Rocky Quotations

Rocky is a 1976 film that tells a rags-to-riches American Dream story about "Rocky Balboa", a slightly dull-witted but good-hearted "collection agent" for a loan shark in Philadelphia with a penchant for boxing who gets a shot at the world heavyweight title.

Directed by John G. Avildsen. Written by Sylvester Stallone.

His whole life was a million-to-one shot.

Rocky Balboa

[to his pet turtles] If you guys could sing or dance, I wouldn't be doin' this, you know?

[to a laborer who owes money] You wanna dance, you gotta pay the band, you understand? If you wanna borrow, you gotta pay the man. Hey, I ain't emotionally involved, Bob, ya understand? Gimmme some money. C'mon.... gimmme some money.

Lockers are bad anyway after a while, people get the combination. I must have had twenty bucks taken out of there in the past six years, ya know. Don't sound like much, but it adds up, ya know. Doesn't matter, who cares?

Yo, Adrian, it's me, Rocky... I don't know what to say, 'cause I ain't never talked to no door before, ya know... Yo, Adrian, you know, it's Rocky again, you know. Listen, uh, I know you ain't too happy at this moment, ya know. But could ya do me a favor, ya know, I ain't got nobody to spend Thanksgiving with, ya know? So, uh, how about maybe you and I, I mean, we'll go out together and get somethin' to eat, I don't know, maybe laugh a little bit, who knows, ya know?

[to Adrian] I wanna kiss ya. You don't have to kiss me back if ya don't wanna. I wanna kiss you.

Well, ya see, sir I understand you're lookin' for sparrin' partners for Apollo, and I jus' want ta let ya know that I am very available.

I just want to say hi to my girlfriend, OK? Yo, Adrian! It's me, Rocky.
- Note: bolded portion is ranked #80 in the American Film Institute's list of the top 100 movie quotations in American cinema.

[to Paulie] If you can make money off my name, make it, OK?

Who am I kiddin'? I ain't even in the guy's league...It don't matter, 'cause I was nobody before...I was nobody. That don't matter either, ya know...It really don't matter if I lose this fight. It really don't matter if this guy opens my head, either. 'Cause all I wanna do is go the distance. Nobody's ever gone the distance with Creed. And if I can go that distance, ya see, and that bell rings, ya know, and I'm still standin', I'm gonna know for the first time in my life, ya see, that I weren't just another bum from the neighborhood.

[upon seeing Apollo Creed] He looks like a big flag.

Cut me Mick!

You stop this fight, I'll kill ya'!

Took you long enough to get here. Took you ten years to come to my house. Huh, what's the matter? You don't like my house? Does my house stink? That's right it stinks! I didn't ask no favours from you! Don't slum around me! Talking about your prime. What about my prime Mick!? Least you had a prime! I didn't have no prime, I didn't have nothin'. Leg's are goin', everythin's goin'. Nobody's gettin' no nothin'. Guy comes up, offers me a fight. Big deal, you wanna fight the fight? Yeah I'll fight the big fight. I'm gonna go and fight that big fight and you know what's going to happen to me? I'm gonna get that! I'm gonna get that! And you wanna be ringside and see it? Do ya? You wanna help me out? Huh!? Do you wanna see me get my face kicked in!? Leg's ain't workin'. Nothin's workin'. They go "Go on fight the champ". Yeah I'll fight him. Get my face kicked in. And you come around here, you wanna move in here with me? Come on in it's a nice house! Real nice! Come on in and move! It stinks! This whole place stinks. You wanna help me out? Well help me out! Come on help me out, I'm standing here.

Mickey Goldmill

You got heart, but you fight like a god-damn ape. The only thing special about you is ya never got your nose busted - well, leave it that way, nice and pretty, and what's left of your mind...Hey kid, did ya ever think about retirin'?...You think about it.

You lay off that pet shop dame. Women weaken legs.

You'll be able to spit nails, kid. Like the guy says, you're gonna eat lightning and you're gonna crap thunder. You're gonna become a very dangerous person.

[to Rocky, after round 1 with Apollo] Go for the ribs, don't let that bastard breathe!

