The Wrestler

I have been a fan of pro wrestling for well over 15 years and have seen other wrestling movies like "Body Slam" and "Grunt-The Wrestling Movie". I had always heard of "The Wrestler" starring Ed Asner and of course I could never find a copy to rent. Imagine my surprise when I found several copies of it in a $3 bin at a local Wal-Mart! Well, needless to say I bought it, even though I had never seen the flick. It is a great movie for all wrestling fans!

Quite simply, this movie should be remembered as a pure piece of Americana at its finest. In 1973 wrestling promoter Verne Gagne took some of the best wrestlers in the pro wrestling world and got them to make a movie about pro wrestling. The movie, 30 years in retrospect, looks more like a cheeky documentary produced in the classic "kayfabe" style (the traditional promotion of wrestling as a sport, cloaked in mystique and tradition).

The wrestling talent is pure, raw and unadulterated - featuring stars such as Dick the Bruiser, the Crusher, Nick Bockwinkle, Ric Flair, Dory Funk Jr, and "Dirty" Dick Murdoch, Dusty Rhodes and many others - all young and in just starting to hit their peaks. And in a rare appearance, Vincent J. McMahon, the progenitor of the now popular WWF/WWE - promoting pro wrestling in the old style, before the glitz, glamor and entertainment hoopla surrounding it. Verne Gagne himself also appears in this movie as one of its main stars, putting himself over the competition in his typical egotistical, yet entertaining, style.

But this movie isn't all wrestling. There's a good story to be told here, essentially giving the viewer the feel as if they've cut right into the middle of a traditional wrestling program. There is no real start or ending to this story, but it is another chapter in the daily struggle of faces and heels.

Ed Asner is the main star here, his acting ability along with his middle-age looks are a perfect fit for the character, he really does look like a wrestling promoter trying to keep his business together and defending it from the outside corrupting influences of a local mobster (played by legendary wrestler & commentator "Slammin'" Sam Menacker).

There is no comparison to any other wrestling movie made, this one is definitely the undisputed heavyweight champion!

I saw a DVD copy of this movie in the cheap bin for $3 so I decided to buy a copy. I heard about it many years ago in wrestling magazines, and the general consensus was that it's considered to be a poor movie.

If the point of movies is to keep the audience entertained, then I think it succeeds. It is certainly better than the other kayfabe movies "No Holds Barred" and "Ready to Rumble" who seem to treat the subject matter with disrespect. I also liked it better than the other movies that break kayfabe, "Beyond the Mat" and "Wrestling with Shadows".

A lot of 1970s wrestling stars make appearances and cut pretty good promos, even though they are from well before my time: Dusty Rhodes and Superstar Billy Graham are the ones that stood out the most for me. I wish Ric Flair had a more prominent role, but in fairness, he was just a rookie then.

This is a really strange movie. As an old-school pro wrestling fan who grew up in AWA territory, I'd heard of this movie, but never seen it. Now there's a poor copy at http://www.matineeclassics.com/movies/1974/the_wrestler/.

Imagine you're Verne Gagne:

It's 1974. It's the height of the pro wrestling territories. It's all kayfabe: everyone pretends that the match outcomes aren't worked.

You're part owner of the AWA, one of the largest, most successful territories. You're the heavyweight champion basically any time you want to be.

There's some back story here, too: Gagne's split from the NWA and formation of the AWA was because the NWA didn't want Gagne as their champion. The NWA champion went all over the US, defending the title against the most popular local wrestler in a given territory. The NWA thought Gagne wasn't appropriate as that kind of champion. Gagne disagreed and formed the AWA, with himself as champion.

Now it's 1974 and you make a movie in which you co-star as a pro wrestler. It's the story of how one might imagine a promoter operating in 1974 -- if pro wrestling was really a sport.

You get Ed Asner to star. He was doing Mary Tyler Moore at the time, and was a good pick for the role. He's entirely believable as sort of a Wally Karbo-style promoter. But it's very strange seeing a guy with Asner's credentials in a movie like this.

So it's weird on that level. Then there are all the cameos from famous pro wrestlers: the Crusher, the Bruiser, Dusty Rhodes, Dick Murdock, even Ric Flair, albeit briefly. I was a bit surprised that Verne's son Greg wasn't in the film.

