Biopics have to known to stretch the truth... Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at the historical accuracy and creative liberties taken in this Von Erich family biopic.
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00:00 He said if we were the toughest, the strongest, nothing would ever hurt us.
00:05 I believed him.
00:06 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at the historical accuracy and creative liberties
00:10 taken in this Von Erick family biopic.
00:13 We're here to restore justice to the wrestling federation that our father built with his
00:17 own two hands.
00:18 For those who don't know the story already, there will be spoilers.
00:21 #10.
00:22 The Von Erick Curse
00:23 Right.
00:24 While it's debatable if curses exist, there's no denying that the Von Erick family was consumed
00:28 with tragedy.
00:29 My mom said my family was cursed.
00:32 Mom tried to protect us with God.
00:35 Pop tried to protect us with wrestling.
00:37 Some assume that the so-called curse started with the death of Fritz and Doris' firstborn
00:41 son, Jack Barton Jr.
00:42 As the film touches upon, misfortune plagued the Von Erick name well before Fritz became
00:46 a father.
00:47 Tragedy, something they faced in the past, stepped back into the ring.
00:51 The patriarch of the family, Fritz Von Erick, lost an infant son.
00:55 Von Erick was Fritz's grandmother's maiden name.
00:57 Growing up, Fritz heard stories about how his grandma would lose things and hurt herself.
01:01 His grandfather often said that his grandma was cursed, which Fritz interpreted as a joke.
01:06 After losing Jack, Fritz began to wonder if there truly was a family curse.
01:09 It's been kind of like a nightmare, you know.
01:14 It doesn't get easier.
01:16 Fritz's concerns intensified when he learned that much of his grandma's family died from
01:20 a virus outbreak and starvation.
01:22 #9.
01:23 The Von Erick Name's Full Backstory
01:25 Wrong.
01:26 In need of a catchy stage name, Jack Barton Adkisson started going by Fritz Von Erick.
01:30 Although Von Erick was a family name on his grandmother's side, the film overlooks one
01:34 of its more controversial aspects.
01:36 Being a distinctly German name, Fritz Von Erick modeled his in-ring persona after a
01:40 Nazi.
01:41 He created the evil character of Nazi sympathizer Fritz Von Erick.
01:45 Known as the Master of the Iron Claw, Fritz took great joy in pummeling his opponents
01:49 and taunting the ringside fans.
01:51 Fritz knew that if he got people to hate him, it'd be a surefire way to succeed in professional
01:55 wrestling.
01:56 He dropped the Nazi villain persona, forming a more heroic identity in the ring.
01:59 By the late 70s, Fritz, having dropped the Nazi persona, took the true persona of Family
02:04 Man, a proud Texas father of five boys.
02:07 However, Fritz kept the Von Erick name, which he passed on to his sons.
02:10 While the Von Erick name was already supposedly cursed, superstitious wrestling fans couldn't
02:14 help but wonder if Fritz's Nazi gimmick brought his family bad karma.
02:18 #8.
02:19 The Von Erick Family Lived in a Trailer
02:21 Right.
02:22 When we first meet the Von Erick family, Fritz, Doris, and their two young boys have their
02:25 entire lives packed up in a trailer.
02:28 As seen in the film, Fritz surprised Doris by purchasing a new Cadillac, despite not
02:31 being on steady financial ground.
02:38 Fritz would drive around the US and Canada, participating in wrestling matches while his
02:41 family remained at various trailer parks.
02:44 Staying in Niagara Falls, New York, Jack Jr. tragically drowned in a puddle of melted snow
02:48 after being electrocuted by a trailer ton.
02:58 Several years later, the Von Ericks decided to make Texas their permanent residence.
03:02 With Fritz's career finally taking off, they sold the mobile home and bought a house,
03:06 where they hoped to move on from the past.
03:10 #7.
03:13 Fritz Von Erick Ranked His Sons
03:15 Right.
03:16 Most parents will likely tell you that they love their children equally.
03:19 Fritz Von Erick wasn't like most parents, however.
03:21 In The Iron Claw, the family sits around the breakfast table where Fritz ranks his children.
03:30 Mike comes in last, but as Fritz reminds him, the ranking isn't set in stone.
03:34 According to the real Kevin Von Erick, his father wasn't above playing favorites.
03:38 Jack Jr. was excluded from the ranking as he had died years ago.
03:48 Fritz showed favoritism to Kerry, with Kevin happy to be in second.
03:52 The Von Erick patriarch was harder on David, although at one point, he showed the most
03:55 promise in the ring.
04:08 Mike, meanwhile, was less likely to become a champion and therefore fell short in dad's
04:13 ranking.
04:14 #6.
04:15 The Timing of Kerry Von Erick's Accident
04:16 Wrong.
04:17 In the wake of David's death, either Kevin or Kerry would take his place in the heavyweight
04:20 championship match against Ric Flair.
04:35 As the movie depicts, Kerry won the coin toss, going on to take the belt from Flair.
