Absolutely. If you watch his fights, particularly post fight activities, he was a gentleman and a sportsman. The portrayal of him in Cinderella Man made me hate him. Learning about what a man he really was makes me hate Cinderella Man...
Joe Louis said Max was one of many fighters who spoke to him when the cameras were on. But he was the only fighter who spoke to him when the cameras were off.
As a young Marine I had met Ron Howard, only for a min. He was a jerk. He was laughing at my being a Marine, to impress the 3 girls in the back seat of his car while I was waiting at a crosswalk to make a crossing in Hollywood and Vine. He was also waiting for the light to turn, in the front seat of a convertible was the other two cast members, in the back 3 girls. They must have been their dates. I did not think that he was funny. :) I have long forgotten the words of his insult, but, every time that I hear his name, I remember that min. and have forgiven him knowing that he was speaking from his youth. All of us say things at times that hurt or make others mad. Shalom If I remember correctly that was in 1975 in the summer when I was station at Camp Pendleton. I would go to Hollywood once or twice a month on weekends to hang out at the Bob Hope USO. Actors would come there and visit with us military guys. That's another story. :)
If the truth be known i bet those girls didn't think he was funny either. They knew ole Ron Howard wasn't half the man your are and thank you for your Service. USN 1981-1985 PNSN
Ron Howard simply lifted the persona of fictional character of Buddy Brannon, whom Baer portrayed in the film "The Harder They Fall" and made it Baer's own. Those who knew him claimed that Baer was one of the nicest people that they had ever met; a man who loved a good joke (even a this own expense) and enjoyed clowning around. He was boxing's showman decades before Ali. In the ring Baer was a savage fighter...But that was his job. Outside the ring he was a much different man.
Super fan of the movie Because of the movie when it first came out I did research on max bear true gentleman max bears family has every right to stick up for him
Max sent Primo Carnera to the hospital. But he footed the entire bill and visited the guy. What champ does that? A champ in and outside the ring, that's who!
I think if Max was my dad, I would have sued for character assassination. I would have been too livid, for me to not even try, to file suit against the movie maker(Ron Howard). I wonder why they thought it was justified to portray Max that way(the almighty buck maybe). I think the movie would have been even bigger if done much more accurately. I guess that's what happens when a person at the helm has more money than brains, and/or common sense and decency. The family and people that knew Max know better.
On a lighter note, I read years ago that Max jr. wanted to be a boxer, like his dad and Uncle Buddy. His dad, Max Sr., said before he could step into the ring, he'd have to beat dad first! So they put on the gloves, and young Max quickly found out acting/producing/directing was where he was heading!!!
That's the thing about making a fictitious account based on a true event, there is always a lot of "creative" writing . It seems Ron Howard just essentially used The portrayal from from the movie The harder they Fall as a profile of Max Baer the person.
what got me...Ron Howard directed the movie by the way it was told from the Campbell family; their side, but why didn't anyone seek out the story from Max Baer's side of the family? They had every right to speak.
I think the movie would have been just as good, and probably better if Max Baer had been truthfully depicted as a very personable and fun-loving man that he really was. He was treated very unfairly in this film.
I have never watched this film because of the way Max Baer is portrayed, it ruined the film Max was such a great man and universally liked, Howard was stupid it turned his film into a work of fiction with no credibility.
Watch the real fight Max had class and hugged jimmy after the fight. He even said before the fight that jimmy was a tough fighter. Shame on Opie hahaha go back to Mayberry!
Watching this in 2024, I'm glad I found this video. I'm a big boxing fan and watched Cinderella Man when it first released. I thought the betrayal of Max Baer in the movie was how he was in real life. Now I know the movie was wrong, and Max Baer was the total opposite of how he was betrayed.
My grandfather met with both Max Baer and Slapsie Maxie Rosenbloom on several occasions at the Shamrock Club in SF in the 1930's. Both champs were fantastic people and real gentleman. Hollywood has a unique way of falsifying the truth to sell junk. Although, Max Baer was a "playboy" and loved the ladies, he didn't train as hard as most heavyweight fighters. Too bad, because he had pure raw talent as good as it gets!
Max Baer was a great white fighter an original and could knock your head off if he put his mind to it, but what I like most, he was not a Racist he was a good man
Baer was a very frighting fighter he is one of hardest punchers that ever lived but he was also a very funny man inside and outside the ring he did a lot for boxing, when i first saw him fight on film i could not believe what i was seeing he had everything speed and power but did lack polished boxing skills .
max baer was part of the greatest generation. his well documented behavior following the campbell fight reflects a very human man whos character does not deserve to be twisted or discounted. what it requires to enter a ring as a fighter who wants nothing less than a ko few can imagine. no one wanted campbell to be killed and everyone involved spent their remaining years wishing it had been different. this sad story played out for decades. ron howard is simply opie all growed up.
