Rocco Barbella was a scrappy street kid from Brooklyn who was never given a chance from the word go. With a drunken failed prizefighter father and a supportive yet frail mother, he was in and out of reformatories for most of his childhood. After being released from prison and drafted into the army, he went AWOL and stumbled upon a gym where he changed his name to Rocky Graziano and was able to channel his hate into boxing and, with the love of a young woman, became a world boxing champion. Robert Wise’s Somebody Up There Likes Me, a biopic on the early life of Rocky Graziano, was Paul Newman’s second role and was the film that introduced him as a top star. Replacing James Dean after his untimely death, Newman really delved into the role and delivered a high caliber performance that was really unlike the rest of his subsequent work, portraying Graziano as a headstrong tough guy. Supporting players Pier Angeli, as his sweet and loving wife and Everett Sloane, as his long suffering manager contribute fine work as well. The film was shot on New York City
