Fat City is a 1972 American sports drama film directed and produced by John Huston, and adapted by Leonard Gardner from his 1969 novel of the same title
. It stars Stacy Keach, Jeff Bridges, Susan Tyrrell, and Candy Clark in her film debut.
Billy Tully, a boxer past his prime, goes to a gym in Stockton, California to get back into shape and spars with Ernie Munger, an 18-year-old he meets there. Seeing potential in the youngster, Tully suggests that Munger look up his former manager and trainer Ruben. Tully later tells combative barfly Oma and her easygoing boyfriend Earl how impressed he is with the kid. Newly inspired, Tully decides to get back into boxing himself.
This film exhibits the following tropes:
- Feeling Their Age: Billy Tully is a middle-aged boxer past his prime.
- Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism: Firmly on the cynicism side of the spectrum. The tender moments between Billy and Oma in the film are made sure not to last long.
- Spiritual Antithesis: To Rocky. Both are sports drama films about a boxing everyman that decides to do something more with his life. While Rocky is a mentee, Billy in "Fat City" is the mentor of Ernie. Also Billy's career path has a very different destination than Rocky's.
- The Alcoholic: Oma Lee Greer, the combative barfly that Billy flirts with.
- Wide-Eyed Idealist: Ernie Munger, the 18-year-old young man Billy. His youth and potential inspire Billy to return to boxing himself.