Down! Down! Stay Down!

Knock his block off!

Apollo Creed

This is gonna be the greatest sporting event in the country's history - a gala occurrence with me beatin' Green like he committed a crime. The Heavyweight Championship of the World is gonna be held in the only place it can be held, Philadelphia, the nation's cradle on January 1st - the first major event of our two-hundred year history.

Stay in school and use your brain. Be a doctor, be a lawyer, carry a leather briefcase. Forget about sports as a profession. Sports make ya grunt and smell. See, be a thinker, not a stinker.

This is what I'm looking for. 'The Italian Stallion.'...Look, it's the name, man. 'The Italian Stallion.' The media'll eat it up. Now who discovered America? An Italian, right? What would be better than to get it on with one of his descendants...Southpaw, nuthin'. I'll drop him in three. APOLLO CREED MEETS THE ITALIAN STALLION. Sounds like a damn monster movie.

You'd better stop this fight! You ain't nothin' but a bum!

Paulie

[to Rocky] Forget her...You could do better than her...She's a friggin' loser...Sometimes she gets me so crazy, I could split her head with a razor...Adrian ain't sharp. Adrian is a loser...She's pushin' thirty-friggin' years old and if she don't watch out, she's gonna end up dyin' alone...The girl's dryin' up...If she don't start livin', her body's gonna dry up.

[to Rocky about Gazzo] Tell him I'm a good man and nothin' bothers me. I'd make a great collector. Bustin' bones don't bother me.

[to Adrian] I want ya out of here instamatically. I'm sick of seein' ya hang around like a freakin' spider. Go out and live, enjoy life...I want ya outta here. Get outta the house. Get out and enjoy your friggin' life!

[in the bathroom of a bar] I'd like to kill the freaking guy who broke this mirror.

[as Rocky is punching meat] You're breakin' the ribs. You do that to Apollo Creed, they'll put us in jail for murder.

Others

Gazzo: [to Rocky] Ya know, you ain't never had any luck. But I think this time Lady Luck may be in your corner. Whaddya think?

Apollo's Trainer: I wantcha to stick and move...He doesn't know it's a damn show. He thinks it's a damn fight. Now finish this bum and let's go home.

Dialogue

Bodyguard: Did ya get the license number?

Rocky: Of what?

Bodyguard: The truck that run over your face.

Gazzo: When you don't do what I tell you to do, you make me look bad, Rock.

Rocky: I figure if, look, I figure if I break the guy's thumb, he gets laid off, right? He can't make no more money...

Gazzo: Yeah, well, don't figure. Let me do the figurin'. OK, Rock? From here on, just let me do the figurin'. You know? These guys think that we're runnin' some kind of charity or somethin', that they're gonna get off light. From here on in, do what I tell ya to do, because it's bad for my reputation. Ya understand?

Mickey: Dipper's a contender. He's a climber. You know what you are?

Rocky: What?

Mickey: A tomato.

Rocky: A tomato?

Mickey: Yeah, let's face it. I run a business here, not a god-damn soup kitchen.

Andy: Will you take a look at that guy? I mean, where are the real fighters gonna come from, the pros? What we got today are Canadian jig clowns.

Rocky: Clown?

Andy: That's right, clown.

Rocky: Ya callin' Apollo Creed a clown?

Andy: Well, what else, look at him.

Rocky: Hey, Andy, are you crazy? This man is champion of the world. He took his best shot and become champ. Huh? What shot did you ever take?

Andy: Hey, Rocky, you're not happy with your life. It's nice. But me, I've got a business going, I don't have to take no shots.

Rocky...that's the way guys are. They laugh when ya talk dirty. They think you're cute. But after awhile, you get a reputation and that's it. You get no respect. Ya understand? Ya get no respect. I gotta use a bad word - WHORE...You don't really have to be one, you just act like one and that's it...They don't remember you, they remember the rep...You hang out with nice people, you get nice friends, ya understand? You hang out with smart people, you get smart friends. You hang out with yo-yo's, you get yo-yo friends. You see, simple mathematics.

