Kevin Von Erich Discusses Emotional Scene From The Iron Claw Movie

"The Iron Claw" is seemingly gearing up to be one of the most successful movies depicting wrestling, and many in the industry have had good things to say about it. On "Talk is Jericho," Kevin Von Erich commented on his involvement in the movie, and the one scene that made him emotional. The scene occurs after Kerry Von Erich's death, and the movie drifts into metaphysical terrains as he's reunited with some old family members. 

"There's this one scene in heaven, just seeing my brothers pick up Jackie, my older brother that was electrocuted in 1959 ... that really got me." 

According to Von Erich, he found out about the movie when his daughter told him it was all over the internet, and he wasn't enthused about it right away. "Shoot, I was kind of worried about it, but I talked to Sean Durkin, great guy." Durkin apparently loved the Von Erichs but learned all about the family for the movie through research without any input on the direction from any of the surviving family members.

Ross and Marshall Von Erich also took part in the interview, and according to Marshall, their input in the film didn't go beyond a single scene with Zac Efron at the end. Despite this, seeing how seriously everyone took the film comforted them regarding its creative direction. Additionally, they met actor Holt McCallany, who portrayed Fritz Von Erich, and found the experience touching due to how in character he was. Additionally, the family of wrestlers who were a part of World Class Championship Wrestling reached out to them for roles, but due to not having any input, they couldn't accommodate any of them.

Despite not having much input, the scene Kevin Von Erich mentioned took its toll on him. With that in mind, let's dig into the emotional reunion between the Von Erich siblings in A24's latest drama. 

While "The Iron Claw" takes some creative liberties with the Von Erich family's tragic story, the narrative is realistic for the most part. However, the movie occasionally leans into fantastical concepts, including scenes featuring the ghosts of the deceased family members. The emotional scene that Kevin Von Erich is referring to sees the spirit of Kerry (Jeremy Allen White) enter the afterlife shortly after his death. Upon arriving, he is greeted by his brothers, Mike (Stanley Simons) and David (Harris Dickinson), and they embrace.

Afterward, Kerry meets Jack Jr. (Romeo Newcomer), their six-year-old sibling who passed away in 1959, after being electrocuted. Kerry picks him up and says that he's happy to finally meet the kid, and the brothers share another heartfelt group hug. While the circumstances that led to their deaths are undeniably tragic, their reunion is a happy one.

Director Sean Durkin has said that he added spiritual scenes to reflect the mythical elements of professional wrestling. The filmmaker believes that Kerry always imagined himself reuniting with his brothers in the next life one day, so he felt it was fitting to portray that dream on the screen. The scene in question clearly impacted Kevin Von Erich, but he wasn't a fan of everything about the movie.

While Kevin Von Erich found some scenes emotional, there's one element of "The Iron Claw" that he didn't enjoy while watching it. The wrestling legend said that viewers shouldn't go into the film expecting historical accuracy, especially regarding how his father, Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany), is portrayed.

"I'd like people to know that it's a movie. It's made for entertainment," he told Talk Is Jericho. "It's not quite as historical, but I'll tell you my dad was a great man. I loved him so much. He was an honorable, good man. What he said, his word, was his bond. When you shook his hand, it was a contract; it was honorable. I want everyone to know he comes off pretty rank in this movie."

According to Kevin, the film portrays the Von Erich patriarch as meaner than he actually was. As such, he wants viewers to know that his father was nothing like his cinematic iteration in "The Iron Claw. Overall, though, he was happy with how the film turned out and has had nothing but good things to say about the cast and crew since its release.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Talk is Jericho" and provide Wreslting Inc. with a h/t for the transcription.