CUS 331 Topics in Cinema and Media studies
Comparison of "Rocky" and "Girlfight" (27 Feb)

Chances for boys, but training for girls

"Champions are made, not born." Yes, a boxer needs training, but a girl who wants to become a boxer needs much more training. It is likely applied to Diana but not Rocky. What Rocky needs is not just training, but a chance.

It is interesting to find that, there are similar narratives in boxer training films like "Cinderella Man" and "Million Dollar Baby" besides "Rocky" and "Girlfight". They are alike in story line and narratives. Male boxer films like "Rocky" and "Cinderella Man" put the main emphasis on the final fight and their victory. Whereas, "Girlfight" and "Million Dollar Baby" are female boxers films, they put the focus on the training and the process of becoming a professional boxer. These are boxer training films, but the gender role is different. Is this the reason why the narrative is treated in different ways which based on the gender difference?

Rocky and Jim are both male boxers. They fight in order to make a living, they are working class, poor and the main point is they both are lucky, they get a chance to fight with a high-level, well-known boxer. Once, they take this chance to fight which helps them to reach the top, to be renowned. Other, they want to fight for themselves, to prove their ability. And they choose to train themselves, many people supporting them in the final box including their loved one. There are women stand behind them. Audiences come for them, they become heros. Also, in the final fight, no matter what the result is, they get the victory.

In "Rocky", Rocky is already a boxer when the film begins, he fights because that what his life is. He can't dance and sing as he said. He was just born to be a boxer and starts boxing when he was 15. He fights because people ask him to. His life is dull and nobody cares about him until "Lady Luck is standing in his corner" this time. He gets the chance to fight with the champion Apollo, and he chooses to train himself instead of hiring a manager though Mickey helps a lot later on. He runs, he hits the frozen meat in the freezer, he hits the big sand bag, he ties his feet. He trains in order to improve his skills, his physical energy, but not to become a boxer. And there is just one fight with another boxer in the beginning of the film. The narrative of the training is not highlighted. What does the film highlighted is the final fight with Apollo, after the last bell rings, he still can stand here. It emphasizes on his efforts, his insistence, and his courage.

In both "Rocky" and "Cinderella Man", male characters are treated as an advanced boxers. On the contrary, female characters in training films are treated differently, they are just the beginner. Is it because they are female which they are not supposed to fight or they cannot fight?

In "Girlfight" and "Million Dollar Baby", Diana and Maggie are not a boxer in the first place. They know what they want is to become a boxer. They ask for trainers, but Hector and Frankie reject them at first as they think they are female, they can train, but cannot fight and Maggie is too old for that. Afterwards, if they really want become boxers, they need to train a lot. And the difference between Rocky and Jim are they need a trainer who can train them to become better boxers.

In "Girlfiight", Diana is a boyish girl. She doesn't love school but boxing. She asks to become a boxer not because she needs to but she wants to. She starts learning and training by Hector. She learns the fundamental skills and is trained steps by steps. First, is basic hitting, she hits the small sand bag, she learns the footsteps movement. Then, is more physical training, like running, doing sit ups. And she has several practical boxing with other boxers afterwards. She is improving herself every times, she does well in physically exam at school, and she wins the small fight. She is trained not only to become a real boxer but also proves that girls can do this, they can do it like boys.

The main focus of female boxers films are focus on the process of training itself and the way to become a professional boxer. You can see Diana changes a lot. She always fights with schoolmates because of some bagatelle like her friend’s love affair, but she hasn’t hit her boyfriend when she finds that he gets along with other girl. More obvious to see her physically body is changing. Whereas, in "Rocky", he just becomes stronger.

Why do the film narratives treat like that? Is it because of the gender differences? Males are masculine, they are born to be a boxer. Females are feminine, they cannot fight, they just can do the services jobs like Adrian; Males are already strong, what they need is an opportunity to make them stronger. Females haven’t got the same power as males, they need training, they are not born to be a boxer. What females can prove to the whole world is through training and succeeds in the fight. It is much more proof to the people which males need not as they are supposed to have that ability and power.

Finally, although in "Girlfight", Diana becomes a real boxer and wins the championship which breaks the gender limitation, she is reconstructing the thinking of gender which girls are not always feminine, they can have the same power as males do and she makes lots of effort on this, however, she is trained by a man. What does it imply? Females cannot get away from man? Females can prove that they can fight, they have power but not as strong as man. Girl fighter needs a trainer and the trainer is a man. May be that is the reality. Girls need training, but boys need chance.