Marie: Screw you, Creepo!

Apollo: Are the doctors reports confirmed?

Jergens: Definently. Says here Mac Lee Green suffered a severly cracked third metacarpal in his left hand. Course we can cancel the fight indefenitly if you're set on fighting Green.

Duke: Hey, it ain't just Green. What about all the time Apollo's invested?

Jergens: I believe we can find a solution.

Apollo: Solution nothing. You better find me a ranked contender and I mean in a flash Jergens.

Apollo's Agent: Don't play games with my client! Apollo's already done a million dollars worth of publicity and has made judicial obligations with twenty different orginzations. He is not going to be embarrassed!

Jergens: I contacted Ernie Roman's manager. Ernie's fighting in France that same week.

Apollo: Then get me Buddy Shaw. Hell he's ranked fifth.

Jergens: He went to California and gained fifty pounds. I get hold of every worthwhile contender and they all say the same thing. Five weeks just isn't enough time to get in shape.

Apollo: Shape nothing man they're afraid! Hell they know everybody in the world is going to see this fight and none of them have a prayer of whipping me. So they're making excuses so they don't have to be the chump that gets whipped in front of the whole civilized world.

Jergens: All I can say is I'm a good promoter. I've promoted fights in every goddamn country in the world and have broken my ass over this one. I don't know what the hell else to do.

Apollo: I do. Without a ranked contender what this fight is going to need is a novelty. This is the land of opportunity right? So Apollo Creed on January 1st gives a local underdog fighter an opportunity. A snow-white underdog, and I'm gonna put his face on this poster with me. And I tell ya why. Because I'm sentimental. And a lot of other people in this country are just as sentimental, and they're nothin' they'd like better than to see Apollo Creed give a local Philadelphia boy a shot at the greatest title in the world on this country's biggest birthday. Now that's the way I see it. And that's the way it's gonna be!

Jergens: Apollo, I like it. It's very American.

Apollo: No, Jergens, it's very smart.

Rocky: Listen, I don't want no turkey anyway, ya know.

Adrian: But it was Thanksgiving.

Rocky: It was what?

Adrian: It was Thanksgiving.

Rocky: Yeah, to you, but to me, it's Thursday, right?

Rocky: My ol' man, he was never too smart. He says to me, 'You weren't born with much of a brain, ya know, so uh, ya better start using your body, right?' So I become a fighter. Ya know what I mean. [Adrian chuckles softly] Why are ya laughing?

Adrian: My mother, she said the opposite thing.

Rocky: What did she say? What did she say the opposite?

Adrian: She said, 'You weren't born with much of a body, so ya better develop your brain.'

Adrian: Why do you fight?

Rocky: Cause I can't sing or dance.

Rocky: I say you're very shy by nature, ya know?

Adrian: I suppose.

Rocky: ...Ya know, some people think that bein' shy is a disease, ya know, but it don't bother me none, ya know.

Adrian: It don't bother me either.

Rocky: Then why did I bother bringin' it up, huh? 'Cause I'm dumb, that's why. I think we make a real sharp couple of coconuts. I'm dumb an' you're shy, whaddya think, huh?

Rocky: Ya gotta be a moron to wanna be a fighter, ya know. I mean, it's a racket where you're almost guaranteed to end up a bum.

Adrian: I don't think you're a bum.

Rocky: But I'm at least half a bum, ya know.

Rocky: The worst thing about fighting is the morning after. The mornin' after a fight, ya' nothin' but like a large wound, ya know what I mean? Sometimes I got pains all over. I feel like callin' a taxi to take me from my bed into the bathroom...Ya' hair hurts, ya' eyes hurt, your face is all busted up, your hands are swollen...Look at this face, sixty-four fights. Look at that nose. See that nose? That nose ain't never been broken in sixty-four fights. I had guys bustin' on it. I had guys chewin' on it, twistin' it, punchin' it...Never broke. I'm very proud of that - that's rare.

Adrian: Why do you do it if it hurts?

Rocky: Why ya think?

Adrian: 'Cause - [pause] - you can't sing or dance.

