Translation thanks to Anne S:

In movies, sport, and more specifically boxing, has always been the metaphor of the social success or downfall of the film hero. Just think about Rocky Balboa played by Sylvester Stallone (Rocky), Jake la Motta played by Robert de Niro (Raging Bull) or, more recently, Maggie Fitzgerald by Hilary Swank (Million dollar baby). The true story of Jim Braddock follows this trend. The happy ending-the character’s victory over adversity- justifies the English title ‘Cinderella Man’. In 1936, sport journalist Damon Runyon gave the nickname to the boxer because his destiny looked like a fairy tale. Indeed, the NY champion enjoyed quite a bumpy ride: he had to quit boxing because of injuries just before the Great Depression in the early 1930s. Badly hit by poverty, he stepped back into the ring not for the greatness of sport but to save and protect his family. While fighting his own problems, the real Jim Braddock brought back some hope to the people and became thereby a national hero. This hope created by Braddock is being incarnated by Mike Wilson (Paddy Considine), the only fictional character.

For a long time, script writer Cliff Hollingsworth has been interested by the exceptional history of Jim Braddock. In order to improve the story for the movie, he received the support of Braddock’s two sons, Jay & Howard, who told him details about their father which could not be found in the press. Meanwhile, actor Russell Crowe (Gladiator) had been similarly drawn by this uncommon destiny. While shooting A Beautiful Mind with Ron Howard, he gave Hollingsworth’s script to Ron Howard to read. This was not an innocent move as the actor was all too well familiar with the director’s attraction for stories about ordinary people showing their true nature in adversity. This was already the case in Apollo 13 and Backdraft.

To prepare for the role, Renee Zellweger, who plays Mae Braddock, read the 200 love letters written by the boxer and his wife. Meanwhile, Russell Crowe accepted to undergo a severe training worthy a true ring fighter. First, he paid attention to Braddock moves, especially the way he hit. Then, supervised by Angelo Dundee, Muhamma Ali trainer for 20 years, he started a real training programme : not only muscle building seances and strict diet but also intense sport practice like swimming, cycling, running and kayaking. This in order to build his strength and endurance. In the mean time, Dundee taught him how to box, how to avoid, receive and give blows. To play Jim Braddock’s opponents, Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer went so far as to hire real professionals, not familiar in the art of faking. But Russell Crowe faced the difficulty as he did not want to look like a boxer but be a boxer. Paul Giamatti (Sideways), who plays Joe Gould, had sometimes to be on the ring side. He conceded to have been terrified several times by the sound of the gloves hitting his partner’s face.