Somebody Up There Likes Me is a 1956 American biographical sports drama film directed by Robert Wise, adapted by Ernest Lehman from the 1955 autobiography of middleweight boxing legend Rocky Graziano.Variety film review; July 4, 1956, page 6.Harrison's Reports film review; July 7, 1956, page 106. It stars Paul Newman as Graziano, along with Pier Angeli, Everett Sloane, Eileen Heckart, Harold J. Stone, and Sal Mineo.

The film was released by MGM on July 3, 1956. It received positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success. At the 29th Academy Awards, the film won Oscars for Best Cinematography (Black and White) and Best Art Direction (Black and White).

Plot Rocky Graziano has a difficult childhood and is beaten by his father. He joins a street gang, and undergoes a long history of criminal activities. He is sent to prison, where he is rebellious to all authority figures. After his release, he is drafted by the U.S. Army, but runs away. Needing money, he becomes a boxer, and finds that he has natural talent and wins six fights in a row before the Army finds him and dishonorably discharges him. He serves a year in a United States Disciplinary Barracks, and resumes his career as a boxer as a result.

While working his way to the title, he is introduced to his sister's friend Norma, whom he falls in love with and later marries. Starting a new, clean life, he rises to the top, but loses a title fight with Tony Zale. A person he knew in prison finds him and blackmails him into throwing a fight over his dishonorable discharge. Rocky fakes an injury and avoids the fight altogether. When he is interrogated by the district attorney, he refuses to name the blackmailer and has his license suspended. His manager gets him a fight in Chicago to fight Zale, the middleweight champion, once more. Rocky wins the fight.

Cast

Production Casting The film is notable for being one of Paul Newman's first starring roles. This also marked the film debuts of Eileen Heckart (as Graziano's mother, Ida), Dean Jones, George C. Scott, Robert Loggia, Frank Campanella, and Angela Cartwright. It was also the second-ever film role of Steve McQueen.

The role of Rocky Graziano was originally to be played by James Dean, but he died before filming began, and Newman was asked to take the part.Wise, Robert, (2006). - Somebody Up There Likes Me Commentary. - Turner Entertainment. Australian actor Rod Taylor was also considered for the part; although unsuccessful, his screen test impressed MGM enough for them to offer him a long-term contract.Stephen Vagg, Rod Taylor: An Aussie in Hollywood, Bear Manor Media, 2010 p 51 Dewey Martin and Dean Martin had both also been considered. In preparation for his role, Paul Newman interviewed the real Graziano several times, and trained with his real former trainer Al Silvani (who cameos as a cornerman in the film).

Sam Levene was originally attached to play Graziano's manager Irving Cohen, but he was replaced by Everett Sloane. Jack Dempsey was announced to appear in the film as himself, but he does not appear in the final film.

Filming MGM originally wanted to shoot most of the film in color on studio sets in Los Angeles, but Robert Wise felt they were unconvincing and only used them for night scenes, taking a budget cut to shoot the film in black-and-white in the process. Location filming took place in New York City, in Manhattan's Lower East Side and Brooklyn. Several scenes were shot at Stillman's Gym. The Yankee Stadium fights were filmed at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Soundtrack Perry Como's version of the title song is played over the opening and closing credits.

Reception Box office According to MGM records, the film earned $1,915,000 in the US and Canada and $1,445,000 elsewhere, resulting in a profit of $609,000.

Critical response The casting of blond-haired Midwesterner Newman, whose only prior film role was in the poorly-received The Silver Chalice, as the dark-haired New Yorker Graziano had been treated skeptically in the lead-up to the film's release. However, Newman's performance was generally well-received, with several contemporary reviews likening him to Marlon Brando, and the film helped launch his career as a film star.

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 86% based on 14 reviews, with an average rating of .

Awards and nominations +InstitutionYearCategoryNominee(s)ResultAcademy Awards1956Best Cinematography (Black and White)Joseph RuttenbergBest Film EditingAlbert AkstBest Art Direction (Black and White)Cedric Gibbons, Malcolm Brown, Edwin B. Willis, F. Keogh GleasonCircle of Cinematographic Writers1962Best Foreign ActorPaul NewmanDirectors Guild of America1957Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature FilmRobert WiseNational Board of Review1956Top Ten FilmsNew York Film Critics Circle1956Best ScreenplayErnest LehmanPhotoplay1956Favorite Picture of the YearWriters Guild of America1957Best Written American DramaErnest Lehman

See also List of American films of 1956 List of boxing films List of hood films

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