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One of the brothers passed away in his childhood due to drowning. Another was discovered deceased in a hotel room. A third took their own life. A fourth passed away from an excessive amount of a substance. The fifth took their own life with a gunshot to the head. Out of six brothers, only one lived to face the perceived “curse” within their family.
During the 1980s, the Von Erichs gained fame as professional wrestlers and became a part of Dallas, Texas’ history, along with notable events such as the assassination of John F Kennedy, the Dallas Cowboys football team, and the fictional oil tycoon JR Ewing. Their tale is now portrayed in a fresh movie titled “The Iron Claw,” featuring Zac Efron and written and directed by Sean Durkin. Durkin describes the film as a combination of family drama, gothic horror, and sports.
“I was a reserved child and I discovered that wrestling allowed me to express myself through attending events, shouting, playing with toys, and writing,” explains Durkin, age 42. He grew up in Britain reading Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine and watching the sport on VHS tapes. “Wrestlers enter the ring and express themselves at the highest level, experiencing both immense pain and incredible triumph. It’s all very intense.”
“What intrigued me was that these individuals who push themselves to the limits are not permitted to experience any of it due to traditional expectations of masculinity. They are expected to remain composed and hide their emotions. I wanted to delve into the contrast between these two emotional paths.”
The film begins with a sequence from the past featuring Fritz Von Erich (also known as Jack Adkisson), the authoritative head of the family who was a successful wrestler during the 1950s and 1960s. He portrayed a German antagonist and his famous maneuver, where he used his hand to crush his adversaries’ skulls, was called “the iron claw.”
Fritz took on the role of a promoter and during the 1980s he was the owner of the Texas wrestling circuit known as World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW). This was one of the top territories in the sport before it became unified under a national organization. Fritz and his wife, Doris, had six sons and, being passionate about wrestling, he hoped they would also pursue careers in the ring.
The character Fritz, portrayed by Holt McCallany, states in the film: “When you possess the qualities of being the toughest, strongest, absolute best, and most successful, nothing will ever be able to harm you.”
Durkin, a fan of films like Raging Bull and The Deer Hunter that analyze American masculinity, has characterized Fritz’s style as a glorification of strength and dominance, disregarding emotions and demonstrating fearlessness, toughness, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to succeed. Speaking over Zoom from New York, Durkin explains, “He believed that molding his sons to fit this ideal was the key to their survival in the world.”
WCCW primarily hosted its events at the Sportatorium, a rough and rugged location in central Dallas. Their intense and dramatic competitions were broadcasted around the world. The Von Erichs, three of whom appeared in a tacky Pizza Inn advertisement, were performers known for their flashy and energetic rock’n’roll approach. According to Durkin, it served as a precursor for the direction of professional wrestling.
This was a groundbreaking moment when a television program incorporated wrestling in a unique and dynamic manner. These individuals were highly revered in Texas and within the wrestling community. However, misfortune befell them in the mid-80s, coinciding with the rise of the WWF. One of these wrestlers, Kerry, joined the WWF in the early 90s and achieved recognition as ‘the Texas Tornado’.
The other siblings did not experience the same journey, making it a tale of ups and downs. However, the main focus is on the strong bond between these brothers, both in and out of the boxing ring. This is not a story of competition between siblings, but rather one of love and support. They were a close-knit family who enjoyed their time in the ring together and supported each other.
The unfortunate destiny of the Von Erichs is similar to that of the Kennedy family’s political legacy. The eldest brother, Jack Jr, tragically drowned at the tender age of six in a puddle near their home. The third oldest, David, was discovered deceased at 25 years old in a Tokyo hotel, with reports stating a ruptured intestine as the cause, though some speculated it was due to a drug overdose.
Kerry committed suicide at the age of 33 following a motorcycle accident that caused the amputation of his right foot, a fact that was concealed by the Von Erich family. Mike died at the age of 23 from an overdose of tranquilizers after undergoing shoulder surgery that resulted in toxic shock syndrome. The youngest and shortest sibling, Chris, also took his own life at the age of 21.
Kevin, who was portrayed by Efron, discovered his brother Chris’ body on a hilltop. In a 2005 interview with Texas Monthly magazine, Kevin stated, “I initially thought he had taken a large amount of pills or something. I tried to lift him up and encourage him to get up and move around. However, my thumb went into a hole in his head. It was big enough to fit a coffee cup in and there was no doubt about it.”