Rocky: Yeah, somethin' like that.

Rocky: Whatsa matter? You don't like the room, do ya?

Adrian: It's fine.

Rocky: Well, it's only temporary, ya know.

Adrian: It's not that.

Rocky: What's the problem? Ya don't like me? Don't like the turtles? What's the problem?

Adrian: I don't think I belong here.

Rocky: It's OK.

Adrian: I don't belong here.

Rocky: Well, ya know, it's OK, 'cause you're my guest.

Adrian: I don't know you well enough. I've never been in a man's apartment alone.

Rocky: [shrugging] Well, I- they're all the same, ya know.

Adrian: I'm not sure I know you well enough. I don't feel comfortable.

Rocky: Yo, Adrienne. Ya know, I ain't so comfortable either.

Adrian: I should go.

Mickey: You wanna know?

Rocky: I wanna know!

Mickey: Because you had the talent to become a good fighter, and instead of that you became a leg-breaker for some cheap, second-rate loan shark.

Rocky: It's a living.

Mickey: It's a waste of life!

Jergens: Balboa, George Jergens. Take a chair please. Mr. Balboa

Rocky: Call me Rocky sir.

Jergens: Tell me Rocky, you've got any representation of a manager?

Rocky: No just me.

Jergens: Rocky I've got a proposition I'd like to make to you.

Rocky: Sparring?

Jergens: I beg your pardon?

Rocky: Well I'm interesed. I know you're looking for sparring partners and I just want to say I'm very available you know.

Jergens: I'm sure you are.

Rocky: Absolutely. Sparring with the champ would be an honor and you know what Mr. Jergens?

Jergens: What?

Rocky: I wouldn't take no cheap shots either. I'd be a really good sparring partner.

Jergens: You don't understand me Rocky. My proposition is this. Would you be interested in fighting Apollo Creed for the World Heavyweight Championship?

Rocky: No.

Jergens: Listen Rocky, Apollo's seen you fight. He likes you and he wants to fight you.

Rocky: It's just that you see I fight in clubs you know. I'm really a ham and egger and this guy's the best. It wouldn't be such a good fight. Thank you very much though I appreciate it.

Jergens: Rocky, do you believe that America is the land of opportunity?

Rocky: Yes.

Jergens: Apollo Creed does. He's going to prove it to the whole world by giving an unknown a shot at the title and that unknown is you. He picked you Rocky. Rocky it's the chance of a lifetime. You can't pass it by. What do you say?

Reporter: Why did you agree to fight a man who has virtually no chance of winning?

Apollo: Look, if history proves one thing, American history proves that everybody's got a chance to win. Didn't you guys ever hear of Valley Forge or Bunker Hill?

Adrian: Einstein flunked out of school - twice.

Paulie: Is that so?

Adrian: Yeah. Beethoven was deaf, Helen Keller was blind. I think Rocky's got a good chance.

Mickey: I'm here to warn ya, that ya gotta be very careful about this shot that you got at the title. Because, like the Bible sez, you ain't gonna get a second chance...Well, what ya need is a manager. A manager, listen to me. I know, because I've been in this racket for fifty years...I've seen it all, all of it. Ya know what I've done?...I have done it all...[He holds a bare lightbulb in front of his face] I've got twenty-one stitches over this left eye. I've got thirty-four stitches over this eye. Do ya know that I had my nose busted seventeen times?...[He glances at Rocky's poster of Rocky Marciano] Ya kinda remind me of the Rock, ya know that?...Ya move like him, ya got heart like he did...I got all this knowledge, I got it up here now, I wanna give it to you...I wanna take care of ya, I wanna make sure that all this shit that happened to me doesn't happen to you...Ya can't buy what I'm gonna give ya.

Rocky: I needed your help about ten years ago, right? Ten years ago, ya never helped me none. You didn't care...I asked, but you never heard nothin'...What about my prime, Mick? At least you had a prime! I had no prime, I've had nothin'....And you wanna be ringside and see it, do ya? Ya wanna help me out?...Go on, fight the champ. Yeah, I'll fight 'im - I'll get my face kicked in.

