Rocky Balboa [to his pet turtles]
If you guys could sing or dance, I wouldn't be doin' this, you
know?
Played by Sylvester Stallone 
Rocky (1976) · 55 quotes
Rocky (1976) · 55 quotes
Most-quoted character in Rocky (1976): in 33 of its 55 quotes
Most scenes with: Adrian (8), Mickey Goldmill (5), Paulie (2)
Who am I kiddin'? I ain't even in the guy's league...It don't matter, 'cause I was nobody
before...I was nobody. That don't matter either, ya know...It really don't matter if I lose this
fight. It really don't matter if this guy opens my head, either. 'Cause all I wanna do is go the
distance. Nobody's ever gone the distance with Creed. And if I can go that distance, ya see, and
that bell rings, ya know, and I'm still standin', I'm gonna know for the first time in my life, ya
see, that I weren't just another bum from the neighborhood.
More lines from Rocky Balboa
11 quotes Rocky Balboa Rocky Balboa [to a laborer who owes money]
You wanna dance, you gotta pay the band, you understand?
If you wanna borrow, you gotta pay the man. Hey, I ain't emotionally involved, Bob, ya understand?
Gimmme some money. C'mon.... gimmme some money.
Rocky Balboa Lockers are bad anyway after a while, people get the combination. I must have had twenty bucks
taken out of there in the past six years, ya know. Don't sound like much, but it adds up, ya know.
Doesn't matter, who cares?
Rocky Balboa Yo, Adrian, it's me, Rocky... I don't know what to say, 'cause I ain't never talked to no door
before, ya know... Yo, Adrian, you know, it's Rocky again, you know. Listen, uh, I know you ain't
too happy at this moment, ya know. But could ya do me a favor, ya know, I ain't got nobody to
spend Thanksgiving with, ya know? So, uh, how about maybe you and I, I mean, we'll go out together
and get somethin' to eat, I don't know, maybe laugh a little bit, who knows, ya know?
Rocky Balboa [to Adrian]
I wanna kiss ya. You don't have to kiss me back if ya don't wanna. I wanna
kiss you.
Rocky Balboa Well, ya see, sir I understand you're lookin' for sparrin' partners for Apollo, and I jus'
want ta let ya know that I am very available.
Rocky Balboa I just want to say hi to my girlfriend, OK? Yo, Adrian! It's me, Rocky.
Note: bolded portion is ranked #80 in the American Film Institute's list of the top 100 movie
quotations in American cinema.
Rocky Balboa [to Paulie]
If you can make money off my name, make it, OK?
Rocky Balboa [upon seeing Apollo Creed]
He looks like a big flag.
Rocky Balboa Cut me Mick!
Rocky Balboa You stop this fight, I'll kill ya'!
Scenes with Rocky Balboa
21 scenes
Bodyguard
Did ya get the license number?
Rocky Of what?
Bodyguard
The truck that run over your face.
Gazzo When you don't do what I tell you to do, you make me look bad, Rock.
Rocky I figure if, look, I figure if I break the guy's thumb, he gets laid off, right?
He can't make no more money...
Gazzo Yeah, well, don't figure. Let me do the figurin'. OK, Rock? From here on, just
let me do the figurin'. You know? These guys think that we're runnin' some kind of charity or
somethin', that they're gonna get off light. From here on in, do what I tell ya to do, because
it's bad for my reputation. Ya understand?
Dipper's a contender. He's a climber. You know what you are?
Rocky What?
A tomato.
Rocky A tomato?
Yeah, let's face it. I run a business here, not a god-damn soup kitchen.
Andy
Will you take a look at that guy? I mean, where are the real fighters gonna come
from, the pros? What we got today are Canadian jig clowns.
Rocky Clown?
Andy
That's right, clown.
Rocky Ya callin' Apollo Creed a clown?
Andy
Well, what else, look at him.
Rocky Hey, Andy, are you crazy? This man is champion of the world. He took his best
shot and become champ. Huh? What shot did you ever take?
Andy
Hey, Rocky, you're not happy with your life. It's nice. But me, I've got a
business going, I don't have to take no shots.
Rocky Listen, I don't want no turkey anyway, ya know.
But it was Thanksgiving.
Rocky It was what?
It was Thanksgiving.
Rocky Yeah, to you, but to me, it's Thursday, right?
Rocky My ol' man, he was never too smart. He says to me, 'You weren't born with much
of a brain, ya know, so uh, ya better start using your body, right?' So I become a fighter. Ya
know what I mean. [Adrian chuckles softly] Why are ya laughing?
My mother, she said the opposite thing.
Rocky What did she say? What did she say the opposite?
