Rocky Fight pictures being rare, "Rocky" succeeds as an offbeat entry by combining a Cinderella story with a rich character study of a man who boxes because he doesn't know much else. Sylvester Stallone, who stars in his own original screenplay and choreographed the bouts, is being named for Oscar consideration. Dumb but basically decent, Rocky really can't hurt anyone unless provoked. By a fluke, he is matched with the heavyweight champion (Carl Weathers in …showed first 75 words of 381 total…

…showed last 75 words of 381 total…he is flamboyant in the squared circle, selects Stallone for a Bicentennial bout. Stallone trains earnestly and gym owner Burgess Meredith, once a fighter, tries to help. Upset because Stallone won't ask Spinell about hiring him, Young causes a scene and Shire moves in with Stallone. The bout is taken lightly by Weathers, until he's knocked down. Stallone gets his wish: to go the distance, just losing the match but telling Shire he loves her.