Howard said it was taken from the point of view of the Braddock family but that's a lie. Baer raised money for the family and put the kids through college. So Howard was just trying to justify his cheap shot. He should have made up a fictional character rather the besmirch a nice man like Max Baer !
let's face it; the 'Hollywood' of today; they have to portray everyone in a negative. Movies can never have a enlightening message or a happy ending.Movies used to be an escape from real life. It was pure entertainment that left you leaving the theatre thinking happy uplifting thoughts or gave you a message to ponder. Now the majority of movies make you feel far worse when you leave. So we're paying big dollars to feel horrible. I'm surprised at Ron Howard. I expected better from him.
Tarn Sand ,, ya I never got all that brainy shit from Howard either. He try,s to present his self as so so important and so intelligent that he,s far beyond everyone else.
Both Howard and Andy Griffith reprised their Mayberry roles doing a commercial pro BHO prior to his election in 08. It says a lot for the amount acting talent they've got, also about the amount of character they don't have. Americana they ain't, but they sure had us convinced they were.
its a brutal sport.2 men pounding on each other... It is reported that Baer's own seconds administered to Campbell, and that Baer was by his side until an ambulance arrived 30 minutes later. Baer "visited the stricken fighter's bedside", where he offered Frankie's wife Ellie the hand that hit her husband. She took that hand and the two stood speechless for a moment. "It was unfortunate, I'm awfully sorry", said Baer. "It even might have been you, mightn't it?", she replied
The fight against Schmeling was awesome. Bear put the star of David on his pants and everytime when he hit Schmeling, he told him: this is my "greating" to Hitler. Schmeling lose this fight and Nazi in Germany hide this fight, cuz to imagine that Jew has beat an "Ariar" was above their thinking. Bear is legend.
Wow, that's a shame. I never knew Ron Howard just sort of blew off the real story of Max Baer the fighter. Very disappointing to hear this about such a well respected person such as Ron Howard. Very disappointing indeed :(
Well, Baer would throw backhanded shots which was kinda dirty. As the Howard film I usually like his stuff but that just wasn't a very good movie. He relied of lazy stereotypes to create a darling and a villain.
The same thing happened to the Thomas Dewey Family when thy made a movie showing him as a corrupt DA. They got away with it with a disclaimer that said " THe Characters in this movie are not meant to portray real characters......" That no one saw because they were walking out of the theater.
Almost as despicable as slandering Max Baer is Ron Howard's hiding behind the Braddock family to justify his slander. All Howard did was take Max's portrayal of Buddy Brannon in The Harder They Fall and call it Max Baer.
I loved the villain of Max Baer in the movie. Unfortunately this was before I learned of Max Baer as the man. I'm left scratching my head as to why they took that direction. They could have still made him an effective opponent while also sticking to reality
Cliff Hollingsworth who wrote the book and "Ron Howard" who failed to research the "real" Max Baer, Sr. did something incredibly hurtful and irresponsible by portraying Baer the way they did in 'Cinderella Man' (2005). Obviously, each member of the Braddock family had their own unique views on Baer, however, Ron Howard really should have spoken with Baer's family prior to depicting Baer in the one-sided way that he did in the film. Fact: On June 8, 1933, Baer fought and defeated (by TKO) German heavyweight and former world champion, Max Schmeling, at Yankee Stadium. Schmeling was favored to win, and was Adolf Hitler's favorite fighter. The Nazi tabloid 'Der Stürmer' publicly attacked Schmeling for fighting a non-Aryan, as Baer's father was half Jewish, calling it a "racial and cultural disgrace." Max Baer was an "American hero", who was remorseful over the one opponent that he killed in the ring, and the other fighters who he badly injured. Baer competed during a time when there was very little money to be made in boxing unless you were a "main eventer" in a major promotion. Back then, fights could last for fifteen 3-minute rounds, and many boxers ended up with serious, chronic injuries after only 1 fight.
