time low due to a  near overdose resulting from an addiction to cocaine,  Robert De Niro (qv) visited him at the hospital and told him that  he had to clean himself up and make this movie about a boxer. At  first, Scorsese refused (he didnt like sports movies anyway), but  due to De Niros persistence, he eventually gave in. Many claim  (including Scorsese) that De Niro saved Scorseses life by getting  him back into work.