In honor of another year of America’s pastime, here are some great baseball movies to enjoy.
Bull Durham (1988)
Profane, funny, brilliant. Susan Sarandon, Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins light up the screen as a fading baseball player (Costner) is brought to Durham, NC, to mentor the rising pitcher (Robbins). The dialogue absolutely sparkles.
Eight Men Out (1988)
John Sayles film about the fix of the 1919 World Series is a sober movie, and likely to be a bit boring to non baseball fans. But fans of the game (and history) will love the detail and conviction behind the film making.
Field of Dreams (1989)
Build it and they will come. Iowa farmer Kevin Costner listens to a voice that leads him down a path of madness, frustration, and, ultimately, reconciliation. Few films have ever caused men to cry in a theater as this one. It’s funny, touching and poetic.
Pride of the Yankees (1942)
Gary Cooper plays the great Yankee Lou Gehrig, with equal parts of tragedy and heroism. It is an ‘old fashion’ biopic, but devastatingly effective as we watch the rise to greatness (and fall into illness) of one of the game’s finest.
Bad News Bears (1976)
A drunk Walter Matthau is paid to coach the local kids baseball team, a motley collection of losers and misfits, including tomboy Tatum O’Neal. Riotously funny and non-PC, with a brilliant performance by Matthau.