He was more of a clown than a villain, often fooling around in the ring, and it was sometimes to his detriment. But make no mistake about it, when Baer was in the mood he was a devastating puncher, and could throw viciously powerful blows, this was clearly evident in his capture of the world title when defeating the Italian giant but very limited primo carnera . he destroyed carnera with his superior speed and skills, felling the champ like Clumber some giant redwood, chopping him down at will, it was a pathetic sight as camera was totally outclassed on all levels, and baer waltzed to an emphatic win. Sadly Baer sided of an heart attack aged just 50 in 1959. (RIP)
I've seen the movie several times and like Baer after watching it.... Hardly like Mr. T.... at all... He didn't boast of killing campbell in the movie... He just told Braddock that people die in fairy tales all the time... I'm happy to see that Max was a great guy in real life but I didn't think of him as a monster in the movie ... just dangerous, which he obviously was !
And a comedian, I see where Jr. inherited his Dads sense of humor, I would love to see Dad's reaction to the hilarious Jethro Bodine!!!!! I just read today, oh, yesterday now, that when Max Sr was in his hotel shaving, really close to when he would unfortunately pass away, he got chest pains and called for a Doctor to come up and see him, and they said that they'd send up a house doctor, and Max replied with something like, A house doctor?! I need a people doctor! lol A sense of humor right up until "almost" the end....so sad that he passed away soon after.
I read that James Cameron apologized to the family of William Murdoch (the Titanic's first officer) for the way he was portrayed in his film. If Ron Howard had an ounce of integrity he would have done the same. Shame, I used to like Ron Howard....
REAL history is boring to film makers so they feel justified in totally misrepresenting most of it. It so funny to see period pieces where the people act and talk like they're living in current times. Apart from the sets and costumes, there's very little authenticity and they prefer it that way. It's too bad so many people don't know the difference.
If RH pretended to excite people to profit his wallet, perhaps he should make a film about Emile Griffith and Benny Kid Paret fight. It had been realistic since both guys really hated one to each other which leaded this to a tragic end. Ron Howard´s dullness..
I do believe that Jimmy Braddock would have "strongly" disproved the portrayal of Max in the Cinderella Man. Max was a true gentleman, very likable and good natured. I have read several accounts of Max doing charitable acts of kindness (after) he lost his title to Braddock. The real Max Baer was nothing like the jerk bully boy in the Cinderella movie. I love watching the old film clips of Baer at public events. He was always laughing, smiling much, and very complimentary of other fighters, when asked. Opey was WRONG about Heavyweight Champ Max Baer. I don't blame the Baer family for being mad at the (FICTIONAL) portrayal of their Dad in that movie. That wasn't the real Max Baer, not even close!
What bothered me are the things the "Max Bear" said in the film about "Braddock's wife", no fighter would say things like that. I was never a big fan of Ron Howard as a director anyway, he just took the easy, noncreative way out when he could have achieved the same thing but left it more up to the audience. With that said it is an excellent film due to the actors portraying these two great fighters and the supporting cast.
Like they said it was villain to Cinderella man. That's a full stop coz There must have been a beef inbetween, maybe max was rich at the time while Braddock was having a hard time. That's what it portrayed in moviE.its Braddock side of the movie
Sure seemed deferential to Braddock and Louis. And like-able… Back then trash talk was not the promotional tool it is today. I loved the ‘old’ fighters: They fought everyone, and often.
Ron Howard had to create a villain for the movie. That is why he portrayed this man the way he did. But Howard, like many in Hollywood for "Artistic License " warp and skew the truth regularly. It is still not acceptable though. Howard should have issued a statement to that effect.
Jim Braddock liked Max Baer and not the point of view of the Braddock family. This was just an unjustified excuse. I guess the movie needed a villain. Sad.
I agree with you saying the movie needed a villain. Definitely a truth. The portrayal of Baer was unfair but at the same time the movie was very good. Perhaps a fictionalized bad guy should have been used instead..but I don't know.
Why else? To sell more tickets! If he watered Baer's personality down and made him look to be the nice guy that he really was, the movie wouldn't be as captivating...
maybe he was portrayed thi way to make the film interesting not that it was not interesting i know hollywood has a tendency of exaggerating certain things just to make a good story
This must be a terrible feeling for a guy to be made a unfairly made into a villain. I saw the real fight on you tube and the two men were hugging each other after the bell. I dont think the movie character bragged about killing anyone though...
