MovieChat Forums > Rudy (1993) Discussion > Rudy's dad was a good father

Rudy's dad was a good father


I see lot of dislike from the PC snobs and rich silverspoon-fed millenials talking about Rudy's dad being a bad or "not nice" father. His character was a good father, he did a lot for his kids. Let's look at the storyline/background:

1. Rudy's dad's father lost everything in the great depression and abandoned the family. He had to live out of others people's houses.

2. He made something of himself working hard in a blue collar town at the refinery. Worked his way up and was able to provide a home and a decent life for his wife and numerous kids they had together.

3. He provided a job for his sons at the refinery right out of high school with a chance for them to move in the company especially being union.

4. The reason he wasn't a fan of Rudy's dream is cause it reminded him off his own father's dream and it failed and it ruined his family.

5. He was looking out for what's best for his kids being a hardworking blue collar man who came from nothing.

6. The moment he says the line at ND stadium is cause he is encapsulated in the moment being that he's dreamed of going to a game all his life plus it just so happens he's there with people he loves seeing one of his sons run out onto the field.

7. Blue collar men like him for the most part are hard/tough characters. A man of his character growing up a hard life is not going to be so PC. He's realistic.

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Well said.

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Rudy's dad meant well, but I didn't really get where he was coming from. Even if Rudy hadn't made the football team, or even if he hadn't gotten into Notre Dame, a college degree from Holy Cross is a much better foundation for life than a high school diploma and a steel mill job. Rudy didn't have any children, he was not putting anyone's future at risk by pursuing a college degree. Rudy didn't have anything to lose by doing that.

The real Rudy's family encouraged him to pursue his dreams, but the real story didn't have enough conflict to make a good movie.

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>> a college degree from Holy Cross is a much better foundation for life than a high school diploma and a steel mill job.

This was in the 1970s. You also have to think of the class politics in attending university.

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Excellent post. If true that many are bagging on the father then they totally missed the point of his reasoning let alone don't have men like Rudy's father in their lives. If they do they most likely don't appreciate their efforts.

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Rudy's Father was a real man, getting up everyday going to work so there was a roof over the house and food on the table.

The US stopped tariffs on overseas steel in the 60's and it decimated steel mills in the US.

You see that here, Deer Hunter, All the Right Moves, and several other films.

"You're a Ruettiger! There's nothing in the world wrong with being a Ruettiger!"

I've read that Joe Montana was making a big deal over the movie embellishing some facts to make the movie better.

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>>Rudy's Father was a real man, getting up everyday going to work so there was a roof over the house and food on the table.

Some substance on this site. More please.

*slow clap*

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well said

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