(Left to right:) Harris Dickinson, Zac Efron, Stanley Simons and Jeremy Allen White in “The Iron Claw”.Photo:Eric Chakeen
Eric Chakeen
The Iron Clawis bringing more than justbulging musclesinskimpy wrestling outfitsto the big screen Dec. 22 — it’s telling a real-life story.
StarringZac Efron,Jeremy Allen WhiteandHarris Dickinson, the new A24 film from writer-director Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy May Marlene) charts the “rise and fall of the Von Erich family, a dynasty of wrestlers who made a huge impact on the sport from the 1960s to the present day,” per its official tagline.
Known for their outlandish personalities in the ring — as well as the forehead-squeezing iron claw and other trademark maneuvers — the clan became equally renowned for a series of accidents and deaths that came to be called the “Von Erich curse.” When patriarch Fritz Von Erich died in 1997, five of his six sons had predeceased him, each from different circumstances.
Speaking to PEOPLE at the film’s world premiere in Dallas, Texas in November, Kevin joked that Efron “had a tough job. It’s not easy to be me.” An actor portraying a wrestler with decades of experience means “a whole lot to cram into a movie,” he added, “but he was able to do it… he’s a real star.”
Also starringStanley Simons, Maura Tierney, Holt McCallany andLily James,The Iron Clawhas received rave reviews, with theNational Board of Reviewnaming it one of the top 10 films of 2023 and awarding the cast their Best Ensemble prize. Read on for the stranger-than-fiction story that inspired it.
Who was Fritz Von Erich?
Jack Barton Adkisson Sr., born in Texas in 1929, created the ring name Fritz Von Erich in the 1950s as he transitioned from discus throwing and football to playing villainous characters in professional wrestling. Fritz worked his way up to a record-setting 20 wins at the Texas-based NWA American Heavyweight Championship and many other victories in the United States and Japan.
By the 1980s, he had also established himself as a promoter and entrepreneur. Fritz owned the World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) which broadcast live matches from the Sportatorium in Dallas, Texas.
(Left to right:) Buddy Marino and Fritz Von Erich wrestling.Bettmann Archive
Bettmann Archive
Who were the Von Erich brothers and how did they become popular wrestlers?
Fritz and Doris married in 1950 and had a total of six children, all sons: Jack Barton Jr., Kevin, David, Kerry, Mike and Chris.
In the film adaptation, Dickinson plays second-eldest David, while White plays third-eldest Kerry. Simons plays fourth-eldest Mike, who allegedly had less interest in the family’s wrestling legacy than his brothers. Nevertheless, he stepped into the ring briefly in the mid-1980s — as tragedy began to strike the Von Erichs.
What is the “Von Erich curse” and how did each of the brothers die?
Unfortunately, the Von Erichs became just as well-known for a series of events that occurred outside the spotlight as for their victories within.
So the family was no stranger to loss when David was found dead in 1984, at 25 years old, of ruptured intestines resulting from acute enteritis while on a tour with All Japan Pro Wrestling.
“The Iron Claw”.A24
A24
“Not only have I lost a brother, I lost all of them,” Kevin said inThe Last of the Von Erichs, an episode of docuseriesDark Side of the Ring. “There was talk about there being a curse on the family. It’s ridiculous. A curse. What happened was just a terrible terrible thing, but no curse.”
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What is Kevin Von Erich up to now?
Kevin, who in addition to being a popular character in the ring inherited the WCCW from his father, married Pamela J. May in 1980. They now live in Hawaii, and together have four children — including championship wrestlers Marshall and Ross Von Erich — and 11 grandchildren.
On Nov. 8 in Dallas, the WWE Hall of Fame inductee joined Durkin and the cast ofThe Iron Clawto celebrate thefilm’s premiere.
Kevin Von Erich and Zac Efron at the Nov. 8 premiere of “The Iron Claw”.Omar Vega/Getty
Omar Vega/Getty
IsThe Iron Clawa faithful biopic?
The Iron Clawpresents the important moments in the Von Erichs’ story from the 1960s through the 1980s, save for one big omission: Chris does not appear in the story. PerEntertainment Weekly, writer-director Durkin cut the youngest brother from the script to keep his film’s runtime to a manageable length.
To recreate real-life wrestling matches, Durkin filmed many in one take in front of a live audience, according toEW. Efron, White, Dickinson, Simons and McCallany studied archival footage of the Von Erichs and trained with pro wrestler and stunt coordinator Chavo Guerrero Jr. in order to play the athletes faithfully.
At the Dallas film premiere in November, Kevin revealed to PEOPLE there were “painful spots” in seeing his life story on the big screen. “But there are beautiful ones too. I think they were good to show the love we had amongst each other and the love I had for my father. It’s going to come off like he was a really hard man, but he was a hard man. But back then, a lot of fathers were.”
A24 will releaseThe Iron Clawin theaters Dec. 22.
source: people.com
