Robert De Niro portrays boxer Jake LaMotta in Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull.
Released in 1980, Raging Bull dramatizes the life and career of LaMotta, a middleweight fighter known as the “Bronx Bull.” The story covers his rise through professional boxing, his difficult relationship with his brother Joey, and the jealousy and violence that damage his personal life.
The screenplay was adapted from LaMotta’s 1970 memoir, Raging Bull: My Story. It is not a complete documentary record; instead, the film uses stylized black-and-white cinematography and dramatic interpretation to explore memory, anger, guilt, and self-destruction.
De Niro gained substantial weight to portray LaMotta after the boxer’s competitive career. His performance won the Academy Award for Best Actor. The film also received Oscars for editing and is frequently listed among the most important American films of the twentieth century.