She said, 'You weren't born with much of a body, so ya better develop your
brain.'
Why do you fight?
Rocky Cause I can't sing or dance.
Rocky I say you're very shy by nature, ya know?
I suppose.
Rocky ...Ya know, some people think that bein' shy is a disease, ya know, but it don't
bother me none, ya know.
It don't bother me either.
Rocky Then why did I bother bringin' it up, huh? 'Cause I'm dumb, that's why. I think
we make a real sharp couple of coconuts. I'm dumb an' you're shy, whaddya think, huh?
Rocky Ya gotta be a moron to wanna be a fighter, ya know. I mean, it's a racket where
you're almost guaranteed to end up a bum.
I don't think you're a bum.
Rocky But I'm at least half a bum, ya know.
Rocky The worst thing about fighting is the morning after. The mornin' after a fight,
ya' nothin' but like a large wound, ya know what I mean? Sometimes I got pains all over. I feel
like callin' a taxi to take me from my bed into the bathroom...Ya' hair hurts, ya' eyes hurt, your
face is all busted up, your hands are swollen...Look at this face, sixty-four fights. Look at that
nose. See that nose? That nose ain't never been broken in sixty-four fights. I had guys bustin' on
it. I had guys chewin' on it, twistin' it, punchin' it...Never broke. I'm very proud of that -
that's rare.
Why do you do it if it hurts?
Rocky Why ya think?
'Cause - [pause] - you can't sing or dance.
Rocky Yeah, somethin' like that.
Rocky Whatsa matter? You don't like the room, do ya?
It's fine.
Rocky Well, it's only temporary, ya know.
It's not that.
Rocky What's the problem? Ya don't like me? Don't like the turtles? What's the
problem?
I don't think I belong here.
Rocky It's OK.
I don't belong here.
Rocky Well, ya know, it's OK, 'cause you're my guest.
I don't know you well enough. I've never been in a man's apartment alone.
Rocky [shrugging]
Well, I- they're all the same, ya know.
I'm not sure I know you well enough. I don't feel comfortable.
Rocky Yo, Adrienne. Ya know, I ain't so comfortable either.
I should go.
You wanna know?
Rocky I wanna know!
Because you had the talent to become a good fighter, and instead of that you
became a leg-breaker for some cheap, second-rate loan shark.
Rocky It's a living.
It's a waste of life!
I'm here to warn ya, that ya gotta be very careful about this shot that you got
at the title. Because, like the Bible sez, you ain't gonna get a second chance...Well, what ya
need is a manager. A manager, listen to me. I know, because I've been in this racket for fifty
years...I've seen it all, all of it. Ya know what I've done?...I have done it all...[He holds a
bare lightbulb in front of his face] I've got twenty-one stitches over this left eye. I've got
thirty-four stitches over this eye. Do ya know that I had my nose busted seventeen times?...[He
glances at Rocky's poster of Rocky Marciano] Ya kinda remind me of the Rock, ya know
that?...Ya move like him, ya got heart like he did...I got all this knowledge, I got it up here
now, I wanna give it to you...I wanna take care of ya, I wanna make sure that all this shit that
happened to me doesn't happen to you...Ya can't buy what I'm gonna give ya.
Rocky I needed your help about ten years ago, right? Ten years ago, ya never helped me
none. You didn't care...I asked, but you never heard nothin'...What about my prime, Mick? At least
you had a prime! I had no prime, I've had nothin'....And you wanna be ringside and see it, do ya?
Ya wanna help me out?...Go on, fight the champ. Yeah, I'll fight 'im - I'll get my face kicked
in.
What's the story? What's happenin'? Ya really like her?
Rocky Sure, I like her.
I don't see it. What's the attraction?
Rocky I don't know. Fills gaps, I guess.
What's 'gaps'?
Rocky I dunno, gaps. She's got gaps, I got gaps. Together, we fill gaps. I dunno.
You ballin' her?
Rocky Hey! Hey, ya don't talk dirty about your sister.
Ya screwin' my sister?
Rocky Ya see. That's why I can't connect ya with Gazzo...because you got a big
mouth...You just talk too much.
TV reporter Is this a common training method? I mean, do other fighters pound raw
meat?
Rocky No, I think I invented it.
I don't want nothin' from you, this ain't no charity case...Get outta my
house...You're no friend no more...Both of ya get out of my house...Now you're a big-shot fighter
on the way up. You don't even throw a crumb to your friend Paulie. When I go and get your meat
every morning, you forgot that, and then I even give you my sister too.
Only a pig would say that!
I'm a pig? A pig that seen you had the best. [He smashes a serving set on a
side table]...I don't get married because of you. You can't live by yourself. I put you two
together and you - don't you forget it. You owe me! You owe me.