First there was nothing personal in Ron Howard's portrayal, it's just a movie and it was about James Braddock, not Max Baer, right from the opening credits, the Movie is called "Cinderella Man" meaning Braddock was the hero of the Movie, when you have a Hero you need a villain, this was NOT a Documentary, it was about real people but the whole ides of making a movie is to put "Bums on seats", the first thing you need to do that is a Hero, the hero must be an underdog, like David and Goliath, Goliath was probably a good guy too but he gets a lot of bad press, the second thing you need is a Villain, if they had both been good guys in the movie it would have been boring, it would have been a flop at the Box Office You had to be rooting for Braddock for the movie to be a success, to Root for Braddock is much easier if you don't like the Villain, they had to make Max Baer unlikable, I understand Max Junior and the Baer family being pissed off, I would too if it was my Dad, but the movie could not have been the success it was if it was made any different, as Ron Howard said, it was made from the viewpoint of Braddock, not Baer, that would be a different movie altogether Hollywood makes a lot of movies about real people but none of them are based on being accurate, they are all based on selling tickets
No me extraña lo que dice con mucha razón el Sr Max Baer Jr. El tal Ron Howard le sacó el cuerpo a su responsabilidad: haber manchado injustamente el nombre de un hombre que fue muy distinto a la distorsión que el creo en la pelicula "Cinderella Man". Le importó "un pepino" el reclamo de la familia Baer; no le convenía....que poco hombre. Mis simpatías hacia la familia de Max Baer, un ser humano como todos nosotros, no un villano sanguinario como le calumnió RH.
Id be infuriated by this. I liked cinderella man when i was a kid but learning what they did to the history of the sport, i cant take any of it seriously. Nobody who made that film gave a shit about boxin
Truth is Max Baer Let Braddock win because he was afraid he would kill him watch the watch the way he fought primo carnera vicious with no mercy and then watch the way he fought braddok he was clearly going easy because he's was afraid he would hurt him
Ouch! In this film they are missing STAR OF DAVID that was on MAX BAER's boxing trunks or it is so hidden you cannot find it in any bouts he had HUH? Took licence to a very bad art form missing human factor and made BAER a cartoon villain character and BIERKO converted to being a ROMAN CATHOLIC KATZ IN DE FIE!!!
![Joe Louis vs James J. Braddock ᴴᴰ [FULL FIGHT]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LNfHZF5GoUg/mqdefault.jpg)
MAX BAER was a gentleman. Anyone who is interested in boxing history knows this.
There was no need to portray Max Baer as a villain in the movie. It was altogether inaccurate and unfair.
Absolutely. If you watch his fights, particularly post fight activities, he was a gentleman and a sportsman. The portrayal of him in Cinderella Man made me hate him. Learning about what a man he really was makes me hate Cinderella Man...
All I have ever heard about Max was that he was one of the kindest people you could meet. Maybe not in the ring but outside of it for sure.
Joe Louis said Max was one of many fighters who spoke to him when the cameras were on. But he was the only fighter who spoke to him when the cameras were off.
Sad that Ron Howard could not portray Max in a truthful way. I can understand how heart broken his family is.
My father always spoke highly of Max Baer,Sr. talked about what a great boxer he was.... Dad talked just like he knew Max Baer,Sr. as a friend...
Max Bear was a nice man and a fighter.
As a young Marine I had met Ron Howard, only for a min. He was a jerk. He was laughing at my being a Marine, to impress the 3 girls in the back seat of his car while I was waiting at a crosswalk to make a crossing in Hollywood and Vine. He was also waiting for the light to turn, in the front seat of a convertible was the other two cast members, in the back 3 girls. They must have been their dates. I did not think that he was funny. :) I have long forgotten the words of his insult, but, every time that I hear his name, I remember that min. and have forgiven him knowing that he was speaking from his youth. All of us say things at times that hurt or make others mad. Shalom
If I remember correctly that was in 1975 in the summer when I was station at Camp Pendleton. I would go to Hollywood once or twice a month on weekends to hang out at the Bob Hope USO. Actors would come there and visit with us military guys. That's another story. :)
If the truth be known i bet those girls didn't think he was funny either. They knew ole Ron Howard wasn't half the man your are and thank you for your Service. USN 1981-1985 PNSN
Ron Howard is the real brute here...
For a sweet guy and cute little kid, he's really made some brutal violent movies, or had a lot of really violent scenes in his movies!!!!!
He’s a silver spoon fed douche bag.
And we loved Jethro, Max Bear was a great human being and a great fighter. Pay attention, this is how to act when you receive fame.
