The Von Erichs were entertainers like no other. But more than their distinctive, high flying rock and roll style of wrestling, it was their loss that haunted Durkin. “As I started to write the script for The Iron Claw and craft this family’s story into a film, I had to find what my own connection to it was. Why was I so drawn to these guys as a kid?” the director wondered. Since its release last year The Iron Claw has been referred to as a ‘feel-bad’ film due to its relentlessly tragic subject matter. However, the film also highlights the deeper issues that racked the Von Erich family — Fritz’s ruthless treatment of his sons, and the way he prized his pride and wrestling glory over their well-being — and bringing out the human beings behind the larger-than-life sports figures.
The Iron Claw is anchored by incredible performances, particularly by Efron as the last remaining Von Erich son. Hulking, muscled and brutal in the ring, Efron gives Kevin the forlorn vulnerability of a lost little boy whose love for his family knows no bounds. “The Von Erichs have been referred to as the Kennedys of sports,” said Durkin, referring to the series of misfortunes that plagued the political family. “Although there is unthinkable loss within the Von Erich family, The Iron Claw is not about grief and pain, it is about the absence of grief and what can happen when people refuse to look at their pain. Their family story is a small piece of American history, but it digs up the bedrock of extreme misguided masculinity, and a generational mindset that has harmed our culture in ways we are only just beginning to understand,” Durkin observed. “Part family drama, part gothic horror, and part sports movie, The Iron Claw is a true Greek Tragedy in the American heartland. It is a story of resurrection as Kevin shatters the mould of his family creed and breaks the curse, coming out the other side, wiser, stronger, and at peace.”
