What 'The Iron Claw Movie' Gets Wrong About The Von Erichs

Highlights

• Missing Chris Von Erich: Chris Von Erich, the youngest brother, is completely omitted from 'The Iron Claw', leaving a noticeable gap in the story.
• Altered Timeline: The film changes the timing of Kerry Von Erich's motorcycle accident, depicting it as happening on the same night he wins the NWA Heavyweight Championship.
• The Von Erich Curse: The film focuses heavily on the Von Erich Curse, but fails to detail the absurd theories behind its origins, including a ghost of a Holocaust survivor putting a curse on Fritz Von Erich.

This holiday season marks the release of the A24 film The Iron Claw. The biopic covers the infamous rise and fall of the Von Erich family, and it may be the most anticipated wrestling film since Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler in 2008.

Movie-goers unfamiliar with the Von Erich story will be shocked by the tragic details of this legendary family. Meanwhile, pro wrestling fans may be put off by some of The Iron Claw's glaring omissions. Much like readers madly in love with a book and sorely disappointed by the film adaptation, Von Erich fans and wrestling historians have verbalized some gripes about The Iron Claw's inaccuracies.

Warning: This article includes spoilers for The Iron Claw.

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Chris Von Erich Is Completely Omitted From 'The Iron Claw'

Chris Von Erich Is Another Brother Who Died Tragically

• Chris Von Erich does not appear in 'The Iron Claw'
• Writer/Director Sean Durkin uses "repetition" as his reason for removing Chris Von Erich'
• Chris Von Erich's absence is felt in 'The Iron Claw' Close

The most egregious omission from Sean Durkin's film is the removal of the youngest Von Erich brother. Chris Von Erich had an equally tragic story. Despite putting in a valiant effort to tone up his body and learn the craft of pro wrestling, Chris' in-ring talent didn't measure up to that of his brothers.

At a mere 5'5", Chris had the cards stacked against him in the "bigger is better" era of professional wrestling. Additionally, intense asthma and the medication needed to treat it contributed to Chris' brittle bones. This handicap led to Chris breaking his arm shortly after his career started. The pressure to live up to the family name overwhelmed Chris, and after a bout with depression and drug abuse, the youngest Von Erich took his own life nine days before his 22nd birthday.

Writer and director Sean Durkin believed another major tragedy threw the film off-balance. In an interview with the LA Times, Durkin explained:

"There was a repetition to it, and it was one more tragedy that the film really couldn't withstand. I honestly don't know if it would have gotten made."

Durnkin's reason for removing Chris Von Erich from the film is understandable. Biopics must often bend the truth for time, structure, or at the behest of studios. However, one scene toward the end of the film makes Chris' absence feel much more blatant and upsetting. In a fantasy scene, a posthumous Kerry Von Erich reunites with his fallen brothers, Mike, David, and even Jack Von Erich, who passed away as a child. The brothers embrace in a very moving scene. This artistic imagining gives a tragic story a happy ending, ut it's impossible not to think about the integral character missing from that scene, missing from that embrace, and missing from that happy ending. The exclusion of Chris Von Erich from this (would-be) beautiful denouement felt disrespectful.

Kerry Von Erich's Motorcycle Accident Was Different In 'The Iron Claw'

'The Iron Claw' Has The Motorcyle Accident Occur At A Different Time

• In 'The Iron Claw', Kerry Von Erich is in a motorcycle accident the same night he wins the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
• In reality, Kerry Von Erich's accident occurred two years after his famous match with Ric Flair
• Kerry Von Erich continued his career after the accident. Close

The more forgivable pivots from reality include timeline adjustments. For instance, The Iron Claw depicts Kerry Von Erich (Jeremey Allen White) speeding off into the night on his motorcycle on the same day he defeated Ric Flair for the NWA Heavyweight Championship. The motorcycle ride led to a brutal accident. Kerry's foot had to be amputated.

In reality, the accident took place two years later, in April 1986. However, true to the film, Kerry went on to have a successful run in the WWE after the tragic accident as The Texas Tornado. For the most part, Kerry kept his handicap a secret.

The Origin Of The Von Erich Curse

The Von Erichs Are Said To Be Cursed Because Of The Death Of The Brothers

• 'The Iron Claw' focuses heavily on 'The Von Erich Curse'
• 'The Iron Claw' fails to detail some of the odd theories behind the curse. Close ​​​​

The Iron Claw gets a lot of mileage from 'The Von Erich Curse.' What the film doesn't go into detail about are the absurd origins of the curse. Fritz adopted the Von Erich name when he gained popularity as a Nazi-themed heel. The gimmick worked! Perhaps a little too well. Fritz Von Erich was one of the most hated villains of his era.

But many in the wrestling business warned that Fritz's Nazi character may be taking things too far. In the book, Squared Circle: Life, Death, and Professional Wrestling, author David Shoemaker describes an absurd but often touted theory that a ghost of a Holocaust survivor had put a curse on Fritz for making light of Nazism. Shoemaker wrote that this ghost explained that they'd lost all seven of its sons in the death camps of World War II in Germany. "I sincerely hope nothing like that would happen to Fritz." Is this theory a bit preposterous? Certainly. Is it fascinating? Absolutely.

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The Von Erich Family History Is Altered In 'The Iron Claw'

Many Family Members Are Missing From 'The Iron Claw'

• For time and pacing purposes, other Von Erich family dynamics are left out of 'The Iron Claw'
• The order in which Kevin Von Erich's children are born is swapped around.

There are other details that the film plays with for the sake of pacing and theme. For instance, Kevin Von Erich and his wife Pam had two daughters before they had their sons, Ross and Marshall (who were born first in the movie). The film also chooses to skip over Kerry Von Erich's marriage. More importantly, the film ignores the divorce of Fritz Von Erich and his wife Doris, who were already separated by the time Kerry Von Erich passed away in 1993.

While it's understandable for some wrestling fans to be upset by omissions or falsities, it's important to remember that The Iron Claw is not a documentary. It is a dramatization. Five important words are projected before the film begins: "Inspired by a true story." The Iron Claw does its job of depicting one of the most influential and important family stories in the history of pro wrestling.