He stated, “This is where I derived the joke I often share about the last thought that went through Chris’s mind before he passed away being my thumb. I understand that may sound terrible and I may seem like a crazy person at the moment. However, I can assure you that there were five others just like me at one point. This is how we cope with grief, it prevents us from becoming victims.”
Chris’s death is omitted from the film because Durkin felt it would be too much for audiences to bear. The director reflects: “One of the things that drew me to the story originally was that it felt like a Greek tragedy and in the wrestling world there’s very much a mythical element of storytelling in people’s backgrounds and what is truth and what isn’t. As a film-maker, I was very drawn to the structure of Greek tragedy and embracing this idea of a curse.
“Do I think the curse is a tangible occurrence? No. However, I do acknowledge the psychological impact of a curse. If we remove the term “curse,” and instead consider individuals who come from a lineage with a history of unfortunate events, it’s not surprising that they may believe they are destined to experience the same misfortunes. This psychological aspect of the curse holds true, even if the mythical aspect does not.”
The renowned barefoot performer, Kevin, is the sole surviving brother past the age of 33. He relocated to Hawaii and currently resides on a ranch near San Antonio, Texas. His two sons, Marshall and Ross Von Erich, formed a tag team in the world of professional wrestling. The movie showcases Kevin’s journey of breaking the destructive pattern and emerging as a stronger and wiser individual.
Durkin adds that the individual has been able to successfully create a new life for himself. During my initial research, I was impressed by his willingness to openly discuss the tragedy and his emotions, as well as the difficulties he faced during his darkest moments and his own contemplation of suicide.
He was able to begin again and create a wonderful new life because he faced his emotions and examined everything truthfully. The movie focuses on this idea that if we don’t properly grieve and handle our emotions, they will resurface and affect us. Kevin was able to confront his past and move forward, leading to a new life. In reality, he is a wise and open individual with a calm and insightful demeanor. Spending time with him is a joy because of his positive energy.
In a statement for The Iron Claw, Kevin, who is currently 66 years old, stated that he loved his father Fritz who passed away in 1997. He acknowledged that his father was tough on him and his brothers, but he believes it was a common trait in Texas. Kevin also shared that his grandfather was also strict with his father, but they all adored him despite his tough love.
Kevin describes his relationship with his brothers as extremely tight, possibly even closer than anyone else you may have encountered. They were like comrades in a battle, always standing together against the world, especially during times of conflict.
According to John Spong, a senior editor at Texas Monthly and author of the 2005 article, using language that invokes the world of professional wrestling to describe the curse may distract from the true sadness of each brother’s story.
Spong, speaking over the phone, mentions that Fritz frequently discussed the Von Erich curse. This was always challenging to comprehend because it required staying in character. The idea was to portray the struggle between good and evil in the wrestling ring as what the family actually experienced. However, this does not address the specific issues faced by each son.
“It is difficult to contemplate the situation because regardless of the specific circumstances or characters involved, the story revolves around two parents who had six sons. Unfortunately, one of the sons passed away at the age of six, leaving behind five remaining sons. Over the course of approximately 20 years, each of the remaining sons also passed away, until only one was left. Acknowledging the apparent pattern of tragedy or misfortune is to acknowledge one of the most heart-wrenching stories I have ever heard.”
The tale of the Von Erich family represents the belief that the performance must continue. After all, it is a staged production. Durkin finds this aspect appealing and states, “Wrestling is not about the result, but rather about the spectacle. It’s similar to attending a play where the ending is predetermined and the actors have rehearsed their lines and know what will occur.”
“We are aware that we are witnessing a narrative unfold. However, the level of excellence in the actors’ performances and the impact it will have on us as viewers, as well as the emotions evoked by the actors, remains unknown. This is true for both wrestling and any other storytelling medium.”
The director states that wrestlers are evaluated on their performance and ability to engage with their audience, as well as how they make the audience feel. The film delves into this journey and highlights the importance of not only technical wrestling skills, but also microphone skills and the ability to energize the crowd and evoke emotions.
“I desired to delve into the artistic aspects of wrestling, including its performance art and graceful choreography. Wrestling is a unique blend of dance, sport, and entertainment, and I aimed to bring attention to this from an artistic perspective.”
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“Iron Claw” will be released in US theaters on December 22 and in the UK on February 9.
Source: theguardian.com