Beyond that weirdness, there's the soundtrack. It's really ... 1970s. I can't figure out what was going through the composer's mind during the big bar fight. It's almost like watching a fight while listening to the Benny Hill theme.

Unfortunately, it's also an unsatisfying movie. Rather astonishingly, they build up to a match between Gagne and Billy Robinson -- and then end the film mid-kick, before the match even ends. There's no payoff whatsoever: did Billy or Verne win? Which of them gets to go to the super bowl of wrestling? Did Verne win, forcing the other promoters to allow him? Did Billy, and Verne learns that it's time to ride off into the sunset?

I have no idea what they were trying to do, but the result is very surreal.

The unfortunate thing is that with a little better script, it could have been a decent movie. Gagne is entirely believable as an aging champion, and there would've been a neat story if the writers had simply chosen a direction. Either Gagne learns that it's time to hang up his hat or that Robinson beats the "unbeatable" champion. The gangsters looking for a win by betting on the matches seems out of place -- particularly now that we know that the matches were worked.

It should have been a character piece. It tried to be, but just never got there.

Definitely worth a watch, but don't expect Rocky.

It is impossible to give an exact picture of an endeavor such as Pro Wrestling. One has to experience it for oneself. THE WRESTLER does a pretty good job of telling the story.

Basically it is a semi-autobiographical story of starring wrestler, Verne Gagne.A Minnesota native,Gagne himself is and has been a great athlete for most of his life. He excelled in the Simon Pure amateur ranks of the mat sport and was an end on the Golden Gofer Football Team while attending University of Minnesota. That was followed by a stint in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II.

Following a brief fling in the World of Professional Football*, it was in about 1949 that he came to the Pro Grappling ranks.His ability,youth and good looks (remember, this was the beginning of the television age)catapulted him to the top, where he remained for years.

Okay, we know that there is a big show business component in the Pro Wrestling game. In most areas it is advertised as an exhibition.But don't make the mistake that the participants aren't a tough lot of performers. In varying degrees, there are some tremendous exponents of out and out hand to hand combat.There are some truly big men, with big egos to match.

And just how does this writer know this? Well, I was a Pro Wrestler. For about seven years, I spent some of my leisure time as a part time mat man. Basically referred to as a "Job Man" on the big circuits, the best matches for a guy like me were at small town events.

Anyway, back to THE WRESTLER.

It was shown quite a bit on the Drive-In circuit and at minor "neighborhood" movie houses. Oddly enough, it also had a run at the Monroe Theatre, right in the heart of downtown Chicago. That's where we saw it.

It is Verne Gagne's picture. He and the American Wrestling Association undoubtedly financed it. And it looks very good, what with the filming done mostly, if not all on location.While it is familiar to fans of the Pro Game, it gives enough background to serve those who are uninitiated in the viewing audience.

Simply put, the story is one of mortality in a business that (much like Hollywood) expects its participants to remain as young as they were in their first bout.The leading character, the Promoter,Frank Bass (Asner), knows that it is his job to keep the action at the top fresh and exciting. This must be done, even if it means putting his long time friendship for the Champ,Mike Bullard (Gagne) on the line.

Finally, the big match is made between Champion and the talented, but still inexperienced challenger,Billy Taylor (Billy Robinson). In the end, we all realize that what Mr. Shakespeare said so long ago is as still true today, especially in The Pro Mat Game. It is the play that is the most important thing, not any individual.

Viewing this film would be a good idea for anyone, wrestling fan or not. THE WRESTLER gives a rare glimpse into the phenomenon of Professional Wrestling. It is more than just a "sport". It is a genuine piece of Americana.

* Gagne was also chosen as a member of the 1949 College All Star Team as an end and played against the NFL Champs that year.

UPDATE!!! Feb. 06, 2006, Chicago, Illinois We just viewed the new DVD edition of THE WRESTLER, yesterday after THE SUPERBOWL. It really looks so much better than the previous VHS version. The VHS release looked kind of worn,as if it were made from a used 35mm print of the movie, which it probably was.

The look and feel of this is much better than previously recalled by this reporter. It is coherent, logical and treats its subject matter with respect, all without neglecting some humor and high spots (action.)

This may be an all time neglected sort of "minor masterpiece".