Raging Bull is now regarded as one of Martin Scorsese’s greatest films, but it also has a deeply personal connection to the director as he credits both Raging Bull and Robert De Niro with saving his life. Raging Bull is a 1980 biographical drama chronicling the rise of boxer Jake La Motta (De Niro’s character) through the ranks of the sport while simultaneously battling his personal demons. Even though the film received mixed reviews initially due to its violent imagery, Raging Bull went on to be nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning Robert De Niro his first Oscar.
Martin Scorsese was initially resistant to Raging Bull, repeatedly turning down the opportunity to direct the film when approached by Robert De Niro. Scorsese had severe asthma growing up, so always felt very sheltered and kept away from sports, instead preferring to spend his time with films. De Niro had grown obsessed with the character of Jake La Motta after reading his autobiography on the set of The Godfather Part II, but even though Scorsese and De Niro were frequent collaborators at the time, Scorsese could not seem to understand De Niro’s fascination with what he just considered another boring sports story.
Yet a conversation he had with Robert De Niro at a critical point in his life turned Scorsese’s mind around, not just on Raging Bull, but also on his life. After the underwhelming release of his 1977 film New York, New York (often considered one of Martin Scorsese’s worst movies), Scorsese was on a downward spiral of self-doubt and depression, fueled by a substance abuse issue with cocaine. In 1978, Scorsese was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, suffering from severe internal bleeding from a life-threatening drug overdose. It was after this near-death experience that Scorsese began to realize how closely he related to La Motta’s self-destructive character. Robert De Niro visited Scorsese in the hospital after the incident and had a tough talk with him, asking him if he never wanted to see his daughter grow up, or make a movie ever again. This conversation is the reason Scorsese credits Robert De Niro and Raging Bull with saving his life. (via The Independent)
Martin Scorsese finally accepted De Niro’s request to direct the film, trusting that he could distinguish it from other boxing movies at the time. Believing that Raging Bull was his last film, Scorsese gave directing it his all, saying that it was a “culmination of everything he wanted to do” and was making it as if it were the end of his life. Scorsese later claimed that because of the rough state De Niro had found him in, he was just lucky there was a project to be able to jump into at that point.
Though Scorsese is one of Hollywood’s most celebrated directors, it’s an eye-opening reminder that the world almost missed out on his illustrious career–and he almost missed out on making it. The New Hollywood era in which Scorsese came up was defined by its gritty tone, darker themes, and often unresolved narratives that prompted a more uncomfortable audience response. Movies reflected the tumult of the post-Vietnam War era, and Scorsese’s life was clearly impacted by his own personal tumult. Thankfully, Robert De Niro and Raging Bull came along to truly kickstart the career of one of film’s greatest directors.
