The Iron Claw is a sports drama that follows the story of the Von Erich brothers (who dominated professional wrestling throughout the 1980s).
People were excited to see more of Jeremy Allen White and Zac Efron’ take on a much more serious and emotionally complex role. But they ended up leaving the theatres, crying.
Fans are saying that The Iron Claw is the saddest movie they have seen in a long time. But the irony is that the real-life story it is based on is even more tragic. And there’s also a cut storyline in the film, which could have made the film even more sad.
One of Von Erich Brothers’ Tragic Stories is Overlooked in Zac Efron’s The Iron Claw
The Iron Claw is about the Von Erich family (a real-life wrestling family), where five out of six sons met tragic fates due to—illness, accidents, and self-infliction.
The movie poster features only four sons as the eldest brother died in a childhood death from electrocution, though he is referenced in the movie. But what’s more dire is that the movie doesn’t include one who has an incredibly tragic storyline—Chris Von Erich.
Chris aspired to be a wrestler like his taller brothers (6’2) despite his smaller stature (5’5). He was also struggling with asthma, and its medication only made his bones brittle, causing frequent breaks.
In 1984, his intestines were ruptured, and his health started deteriorating. Tragically, in 1987, his brother Mike took his own life. Mike suffered brain damage from toxic shock syndrome after routine surgery, which left him unable to wrestle. The loss of his brother deeply affected Chris, which took him into a deep depression. Ultimately, Chris also took his own life at just 21 years old.
Later, the director Sean Durkin came forward and said that he merged the stories of Mike and Chris in the movie. The reason he did that is because he thought that the narrative would have become a little more unbelievable if he included all the brothers’ tragedies. So, while the movie was great overall, it left a sense of sadness for Chris because his story is lost to history.
Why is Zac Efron’s The Iron Claw the Saddest?
Critics agree that the A24 wrestling movie featuring Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White is a true tearjerker. The performances were all top-notch. But the fact is that it’s an emotionally devastating film that can stick with people for a long time.
It follows the struggles of the Von Erich brothers, who try to establish themselves in professional wrestling with an overbearing father’s pressure for success at any cost. In this attempt, the family faced various personal tragedies (including the death of each brother except one).
At the end of the film, what happens is that in 1993, Kerry Von Erich, just like his brother Chris, shot himself. That’s how Fritz Von Erich and his wife Doris had lost five of their six sons. The only surviving son is Kevin (now 66 years old), who’s still around today. He’s happily married to Pam Adkisson, and they are currently living in Hawaii.