To the family of max Baer: WE ALL LOVE HIM, WE KNOW THE TRUTH AND HIS NAME LIVES ON💙
Ron Howard simply lifted the persona of fictional character of Buddy Brannon, whom Baer portrayed in the film "The Harder They Fall" and made it Baer's own. Those who knew him claimed that Baer was one of the nicest people that they had ever met; a man who loved a good joke (even a this own expense) and enjoyed clowning around. He was boxing's showman decades before Ali. In the ring Baer was a savage fighter...But that was his job. Outside the ring he was a much different man.
They should make a movie about Max and show how he really was...remember also they said bad things about Ty Cobb too that weren't true.
I thought they could get sued for that kind of defamation ? And should for sure !
HOW WOULD HOWARD FEEL IF THE BAER FAMILY ATTACKED HIS FAMILY, LOST RESPECT FOR HOWARD THIS.
Yeah, like saying his father forced his kids into tv and stole all their money. Wonder if Ron would think that was ART.
Baer and Braddock were friends I doubt Braddocks family made it that way.
If someone made a derogatory movie about Ron's father Rance Howard Ron would surely not like it.
Super fan of the movie Because of the movie when it first came out I did research on max bear true gentleman max bears family has every right to stick up for him
Max sent Primo Carnera to the hospital. But he footed the entire bill and visited the guy. What champ does that? A champ in and outside the ring, that's who!
From looking at these old films of MAX he's a great human being and was good friends with JOE LOUIS !
I think if Max was my dad, I would have sued for character assassination. I would have been too livid, for me to not even try, to file suit against the movie maker(Ron Howard). I wonder why they thought it was justified to portray Max that way(the almighty buck maybe). I think the movie would have been even bigger if done much more accurately. I guess that's what happens when a person at the helm has more money than brains, and/or common sense and decency. The family and people that knew Max know better.
On a lighter note, I read years ago that Max jr. wanted to be a boxer, like his dad and Uncle Buddy. His dad, Max Sr., said before he could step into the ring, he'd have to beat dad first! So they put on the gloves, and young Max quickly found out acting/producing/directing was where he was heading!!!
What a p.o.s. Ron Howard did to Max Baer memory! Typical Hollywood sensationalism to make a buck!
Its a movie, dummy.
Extreme opposite characters is what sells movies. It’s a Hollywood drama feature with a hero, it’s not a documentary.
Oh those Hollywood Docudrama's ! Bad job Opie !
That's the thing about making a fictitious account based on a true event, there is always a lot of "creative" writing . It seems Ron Howard just essentially used The portrayal from from the movie The harder they Fall as a profile of Max Baer the person.
what got me...Ron Howard directed the movie by the way it was told from the Campbell family; their side, but why didn't anyone seek out the story from Max Baer's side of the family? They had every right to speak.
Really sorry this happened to Max Baer and family. I hope Ron Howard has tried to make amends.
I doubt he cares...he was in it for the money.
I think the movie would have been just as good, and probably better if Max Baer had been truthfully depicted as a very personable and fun-loving man that he really was. He was treated very unfairly in this film.
I have never watched this film because of the way Max Baer is portrayed, it ruined the film Max was such a great man and universally liked, Howard was stupid it turned his film into a work of fiction with no credibility.
Watch the real fight Max had class and hugged jimmy after the fight. He even said before the fight that jimmy was a tough fighter. Shame on Opie hahaha go back to Mayberry!
Watching this in 2024, I'm glad I found this video. I'm a big boxing fan and watched Cinderella Man when it first released. I thought the betrayal of Max Baer in the movie was how he was in real life. Now I know the movie was wrong, and Max Baer was the total opposite of how he was betrayed.
Opie vs. Jethro in the cage at the next Wrestlemania.....
Celebratie death match
You have made your dad so proud Max...I wish I could have met him.
The best book about Max Baer is "Max Baer and Barney Ross: Jewish Heroes
of Boxing." Read it and enjoy some of the most exciting bouts of the
1930s.
My grandfather met with both Max Baer and Slapsie Maxie Rosenbloom on several occasions at the Shamrock Club in SF in the 1930's. Both champs were fantastic people and real gentleman. Hollywood has a unique way of falsifying the truth to sell junk. Although, Max Baer was a "playboy" and loved the ladies, he didn't train as hard as most heavyweight fighters. Too bad, because he had pure raw talent as good as it gets!
mike cesa Baer Jr. said he didn’t like to fight and wanted to be an actor.
