The biographical sports movie The Iron Claw provides a remarkable portrayal of the successes and tragedies of a wrestling family, and their stories are connected to other tragedies in the wrestling industry. The Iron Claw looks at the lives and achievements of the Von Erich family, who were one of the most popular and successful families in the wrestling industry. Family patriarch Fritz Von Erich was the president of the World Class Championship Wrestling company and the movie shows how his sons got involved in wrestling and had their triumphs and tragedies throughout their lives.
The movie shows the different problems and issues that the Von Erich family faced as their popularity in the wrestling industry grew in the 1980s. Many of the brothers’ matches were depicted alongside several other wrestlers that they worked with across their careers. One wrestler depicted in the movie was hardcore champion, Bruiser Brody, who, like the Von Erichs, also endured success and tragedy in the wrestling business.
Character | Actor |
|---|---|
Kevin Von Erich | Zac Efron |
Kerry Von Erich | Jeremy Allen White |
David Von Erich | Harris Dickinson |
Mike Von Erich | Stanley Simmons |
Fritz Von Erich | Holt McCallaney |
Doris Von Erich | Maura Tierney |
Pam Adkisson | Lily James |
Bruiser Brody | Cazzey Louis Cereghino |
Ric Flair | Aaron Dean Eisenberg |
Michael Hayes | Brady Pierce |
Bruiser Brody Was Murdered In 1988
Brody is portrayed by Cazzey Louis Cereghino in The Iron Claw
Born Frank Goodish in 1946, Bruiser Brody began wrestling professionally in 1973 and spent the next several years working for many high-profile companies, including Fritz Von Erich’s World Class Championship Wrestling. Bruiser Brody was popular with wrestling fans for his hardcore, wild, and volatile wrestling style; behind the scenes, Frank Goodish was a very different person, with friends and family describing him as a loving husband and a devoted father. Cazzey Louis Cereghino portrayed Brody in The Iron Claw; throughout his career, Brody had a close friendship with the Von Erich family, particularly with David, and he was devastated by David’s sudden death in 1984.
In 1988, Brody was preparing for an event in Bayamón, Puerto Rico when he got into a disagreement with fellow wrestler and booker, José González in the locker room; the two reportedly did not have a good working relationship, and they had financial disputes. While arguing, González stabbed Brody twice in the stomach; fellow wrestler and bodybuilder Tony Atlas stated that he found González holding a knife and Brody hunched in pain (via Vice). Bruiser Brody was taken to hospital where he died of his injuries on July 17, 1988; he was 42 years of age and left a wife and 7-year-old son at the time of his death.
The Iron Claw: How Many Von Erich Brothers There Were In Real Life
The Iron Claw follows the Von Erich wrestling family, but the filmmakers mainly focus on four sons despite there being more than that in real life.
Brody’s Killer Was Acquitted of Murder
Jose Gonzalez Was Found Not Guilty In Large Part Due To A Botched Trial
In the aftermath, José González was arrested and charged with Brody’s murder; he went to trial in 1989. González acted as his own attorney and claimed that he killed Brody on the grounds of self-defense. Tony Atlas and fellow wrestler Dutch Mantel were due to give evidence against González but didn’t receive their legal subpoenas until 10 days after the trial had concluded. Due to the absence of key witnesses, and the fact that the murder weapon was never recovered, José González was found not guilty of murder on the grounds of self-defense.
The acquittal of González for Brody’s murder caused an outcry in the wrestling community, with many believing that González got away with murder. Brody’s widow has stated in interviews, that she believed that the trial was “a sham” (via Vice). Despite the controversy surrounding him, José Gonzàlez returned to wrestling and continued to perform under his wrestling name, Invader 1, until he retired in 2022.
All 7 Real-Life Wrestlers In The Iron Claw
The Iron Claw depicts several famous real-life pro wrestlers but also features a number of cameos who have decades of collective wrestling experience.
Professional Wrestling Is Filled With Tragic Stories
Many Other Wrestlers besides the Von Erichs Have Met Tragic Ends
The Iron Claw provides a spectacular and heart-breaking insight into the story of the Von Erich family, but many other wrestlers have also faced similar tragedies. For years, drug abuse, murder, controversy, and suicide have riddled the wrestling industry; wrestlers such as Chris Adams and Dino Bravo were both murdered in circumstances similar to Brody, and others such as Curt Hennig and Chyna died from drug overdoses. In 1999, Owen Hart was killed in a controversial entrance stunt gone wrong, and most infamously, Chris Benoit murdered his wife and son before committing suicide in 2007. Autopsy reports showed that Benoit suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a condition caused by multiple head injuries that many other wrestlers suffered from later in life (via WrestlingInc).
The cast of The Iron Claw received assistance in understanding the tragic events they were portraying. Chavo Guerrero Jr., who appeared in The Iron Claw as The Sheik, shared his own experiences of tragedy with the cast; his uncle Eddie Guerrero died of heart disease in 2005, aged 38. Another wrestler depicted in the movie, Ric Flair (Aaron Dean Eisenberg), lost his son Reid to a drug overdose in 2013. Guerrero Jr. and director Sean Durkin spoke about how events such as these impacted performers in the wrestling industry and how people such as Guerrero Jr. and Kevin Von Erich were able to keep going in the wake of tragedy (via Variety). While the events of the movie and the murder of Bruiser Brody arguably serve as predecessors for other tragic events in the ring, The Iron Claw also provides an inspirational message to viewers that it is possible to get back up in the face of tragedy.
