Above is a promotional photo from "The Iron Claw," released in the theaters last weekend. Just making it in for consideration, the National Board Of Review is already listing the film among its top ten for 2023. I left the AMC theater in Brick, New Jersey, with the feeling that I had just saw something really special. If this movie doesn't bring a tear to your eye, you are not human!
The movie centers around Kevin Von Erich, who is marvelously portrayed by Zac Efron. It was pretty wild seeing the "High School Musical" star so jacked. Fritz Von Erich, his father, was running an NWA territory and was able to get all of his grown sons to follow in his footsteps, even when it came to the finishing hold of the Iron Claw. All of the sons wrestled under the Von Erich name, as opposed to their real last name of Adkisson. Kevin always referred to the Von Erich curse when talking to associates about the many tragedies that befell the family.
One son, Jack Jr., was only six years old when he tripped on a trailer tongue which led to him being shocked and subsequently drowned. Mike Von Erich would have preferred a music career over professional wrestling, but the constant pressure that Fritz put on him led to an overdose of Placidyl. After David was picked by his father over Kevin wrestle the current champion in Japan, the family received a phone call that David was found dead in his hotel room. The film showed him spitting up blood before he left for Japan and the movie went with the story that he died of Acute Enteritis, which is an inflammation of the small intestine. While this cause of death is listed on his actual death certificate, Bruiser Brody and Mick Foley have both been reported as stating that his death was actually a drug overdose.
Kerry Von Erich, who is probably the most recognizable among WWE fans, wrestled in the WWF as the Texas Tornado. This is after an accident left him having to wear a prosthetic foot. Eventually, the pain was too much for him and he shot himself at the family home. As tragic as this movie seemed, the real story is even more tragic as Chris Von Erich wasn't included in the movie. Chris was a sickly brother who still wrestled but shot himself at a very young age. The poor kid couldn't compete athletically with his other brothers.
The movie was very good at showing how the brothers loved each other and were always looking for their father's approval. Fritz pushed them very hard even in the wake of tragedy. You don't have to be a wrestling fan to love this movie because it shows how Kevin sadly lost his brothers but was able to keep his wife and children together. He knows he will see his brothers again one day, but the coldness of his father, and in some ways his mother, has led him to see that he should put his family first.