A legend in early pugilism and a legend in life, RIP Max Baer
Max Baer was a great white fighter an original and could knock your head off if he put his mind to it, but what I like most, he was not a Racist he was a good man
Baer was a very frighting fighter he is one of hardest punchers that ever lived but he was also a very funny man inside and outside the ring he did a lot for boxing, when i first saw him fight on film i could not believe what i was seeing he had everything speed and power but did lack polished boxing skills .
im glad i found this video. i would have gone on to believe max baer was some kind of monster bully.
max baer was part of the greatest generation. his well documented behavior following the campbell fight reflects a very human man whos character does not deserve to be twisted or discounted. what it requires to enter a ring as a fighter who wants nothing less than a ko few can imagine. no one wanted campbell to be killed and everyone involved spent their remaining years wishing it had been different. this sad story played out for decades. ron howard is simply opie all growed up.
Howard said it was taken from the point of view of the Braddock family but that's a lie. Baer raised money for the family and put the kids through college. So Howard was just trying to justify his cheap shot. He should have made up a fictional character rather the besmirch a nice man like Max Baer !
let's face it; the 'Hollywood' of today; they have to portray everyone in a negative. Movies can never have a enlightening message or a happy ending.Movies used to be an escape from real life. It was pure entertainment that left you leaving the theatre thinking happy uplifting thoughts or gave you a message to ponder. Now the majority of movies make you feel far worse when you leave. So we're paying big dollars to feel horrible. I'm surprised at Ron Howard. I expected better from him.
Tarn Sand ,, ya I never got all that brainy shit from Howard either. He try,s to present his self as so so important and so intelligent that he,s far beyond everyone else.
Richard Provost. Is Max Baer Jr the actor who played Jethro in The Beverly Hillbillies?
I would have expected better from Ron Howard
Richard Provost ; yes
Max Baer told it more about his dad but I loved him more as Jethro
Both Howard and Andy Griffith reprised their Mayberry roles doing a commercial pro BHO prior to his election in 08. It says a lot for the amount acting talent they've got, also about the amount of character they don't have. Americana they ain't, but they sure had us convinced they were.
its a brutal sport.2 men pounding on each other... It is reported that Baer's own seconds administered to Campbell, and that Baer was by his side until an ambulance arrived 30 minutes later. Baer "visited the stricken fighter's bedside", where he offered Frankie's wife Ellie the hand that hit her husband. She took that hand and the two stood speechless for a moment. "It was unfortunate, I'm awfully sorry", said Baer. "It even might have been you, mightn't it?", she replied
How could Opie do this to Jethro?
The fight against Schmeling was awesome. Bear put the star of David on his pants and everytime when he hit Schmeling, he told him: this is my "greating" to Hitler. Schmeling lose this fight and Nazi in Germany hide this fight, cuz to imagine that Jew has beat an "Ariar" was above their thinking. Bear is legend.
Max Baer long dead got a raw deal from ron howard, Max Baer jr. alive and well, should visit ron howard!
Wow, that's a shame. I never knew Ron Howard just sort of blew off the real story of Max Baer the fighter. Very disappointing to hear this about such a well respected person such as Ron Howard. Very disappointing indeed :(
Well, Baer would throw backhanded shots which was kinda dirty. As the Howard film I usually like his stuff but that just wasn't a very good movie. He relied of lazy stereotypes to create a darling and a villain.
Opie could use the slingshot he had when he killed that momma bird and Jethro could use the frying pan that Granny was always hitting him with.
Max Baer Jr is the greatest actor who ever lived.
❤ Jethro bodine ; Greatly handsome & tall
The same thing happened to the Thomas Dewey Family when thy made a movie showing him as a corrupt DA. They got away with it with a disclaimer that said " THe Characters in this movie are not meant to portray real characters......" That no one saw because they were walking out of the theater.
Almost as despicable as slandering Max Baer is Ron Howard's hiding behind the Braddock family to justify his slander. All Howard did was take Max's portrayal of Buddy Brannon in The Harder They Fall and call it Max Baer.
I respect Max Baer Jr.
I loved the villain of Max Baer in the movie. Unfortunately this was before I learned of Max Baer as the man. I'm left scratching my head as to why they took that direction. They could have still made him an effective opponent while also sticking to reality
Cliff Hollingsworth who wrote the book and "Ron Howard" who failed to research the "real" Max Baer, Sr. did something incredibly hurtful and irresponsible by portraying Baer the way they did in 'Cinderella Man' (2005). Obviously, each member of the Braddock family had their own unique views on Baer, however, Ron Howard really should have spoken with Baer's family prior to depicting Baer in the one-sided way that he did in the film. Fact: On June 8, 1933, Baer fought and defeated (by TKO) German heavyweight and former world champion, Max Schmeling, at Yankee Stadium. Schmeling was favored to win, and was Adolf Hitler's favorite fighter. The Nazi tabloid 'Der Stürmer' publicly attacked Schmeling for fighting a non-Aryan, as Baer's father was half Jewish, calling it a "racial and cultural disgrace." Max Baer was an "American hero", who was remorseful over the one opponent that he killed in the ring, and the other fighters who he badly injured. Baer competed during a time when there was very little money to be made in boxing unless you were a "main eventer" in a major promotion. Back then, fights could last for fifteen 3-minute rounds, and many boxers ended up with serious, chronic injuries after only 1 fight.
