Top 10 Things The Iron Claw Gets Factually Right and Wrong

WatchMojo

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.

Transcript

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]

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