7 Famous Movie Scenes That Only Existed To Save Money
3. Rocky: The Intimate Ice Skating Scene
One of Rocky's most tender scenes features the Italian Stallion and his soon-to-be girlfriend Adrian on a date at an skating rink on Thanksgiving night. They have to sneak into the rink, since it's closed for the holidays.
The intimacy of the scene is what makes it so poignant. This is the moment when the pair realise how well they complement each other, but it only played out this way due to film's minuscule budget of just $1.1 million.
Sly Stallone's original script had this take place against a bustling backdrop, with the ice rink open for business and dozens of other skaters zipping by. Since there was no money to pay all of those extras, the sequence was whittled down to something more emotive that was a better fit for Rocky's tone.
It's the bittersweet intimacy of the movie that makes it the undisputed champion of sports films, and this enforced scene ended up encapsulating that quality perfectly.