OVER THE TOP. A hiccup after “Rocky”

Hollywood loves stories about ordinary people who decide to fight for themselves against the whole world. It also happens that actors themselves have to overcome many obstacles that fate throws in their way before they reach the top. One of the best examples is Sylvester Stallone. Life was not easy for him, and at one point, he didn’t even have enough money to pay the rent. But he didn’t give up, and thanks to his determination and a bit of luck, he became one of the most famous people in the history of cinema. His great success came in the second half of the 1970s, and in the next decade, he solidified his position, which led to him being able to choose from a variety of roles. When Menahem Golan, co-founder of The Cannon Group, which captivated audiences during the VHS era, presented him with the idea for the film Over the Top, Stallone initially refused. However, the producer kept offering Stallone more and more money, until, when the stake reached 12 million dollars (a record at the time), the star said to himself, “Why not? No one will watch it anyway,” and agreed.

Lincoln Hawk (Stallone), a truck driver, at the request of his dying wife Christina (Susan Blackely), tries to reconcile with his teenage son. When the boy finishes school, Hawk takes him on a long journey and tries to build a relationship with him. He also plans to take part in arm-wrestling competitions, hoping to use the prize money to start his own business and get back on his feet. Unfortunately, Christina’s wealthy father (Robert Loggia), who has always been hostile towards Lincoln and sees him as a failure, has no intention of allowing Hawk any contact with his son.

The film encountered difficulties right from the start. It was supposed to be made a few years earlier, but Stallone was busy with other projects. Don Johnson was considered to replace him, but in the end, it was Sly who stood in front of the camera. Additional problems arose when production began, as tensions frequently occurred between the director and the star, who liked to have control over everything. As a result, many scenes were filmed in two versions (one under Golan’s direction, the other under Stallone’s watch), with the final decision made during editing. Moreover, the main character was not the typical type associated with the actor. Hawk, subdued and focusing more on sensitivity than on beating opponents, fighting for his son’s love, quickly wins the viewer’s sympathy, even though Stallone seems withdrawn and at times appears not to want to be there at all. There are virtually no action scenes in Over the Top, and the only one that could be categorized as such ends quickly. In the final act, however, the film evolves from a somewhat sentimental family drama interspersed with a road movie into a dynamic sports drama. Full of emotion and tension.

Since arm-wrestling is not a very popular sport, the producers, in collaboration with the International Arm Wrestling organization, decided to organize a competition during which interviews with real participants were recorded (who also appear in the film). These interview excerpts were woven into the plot, creating at times a fantastic, almost docudrama atmosphere. The actual arm-wrestling scenes, with their quick, almost music video-like editing, are the best sequence in Over the Top, capturing the true spirit of competition, and it’s impossible not to cheer for Lincoln as he strives to reach the top. His signature gesture of turning his cap backward strongly resonated with the teenagers of that time.

Associations with Rocky are inevitable, as Hawk’s story somewhat resembles that of the iconic boxer from Philadelphia, though Over the Top is more of a poor variation on that tale than a successful paraphrase. The producers hoped for a huge box office success, but the film didn’t achieve that, even with the popularity of its lead star. It was only when it was released on VHS that it slowly began to gain cult status. Today, it still holds up quite well, the story doesn’t bore, it’s well-edited, and the ending generates true sports emotions. Unfortunately, it doesn’t rank among the top titles in Stallone’s portfolio, but it can still provide a lot of enjoyment during the viewing. Especially since it lasts just over an hour and a half.