Rocky

“His whole life was a million-to-one shot.”

Nobody in Philadelphia can say why the heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) picks Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), a club fighter who also collects debts for a loanshark, as his next opponent. Rocky takes the shot while trying to work up the nerve to talk to Adrian (Talia Shire), the shy pet-shop clerk. John G. Avildsen films a man who only wants to still be standing at the final bell.