the importance of God in our lives as human beings, and our dependence on God is subtly depicted in the film, yet easily seen if you pay attention.
The second one is how important the truth is and that the truth sets us free. Many times throughout the Rocky series, the importance of truth is dealt with. Mickey speaks the harsh truth to Rocky… Apollo Creed speaks the harsh truth to Rocky. Each one helps him overcome the obstacles he is facing. But none of them is more obvious than the turning point in Rocky III when his wife confronts him about what is eating him up inside when they are on the beach. Rocky has just lost a foot race on the beach against Apollo Creed and it looks like it’s over. Rocky is quitting…until his wife gets him to face the truth of being afraid. Once she gets that out of him, the truth sets him free…and the rest is history…ask Clubber Lang!
The third one happens in Rocky IV. Here he teaches about putting differences aside and loving one another. The movie was made in 1985 during the Cold War. The USA vs Russia was at the global forefront of that time. The obvious theme of the movie was not only Rocky beating Drago in avenging his friend Apollo Creed’s death, but the triumph of the USA over Russia being symbolized by whom each boxer represented. However, there is something that happens at the very end of the movie when Rocky is being interviewed in the ring after his victory. What does he push for? He pushes for unity among the countries. In encouraging this unity, he appeals to our overall humanity to love one another and put our differences aside. It doesn’t get much more Have Character than that!
Finally, the fourth one is the power of love between Rocky and his wife, or between a husband and his wife. Rocky always looks like he is not going to be able to pull through until the love of his wife gets behind him. Once that happens, the power of her love for him propels him to do what looks to be impossible. Now, we live in a world where divorce is more the norm than 50-year wedding anniversaries. Can you imagine if we got back to a world where a wife’s love propelled her husband to overcome the face of adversity and vice versa? What if they both did that for each other for their marriage commitment to each other? How powerful would that be? Rather than families being torn apart, instead, families became stronger. I believe this is the most underrated, hidden gem of the Have Character messages in the Rocky movies, yet it is right there for all to see. Again, we just have to pay attention. It only happens in every Rocky movie!
I hope the next time you catch a Rocky movie on TV you take a moment to stop and watch it. I encourage you to watch it through a Have Character lens and count just how many Have Character moments this movie series has to offer. Kudos to you, Sylvester Stallone, for making a classic movie series that would easily end up in the Have Character Hall of Fame!
Don’t believe me? Check out this clip:
J. Noah Russell
HAVE CHARACTER™