What do I owe you?
You're supposed to be good to me.
I don't owe you nothin'. And you made me feel like a loser. I'm not a
loser.
You're busted - you're not a virgin...Ya let him in your pants. I can't haul
meat no more. [sits, crying]
Rocky Absolutely.
[Rocky is standing alone in the ring at the empty Philadelphia Spectrum, looking at the
poster of himself]
Rocky Mr. Jergens, the poster's wrong.
What do ya mean?
Rocky Well, I'm wearin' white pants with a red stripe.
It doesn't really matter, does it? I'm sure you're gonna give us a great show.
Try to get some rest, kid.
Your nose is broken.
Rocky How does it look?
Ah, it's an improvement.
Ain't gonna be no rematch.
Rocky Don't want one.
Balboa, George Jergens. Take a chair please. Mr. Balboa.
Rocky Call me Rocky sir.
Tell me Rocky, you've got any representation of a manager?
Rocky No just me.
Rocky I've got a proposition I'd like to make to you.
Rocky Sparring?
I beg your pardon?
Rocky Well, I'm interested. I know you're looking for sparring partners and I just want to say I'm very available you know.
I'm sure you are.
Rocky Absolutely. Sparring with the champ would be an honor and you know what, Mr. Jergens?
What?
Rocky I wouldn't take no cheap shots either. I'd be a really good sparring partner.
You don't understand me, Rocky. My proposition is this. Would you be interested in fighting Apollo Creed for the World Heavyweight Championship?
Rocky No.
Listen Rocky, Apollo's seen you fight. He likes you and he wants to fight you.
Rocky It's just that you see I fight in clubs you know. I'm really a ham-and-egger and this guy's the best. It wouldn't be such a good fight. Thank you very much though, I appreciate it.
Rocky, do you believe that America is the land of opportunity?
Rocky Yes.
Apollo Creed does. He's going to prove it to the whole world by giving an unknown a shot at the title and that unknown is you. He picked you, Rocky. Rocky it's the chance of a lifetime. You can't pass it by. What do you say?
I'm here to warn ya, that ya gotta be very careful about this shot that you got at the title. Because, like the Bible sez, you ain't gonna get a second chance...Well, what ya need is a manager. A manager, listen to me. I know, because I've been in this racket for 50 years...I've seen it all, all of it. Ya know what I've done? I have done it all. [He holds a bare lightbulb in front of his face] I've got 21 stitches over this left eye. I've got 34 stitches over this eye. Do ya know that I had my nose busted 17 times? [He glances at Rocky's poster of Rocky Marciano] Ya kinda remind me of the Rock, ya know that? Ya move like him, ya got heart like he did...I got all this knowledge, I got it up here now, I wanna give it to you...I wanna take care of ya, I wanna make sure that all this shit that happened to me doesn't happen to you...Ya can't buy what I'm gonna give ya. I've got pain and I've got experience.
Rocky Well, I've got pain, and I've got experience too.
Listen, kid.
Rocky Hey, Mick.
What?
Rocky I needed your help about ten years ago, right? Ten years ago?
Right.
Rocky Ten years ago, ya never helped me none. You didn't care.
Well, if you wanted help... I say, if you wanted help, why didn't you ask? Why didn't you just ask me, kid?
Rocky Look, I asked, but you never heard nothin'
Well, I, uh, I know I, I'm 76 years old...and uh well, where the hell is... [walks out because Rocky wouldn't even entertain him]
Rocky [as Mickey is revealed to be just outside the room but eventually leaves]
Took you long enough to get here. Took you ten years to come to my house. Huh, what's the matter? You don't like my house? Does my house stink? That's right it stinks! I didn't ask no favours from you! Don't slum around me! Talking about your prime. What about my prime Mick!? Least you had a prime! I didn't have no prime, I didn't have nothin'. Leg's are goin', everythin's goin'. Nobody's gettin' no nothin'. Guy comes up, offers me a fight. Big deal, you wanna fight the fight? Yeah I'll fight the big fight. I'm gonna go and fight that big fight and you know what's going to happen to me? I'm gonna get that! [punches mattress] I'm gonna get that! [punches mattress] And you wanna be ringside and see it? Do ya? You wanna help me out? Huh!? Do you wanna see me get my face kicked in!? Leg's ain't workin'. Nothin's workin'. They go "Go on fight the champ". Yeah I'll fight him. Get my face kicked in. And you come around here, you wanna move in here with me? Come on in it's a nice house! Real nice! Come on in and move! It stinks! This whole place stinks! You wanna help me out? Well help me out! Come on help me out, I'm standing here!
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