February 7, 2012

The fight over who owns the Martin Scorsese classic Raging Bull is raging.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paula Petrella claims her father Frank wrote a screenplay in 1963 and co-authored an autobiography of boxer Jake LaMotta that later became the basis for Scorsese's 1980 drama.

The script for Raging Bull was credited to Paul Schrader and Mardik Martin, based on a book by LaMotta and Peter Savage. "Peter Savage" was the pseudonym of Frank Petrella, who died in 1981.

Almost thirty years later, Petrella's daughter launched a lawsuit claiming that because her dad died before the end of the copyright agreement, the rights to the movie should go to her.

In addition to seeking ownership of the film, Petrella is also asking for $1 million in damages

A judge ruled that by waiting so long to bring the lawsuit, Patrella had exercised a lack of diligence and subjected the defendants to legal prejudice. Petrella's attorney, Glen Kulik, appeared before the 9th Circuit court in an effort to overrule this decision.

Kulik has told the court he plans to call a handful of Hollywood players to testify during the upcoming trial, including Scorcese, star Robert De Niro and Jake LaMotta's brother.

LaMotta will reportedly not testify. He is 91.

(Photo by PR Photos)

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