The Rocket
- Directed by Charles Binamé, written by Ken Scott
- Roy Dupuis – Maurice Richard
- Julie LeBreton – Lucille Norchet Richard
- Stephen McHattie – Dick Irvin, coach of the Montreal Canadiens
- Ted Dillon – Clarence Campbell, commissioner of the NHL
- Phillip Craig – Tommy Gorman, Canadiens’ manager
- Serge Houde – Conn Smythe, manager of the Maple Leafs
- Sean Avery – Bob “Killer” Dill, player for the NY Rangers
I’ve never followed hockey or been to a game but have enjoyed every hockey film seen. It boils down to the skating. Cooler than any fancy figuring, seeing burly guys zip around on blades without a thought, amazingly balanced as they execute furious, tricky moves. I’ve thought of going to games on occasion, but I’d never get such terrific camera’s eye views at actual games, I'm afraid.
Here then is The Rocket, a film about Maurice Richard, held to be Quebec’s greatest player. Interesting story, but not as much game time as anticipated. It centers more on his life and troubles off the ice rather than his triumphs on it. The film opens on the hubbub surrounding the Canadiens’ game with the Boston Bruins in March 1955. Someone not named is in, or has caused, big trouble. Since the movie’s about Richard, it’s not hard to guess who’s at the center of the storm—but for what? From that opening teaser the film jumps back to Richard as a teenage machinist during the Depression, playing hockey for the postal service after work. Even then he’s something of a stoic, reticent, keeping his head down but playing hockey with determination and intensity.
Five years later the Canadiens take him on as a rookie, but almost from the start there’s a problem: Richard (“The Comet”) has been injured a couple times (broken ankle and wrist). He breaks his ankle again and is then seen as too fragile for the game. One journalist refers to him as “a lemon that’s easily crushed.” They make him sit out games and try to trade him to another team, but no one else will have him. Eventually, out of desperation, coach Dick Irvin, who’d lobbied hard for Richard in the first place, gives Richard another shot. The Comet then proves himself to be The Rocket, shining and scoring despite snide remarks from the press for his halting English and players on rival teams gunning for him physically.
Carefully the film builds up a picture of prejudice against French Canadian players in the NHL. Insulted in the press, unsupported by Anglo managers and refs, Richard and his fellow “Frenchies” shrug bitterly and heroically carry on, complaining only among themselves. The Rocket proves he’ll only swallow so much. At a game with the NY Rangers, Bob “Killer” Dill homes in on Richard, harassing him at every opportunity. Irvin had tried to keep Richard out of the game as long as possible, as everyone knew Dill meant to take Richard out. But after Dill bluntly attacks him, Richard throws down his stick, rips off his gloves and gives Dill a couple no-nonsense punches. Not knowing when to quit, Dill follows him back to the Canadiens’ box and jumps him, only to be pounded further by our Gallic hero. The harassment within the league, in the papers or on the ice doesn’t stop, however. After another attack during a game, Richard comes back with sewn-up eyebrow to score brilliantly yet again. As the team’s owner is congratulating him afterwards, Richard breaks into sobs. As if bursting to say “yes you’re behind me when I win, but where is your regard when I’m being attacked?”
The hitherto reticent Richard turns to the press to complain in print about the treatment French Canadians receive, hoping to expose what “everyone” knows to be true in the hope of changing things, to demand respect and equal treatment for his compatriots. This is all well and good, till he attacks the league commissioner himself. He’s forced to choose between retraction and apology or being expelled from the NHL. And then we come to the fateful event at Boston Gardens on March 13, 1955, that opened the film.
A Boston player strikes Richard in the head with a stick from behind (in those days players didn’t wear helmets). The referees say nothing to the attacker. When Richard regains his feet, he goes after the Boston player and whacks him back. In the ensuing free-for-all, one of the refs holds Richard from behind, allowing another Bruin to punch Richard while Richard’s arms are pinned. The ref finally lets go; Richard turns and knocks the man out with one punch. Sacre bleu! A player, and a Frenchie, has struck a ref!
Campbell’s decision is to suspend Richard for the rest of the season, and from the playoffs as well. Nothing at all is done to Richard’s attackers or the referee who held him while he was being punched. Street rioting ensues; Campbell is physically attacked by fans. Richard’s initial reaction is to quit hockey altogether, but in the end he begs the fans not to make any more trouble, saying he accepts his punishment and he will be back with the Canadiens in the next season. The Canadiens go on to win, with Richard’s help, 5 more Stanley Cups.
Of course I don’t know how bad this prejudice against French Canadians actually was, but the film seems to be using Richard’s story to protest this prejudice, rather than concentrate on Richard’s playing and why he was so good. I’d have liked to see more of his playing and not so much of the stoic soldiering on outside of the rink. But it’s a film worth seeing nevertheless.