He was more of a clown than a villain, often fooling around in the ring, and it was sometimes to his detriment. But make no mistake about it, when Baer was in the mood he was a devastating puncher, and could throw viciously powerful blows, this was clearly evident in his capture of the world title when defeating the Italian giant but very limited primo carnera . he destroyed carnera with his superior speed and skills, felling the champ like Clumber some giant redwood, chopping him down at will, it was a pathetic sight as camera was totally outclassed on all levels, and baer waltzed to an emphatic win. Sadly Baer sided of an heart attack aged just 50 in 1959. (RIP)
I've seen the movie several times and like Baer after watching it.... Hardly like Mr. T.... at all... He didn't boast of killing campbell in the movie... He just told Braddock that people die in fairy tales all the time... I'm happy to see that Max was a great guy in real life but I didn't think of him as a monster in the movie ... just dangerous, which he obviously was !
the real Max baer was a legend!
And a comedian, I see where Jr. inherited his Dads sense of humor, I would love to see Dad's reaction to the hilarious Jethro Bodine!!!!! I just read today, oh, yesterday now, that when Max Sr was in his hotel shaving, really close to when he would unfortunately pass away, he got chest pains and called for a Doctor to come up and see him, and they said that they'd send up a house doctor, and Max replied with something like, A house doctor?! I need a people doctor! lol A sense of humor right up until "almost" the end....so sad that he passed away soon after.
just a question! did max base have a eagles heart fund?
I read that James Cameron apologized to the family of William Murdoch (the Titanic's first officer) for the way he was portrayed in his film. If Ron Howard had an ounce of integrity he would have done the same. Shame, I used to like Ron Howard....
REAL history is boring to film makers so they feel justified in totally misrepresenting most of it. It so funny to see period pieces where the people act and talk like they're living in current times. Apart from the sets and costumes, there's very little authenticity and they prefer it that way. It's too bad so many people don't know the difference.
Movies are one thing, real life is a different story people need to know what's real...Max Baer was a Boxer a true champion.....
If RH pretended to excite people to profit his wallet, perhaps he should make a film about Emile Griffith and Benny Kid Paret fight. It had been realistic since both guys really hated one to each other which leaded this to a tragic end. Ron Howard´s dullness..
I do believe that Jimmy Braddock would have "strongly" disproved the portrayal of Max in the Cinderella Man. Max was a true gentleman, very likable and good natured. I have read several accounts of Max doing charitable acts of kindness (after) he lost his title to Braddock. The real Max Baer was nothing like the jerk bully boy in the Cinderella movie. I love watching the old film clips of Baer at public events. He was always laughing, smiling much, and very complimentary of other fighters, when asked. Opey was WRONG about Heavyweight Champ Max Baer. I don't blame the Baer family for being mad at the (FICTIONAL) portrayal of their Dad in that movie. That wasn't the real Max Baer, not even close!
What bothered me are the things the "Max Bear" said in the film about "Braddock's wife", no fighter would say things like that. I was never a big fan of Ron Howard as a director anyway, he just took the easy, noncreative way out when he could have achieved the same thing but left it more up to the audience. With that said it is an excellent film due to the actors portraying these two great fighters and the supporting cast.
Max Baer Jr. should have paid Opie a visit and punched his nose down his throat!
Ron Howard now you know sheriff Taylor didn't raise you to be a liar.
❤❤
Like they said it was villain to Cinderella man. That's a full stop coz There must have been a beef inbetween, maybe max was rich at the time while Braddock was having a hard time. That's what it portrayed in moviE.its Braddock side of the movie
Sure seemed deferential to Braddock and Louis.
And like-able…
Back then trash talk was not the promotional tool it is today.
I loved the ‘old’ fighters: They fought everyone, and often.
I'm sure this isn't the first time it's happened. Sadly it won't be the last.
