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The Most Iconic Moments From Raging Bull

Look back on the best parts of Martin Scorsese's influential masterpiece.

by Bryan Enk January 12, 2011

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The Pitch: The story of a fighter who never knew how to leave the ring.

Telling the story of boxer Jake La Motta in Raging Bull allowed director Martin Scorsese the perfect framework to explore one of his favorite themes: the churning violence that lurks inside all of us, violence that could cost us our humanity if we ever let it run wild. Jake La Motta was a victim of that violence, letting his rage turn a champion into a loser; a man turned animal who could've been a "contender," as he says to his reflection in the mirror as he quotes On the Waterfront during the last scene of the film.

Raging Bull is a true Scorsese masterpiece, one that influenced many biography films, sports films and unflinching character studies that came after it. As the film is now available on Blu-ray, we look back at the most iconic moments in this unapologetic portrait of a fighter who never knew when to stop fighting.

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Hit Me

The scene where Jake La Motta argues with his first wife, Irma, about how to properly cook a steak is startling enough, especially after he flips over the kitchen table and threatens the neighbor's dog. But that bit of marital bliss is nothing compared to the stunning display of Jake's own self-loathing that soon follows. Jake confides to his brother, Joey, that he's insecure about his hands -- "I've got small hands, a woman's hands." He then forces Joey to punch him in the face, over and over again.

Joey humors him at first but soon starts hitting him for real after Jake slaps him around a little to get him to hit harder. Joey finally stops, asking his brother what he's trying to prove. Jake has no answer, as there really isn't one. He just doesn't feel like himself unless he's giving or taking a beating.

Read all of our coverage of Raging Bull