Paulie: What's the story? What's happenin'? Ya really like her?

Rocky: Sure, I like her.

Paulie: I don't see it. What's the attraction?

Rocky: I don't know. Fills gaps, I guess.

Paulie: What's 'gaps'?

Rocky: I dunno, gaps. She's got gaps, I got gaps. Together, we fill gaps. I dunno.

Paulie: You ballin' her?

Rocky: Hey! Hey, ya don't talk dirty about your sister.

Paulie: Ya screwin' my sister?

Rocky: Ya see. That's why I can't connect ya with Gazzo...because you got a big mouth...You just talk too much.

TV reporter: Is this a common training method? I mean, do other fighters pound raw meat?

Rocky: No, I think I invented it.

[Rocky and Adrian are watching a christmas movie]

Adrian And he called the reporters?

Rocky Yeah, he threw my whole training schedule off.

Adrian Don't be mad at him he's just trying to help.

Rocky Adrian, I ain't mad. It's just that when reporters are around, I get out of joint cause they take cheap shots and Paulie knows that. And Paulie keeps asking me for a job all the time but he don't know nothing about fighting.

[Paulie enters the house and hears this]

Adrian Are you gonna say anything to him?

Rocky What's to say? I just don't know what he wants from me.

Paulie [turning on the light] I don't want nothing from you. I don't want nothing from you. This ain't no charity case. Get out of my house!

Adrian It's not just your house.

Paulie You're no friend no more. Get out of my house I just says!

Adrian Don't talk to him like that.

Paulie Both of you, get out of my house!

Rocky Yo. It's cold outside Paulie.

Paulie [drops his hat and grabs a baseball bat] I don't want you messing her. [getting angry] and I don't raise you to go with this scum bum. [throws his cigar at Rocky] YEAH? COME ON! You want to hit on me come on! I'll break both of your arms so they don't work for you! [smashes a lamp and a coffee table] That's right, I'm not good enough to meet with Gazzo? [spits] That's what I think of Gazzo! Now you're a big shot fighter on the way up. You don't even throw a crumb to your friend Paulie. When I go and get your meat every morning! You forgot that. Then I even give you my sister too.

Adrian Only a pig would say that!

Paulie I'm a pig? A pig gets you the best! [smashes a crystal set on the dresser] You're such a loser! I don't get married because of you! You can't live by yourself! I put you two together and don't you forget it! You owe me! You owe me!

Adrian WHAT DO I OWE YOU?!!!

Paulie [crying] You're supposed to be good to me!

Adrian WHAT DO I OWE YOU PAULIE?! WHAT DO I OWE YOU? I TREAT YOU GOOD! I COOK FOR YOU, I CLEAN FOR YOU, I PICK UP YOUR DIRTY CLOTHES! I take care of you Paulie. I don't owe you nothing! And you made me feel like a loser! I'M NOT A LOSER!!

Paulie You're busted.

Adrian WHAT?!!! [runs into her bedroom crying]

Paulie You're not a virgin. You let a man take down your pants. [Rocky grabs Paulie] She's busted! Ah. I can't haul meat no more.

[Rocky goes into Adrian's bedroom]

Adrian You want a roommate?

Rocky Absolutely.

[Rocky is standing alone in the ring at the empty Philadelphia Spectrum, looking at the poster of himself]

Rocky: Mr. Jergens, the poster's wrong.

Jergens: What do ya mean?

Rocky: Well, I'm wearin' white pants with a red stripe.

Jergens: It doesn't really matter, does it? I'm sure you're gonna give us a great show. Try to get some rest, kid.

Mickey: Your nose is broken.

Rocky: How does it look?

Mickey: Ah, it's an improvement.

Apollo: Ain't gonna be no rematch.

Rocky: Don't want one.

Cast

Sylvester Stallone - Rocky Balboa
Talia Shire - Adrian
Burt Young - Paulie
Carl Weathers - Apollo Creed
Burgess Meredith - Mickey Goldmill
Thayer David - Jergens
Joe Spinell - Gazzo