How accurate was De Niro's portrayal of LaMotta in Raging Bull?

I don't think you can blame De Niro's portrayal, if you need to blame someone it's Scorsese, the director who at the end of the day is in charge of everything. This however was a very collaborative project for the duo, much more so than the other ones they've made together, I believe, De Niro got Scorsese on board.

I've never read the book but I've read a lot of trivia on the film, for example they toned it down somewhat from the Paul Schrader screenplay, where there was some sort of a masturbation scene that De Niro didn't want to go through, I think it was replaced with the ice water scene.

 

No doubt Marty S. took some 'creative liberties' in making the movie. Still, it was a great flick. I would have liked to have seen Jake getting his Pot while in prison. Smuggled in tea bags if I remember reading correctly.

 

One of Jake's favorite ways to make weight was F**k Vicky in the steam room - supposedly for protracted periods. I wish they could have worked that into the script.

 

Lamotta is given credits as a writer and consultant on the film. We all know that doesn't mean much, but I reckon he had a small role in what went into the movie.

 

From what I've read of the man, I would say he probably imbelished some things. But I do think the crux of his story is true.

 

It was absolutely spot on in terms of mannerisms, watch 'The Way it Was' with Don Dunphy on LaMotta-Robinson 6, and see LaMotta talking, DeNiro nails it.

I don't mean about his overall personality though

 

I would say that if anything he understated some elements to portray himself in a more positive light.

 

Regardless of the acuracy of the film De Niro deserves a lot of credit for the performance he put on as an actor. Not only in terms of acting ability but also what he put his body through boxing and fluctuating weight.

He was the consumate proffesional actor.

 

Also I think he looked pretty good in the ring as Jake, albeit a little stiff. He even was conscious of Jake's style, note the roundhouses he threw.

 

Even Jake said himself that the re-enactment of the Dauthille fight was superb, 'the way he fell', he said was spot on, and it was.

 

Yeah, Jake was quite pleased with the movie overall. But maybe it also had a lot to do with the LaMotta "light" treatment that we got. I think it was Janitor that said that if anything the movie underplayed LaMotta's darker, (almost redundant), side. Most if not all fighters come from the streets, have a rough background, quite a few skeletons in their closet, but Jake came up rougher than most, a father that put him and his brother Joey out on the streets to fight with the other neighborhood kids while he and the grown-ups put bets down, like a cockfight.