Aspiring actor Sylvester Stallone writes a screenplay about a young boxer. A major Hollywood studio wants to buy the brilliant story, but Stallone will only agree on the condition that he plays the lead role of Rocky himself. The studio executives dismiss the ambitions of the unknown actor, whose face is partially paralyzed and whose speech is impaired. Turning down the offered fee, Stallone condemns his family to years of hardship in order to make his dream film independently.