Ron Howard had to create a villain for the movie. That is why he portrayed this man the way he did. But Howard, like many in Hollywood for "Artistic License " warp and skew the truth regularly. It is still not acceptable though. Howard should have issued a statement to that effect.
well you know that opey rhymes with dopey...
Dopey Opie on the Andy Griffith show was highly prophetic….
Jim Braddock liked Max Baer and not the point of view of the Braddock family. This was just an unjustified excuse. I guess the movie needed a villain. Sad.
I agree with you saying the movie needed a villain. Definitely a truth. The portrayal of Baer was unfair but at the same time the movie was very good. Perhaps a fictionalized bad guy should have been used instead..but I don't know.
Why would Ron Howard do that?
Why else? To sell more tickets! If he watered Baer's personality down and made him look to be the nice guy that he really was, the movie wouldn't be as captivating...
If you watched this clip, you want to watch this:
ua-cam.com/video/R7i1rF1F2Fc/v-deo.html&ab_channel=FightFilmsGuy
Leave it to HOLLYWEIRD TO TWIST EVERY GOOD TRUTH THERE IS!
It's a movie, not a documentary. If you don't have a good guy and a bad guy, you don't have a movie or even an interesting story.
maybe he was portrayed thi way to make the film interesting not that it was not interesting i know hollywood has a tendency of exaggerating certain things just to make a good story
It’s a fictional MOVIE not a documentary folks
Max Baer was the sexiest Man alive
This must be a terrible feeling for a guy to be made a unfairly made into a villain. I saw the real fight on you tube and the two men were hugging each other after the bell. I dont think the movie character bragged about killing anyone though...
First there was nothing personal in Ron Howard's portrayal, it's just a movie and it was about James Braddock, not Max Baer, right from the opening credits, the Movie is called "Cinderella Man" meaning Braddock was the hero of the Movie, when you have a Hero you need a villain, this was NOT a Documentary, it was about real people but the whole ides of making a movie is to put "Bums on seats", the first thing you need to do that is a Hero, the hero must be an underdog, like David and Goliath, Goliath was probably a good guy too but he gets a lot of bad press,
the second thing you need is a Villain, if they had both been good guys in the movie it would have been boring, it would have been a flop at the Box Office
You had to be rooting for Braddock for the movie to be a success, to Root for Braddock is much easier if you don't like the Villain, they had to make Max Baer unlikable, I understand Max Junior and the Baer family being pissed off, I would too if it was my Dad, but the movie could not have been the success it was if it was made any different, as Ron Howard said, it was made from the viewpoint of Braddock, not Baer, that would be a different movie altogether
Hollywood makes a lot of movies about real people but none of them are based on being accurate, they are all based on selling tickets
Glad we did not waste money to see a fictional movie about the great Max Baer!!
Elly May is the champion even Jethro couldn’t beat her
Bitch move my Ron Howard
No me extraña lo que dice con mucha razón el Sr Max Baer Jr. El tal Ron Howard le sacó el cuerpo a su responsabilidad: haber manchado injustamente el nombre de un hombre que fue muy distinto a la distorsión que el creo en la pelicula "Cinderella Man". Le importó "un pepino" el reclamo de la familia Baer; no le convenía....que poco hombre.
Mis simpatías hacia la familia de Max Baer, un ser humano como todos nosotros, no un villano sanguinario como le calumnió RH.
Id be infuriated by this. I liked cinderella man when i was a kid but learning what they did to the history of the sport, i cant take any of it seriously. Nobody who made that film gave a shit about boxin
Plus they did schmeling dirty too!
Fucking Hollywood!!
Howard
Learn..your.boxing.history.
WellTo be fair he did kill two people in the ring
Jethro
Max Baer Jr aren't you a producer and a director ? why don't you make a movie about your father and set the story straight ???
Few people heard of Max's brother who was just as notorious at the time
Max and Buddy had scary power.
Truth is Max Baer Let Braddock win because he was afraid he would kill him watch the watch the way he fought primo carnera vicious with no mercy and then watch the way he fought braddok he was clearly going easy because he's was afraid he would hurt him
False . He did not train properly and paid the price.
Baer really never liked boxing. According to his son, he wanted to act.
Ouch! In this film they are missing STAR OF DAVID that was on MAX BAER's boxing trunks or it is so hidden you cannot find it in any bouts he had HUH? Took licence to a very bad art form missing human factor and made BAER a cartoon villain character and BIERKO converted to being a ROMAN CATHOLIC KATZ IN DE FIE!!!
I think Max Jr, wants too kick Ronnie's ass..