04:39 Almost immediately after this victory, Kerry is involved in a motorcycle accident that
04:43 claims his right foot.
04:53 Although an accident did transpire, the film condenses the time frame.
04:56 Kerry's fateful crash took place on June 4, 1986, almost two years after he fought
05:00 Flair.
05:01 The iron claw also excludes a key detail following Kerry's career highlight.
05:05 Only 18 days after Kerry claimed the belt, Flair won it back in Japan.
05:14 Kerry's time as the NWA world champ would be among the shortest reigns in the title's
05:18 history.
05:19 #5.
05:20 David Von Erick's Death in Japan
05:21 Right.
05:22 25 years after Jack Jr., David became the second Von Erick boy to prematurely leave this
05:27 earth.
05:28 Gearing up for a major match against Ric Flair, David's body was found in his hotel room
05:31 in Tokyo, Japan.
05:45 According to the Von Erick family, David's death was caused by an inflammation of the
05:48 intestines.
05:49 The iron claw gives this explanation as well, although it leaves out some of the conspiracy
05:53 theories surrounding David's demise.
05:57 At the time, rumors started circulating that David died from a drug overdose.
06:01 Ric Flair would feed into this theory, claiming that fellow wrestler Bruiser Brody got rid
06:05 of the evidence to protect his family's legacy.
06:07 Based on the evidence, though, all signs point to ruptured intestines, as the Von Ericks
06:11 claim.
06:12 #4.
06:13 Mike Von Erick's Spiral After Surgery
06:22 Right.
06:23 Although he was more interested in music, Mike Von Erick attempted to join the family
06:26 business.
06:27 His wrestling tour in Israel marked the beginning of the end for Mike, who suffered a shoulder
06:31 injury.
06:44 Returning to Texas, Mike went in for a routine shoulder surgery.
06:47 Things took an unexpected turn when Mike ran up a temperature no less than 105 degrees
06:51 Fahrenheit, developing toxic shock syndrome.
06:53 Overcoming the odds, Mike survived the ordeal, but he was never the same physically or mentally.
06:57 About a year after his surgery, he mixed alcohol and sleeping pills.
07:06 Driving to an outdoor area, Mike zipped himself in a sleeping bag and was never seen alive
07:10 again.
07:11 Mike left multiple letters behind for his family, including one saying he'd be watching.
07:23 #3.
07:24 Kevin Von Erick Found Carey's Body…
07:26 Wrong
07:27 This builds to a heartbreaking scene where Kevin arrives at the family ranch, concerned
07:31 for his only living brother.
07:37 Hearing a gunshot, Kevin finds Carey's body by a tree.
07:40 Taking his anger out on his father, Kevin carries his brother's body inside and places
07:44 it on the table.
07:45 It's true that Carey took his own life near the family ranch after years of medical issues
07:49 and run-ins with the law.
08:02 However Kevin wasn't the one who discovered his body.
08:04 Rather, it was Fritz who found his son.
08:06 Shortly before his death, Carey gave Fritz a hug, telling his father that he loved him.
08:24 Since his accident, Carey had exposed a desire to be reunited with his brothers, which the
08:28 film portrays.
08:30 #2.
08:31 Kevin Von Erick Gave Ric Flair the Iron Claw…
08:33 Right
08:34 After the loss of David and Mike, Kevin takes his rage out on Ric Flair during a match.
08:38 Kevin delivers his family's signature Iron Claw move, but he loses control.
08:52 As others tell him to stop, Kevin continues to press down upon his rival's head.
08:55 Kevin is eventually pried away, getting disqualified.
08:58 This sequence remains most faithful to what transpired between Kevin and Flair at the
09:02 second Von Erick Memorial Parade of Champions.
09:05 Fritz intervened in the fight, convinced that Kevin would kill Flair if he continued.
09:11 The match concluded in a double count-out, with Kevin failing to take the title.
09:20 The one major difference is that this happened in 1985, which was a year after David's
09:24 death but two years before Mike's.
09:43 #1.
09:44 There were five Von Erick brothers…
09:45 Wrong
09:46 Kevin wasn't the one who found Carey dead, but he did stumble upon another brother's
09:50 body.
09:51 Along with his mother, Kevin discovered his brother Chris with a self-inflicted gunshot
09:54 wound outside of the family property.
09:59 The sixth and youngest brother, Chris Von Erick, is absent from the Iron Claw.
10:03 The filmmakers decided to exclude Chris simply because of the runtime.
10:06 In terms of pacing, Chris's absence makes sense seeing how his death was eerily similar
10:10 to Carey's.
10:11 Chris was also the least involved in wrestling, struggling with health problems throughout
10:14 his youth.
10:27 While Chris became a professional wrestler in 1990, he'd take his life the next year.
10:31 Carey followed two years later, leaving Kevin as the only remaining Von Erick brother.
10:44 What did you think of the Iron Claw?
10:46 Share your thoughts in the comments!
10:52 Did you enjoy this video?
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11:00 See you next time!
11:08 (upbeat music)
11:11 [MUSIC]