The Top Ten Baseball Movies of All-Time
As 'Moneyball' comes to the plate, here's a look at home run movies from the past
Moneyball is one of the year's most anticipated films and it will be hitting theaters this Friday. Starring Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A's who lead a team of castoffs to the American League playoffs back in 2003, the film is based on Michael Lewis' ("The Blind Side") bestselling book of the same name, and has been mentioned for awards season kudos.
The film debuted in Toronto at the beginning of this month where it didn't cement it as the Oscar frontrunner, but it didn't knock it out of contention either. Most of the reviews coming out of the festival were positive to glowing including Brad's take on the film (read that here) when he saw it on the first day of the fest.
Hollywood hasn't made that many baseball movies over the years but the ones they have made have often been terrific. Here, in honor of Moneyball, are my picks for the ten (eleven?) best of all-time.
10. (Tie)
A League of Their Own (1992)
&Major League (1989)
Photo: Columbia Pictures and Paramount Pictures
Okay, I know. I said a top ten and I start off with a tie. That means I'm actually including eleven films but when I made my list I just couldn't make up my mind on number 10.
Major League is on a list of guilty pleasures for almost every friend I have in the world. Is it a great film? Probably not. It tries to be a baseball version of the hockey flick Slap Shot but doesn't quite pull it off. It's not quite irreverent enough. Still, the characters are great, the film is entertaining as all get out and sports fans in particular love the film. It's also a must see just to witness Dennis Haysbert playing Pedro Cerrano, a voodoo practicing power hitter. Presidential he is not.
A League of Their Own, on the other hand, is a seminal film. It's the kind of film that makes me admire Hollywood when they do things right. A smash hit from a female director, Penny Marshall, about a baseball league that featured all-woman baseball teams with an all-star cast of female actors. You can't miss the message behind a venture like that, but rather than preaching to the audience and risking turning them off, Marshall and her fine troupe of female leads — Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell — with a little help from Tom Hanks, make their point with a solid, entertaining film. Plus, it contained one of the greatest lines of the last twenty years. "There's no crying in baseball!" was rated 54th on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest film quotes of all-time.
When it came to picking one of these films over the other I just couldn't do it. That's why I included them both.
9.
Fear Strikes Out (1957)
Fear Strikes Out is a film depicting the life and career of American baseball player Jimmy Piersall. It is based on Piersall's autobiography "Fear Strikes Out: The Jim Piersall Story". The film stars Anthony Perkins as Piersall and Karl Malden as his father, and was directed by Robert Mulligan.
This was one of the first films to take on mental illness in a realistic manner. Piersall was an up and coming player with the Boston Red Sox when he started having behavioral problems related to a bipolar disorder. He agreed to be admitted to a mental institution on the team's recommendation and later made it back to the big leagues. An impressive accomplishment at any time, but even more so back in the 1950s.
8.
Bang The Drum Slowly (1973)
Bang The Drum Slowly is one of my personal favorite films and reportedly Al Pacino's favorite film of all-time. It stars De Niro as the not so bright second string catcher, Bruce Pearson, and Michael Moriarty as an up and coming pitcher, Henry Wiggen. They strike up an unlikely friendship during the middle of the season when Moriarty discovers that Pearson is stricken with a terminal illness. I won't give the rest of the story away for those who haven't seen the film, but suffice to say I've never been able to make to the end of the film without bawling my eyes out. De Niro starred in Mean Streets three months later and went on to have a pretty decent career after that.
7.
The Natural (1984)
The quintessential Robert Redford flick. The Natural is a film adaptation of Bernard Malamud's 1952 baseball novel of the same name, directed by Barry Levinson and starring Redford.
The film wonderfully traces Hobbs from the age of 14 where he fashions his own bat from an oak tree hit by lightning to his career as a major league ball player. Of course, his path isn't without a few bumps in the road including a mysterious woman (Kim Basinger) and a fleet of talent in and out of the dugout including Glenn Close, Robert Duvall, Wilford Brimley and Michael Madsen. It would eventually be nominated for four Academy Awards, including cinematography, art direction, score (Randy Newman) and a supporting actress nod for Close.
6.
Sugar (2008)
Every once in a while a film comes out and everyone I talk to that saw it recommends it highly yet somehow it doesn't get seen by that many people. Steve McQueen's Hunger was one of those films as was the French film A Prophet (Un Prophete) and Sugar is another.
Produced and directed by the team of Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck who were also responsible for the Ryan Gosling starrer Half Nelson, Sugar is the story of Miguel Santos, aka Sugar (Algenis Perez Soto), a Dominican pitcher struggling to make it to the big leagues and pull himself and his family out of poverty. Miguel gets his big break at age 19 when he advances to MLB's minor league system and moves to the US but things don't go all that smoothly when he arrives. Sounds simple but it isn't. A truly great character study and a must see film in my opinion, and pretty much everyone else I know who has seen the film. Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of us.
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What no Sandlot? You're killing me smalls
yeah gotta agree. The Sandlot is a top 5 baseball movie
I figured leaving out The Sandlot might get some people a little riled. It's a good movie and really beloved by hardcore baseball fans. You can certainly make a good argument for its inclusion.
I'm glad you mentioned A League of Their Own. I think time passed by and this movie got kinda forgotten. In my opinion (as you said) it's great Hollywood filmmaking. It's entertaining, funny and moving, with top-notch performances from Geena Davis, Tom Hanks and Lori Petty.
I also love Bull Durham.
As the above pointed out .. YOU DIDN'T PUT THE SANDLOT IN A BASEBALL LIST ? the best baseball movie of all time!
1. Filed of Dreams
2. The Sandlot
3. Bull Durham
4. Bang The Drum Slowly
5. Bad News Bears
1. Bull Durham
2. The Sandlot
3. 61*
4. Bang The Drum Slowly
5. Bad News Bears
Great article,…. baseball movies just have a way of making you re-engage with the human persona.
Well said
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings was a favorite growing up.
I haven't seen half of these.
But my favorites are:
Field of Dreams
A League of Their Own
1. The Sandlot
2. Everything else
I enjoyed "FOR LOVE OF THE GAME" ,the third in Costners baseball trilogy.
"Bull Durham" is up there for me as well. I would also put Billy Crystal's "61*" near the top of baseball movies as well.
BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY is Danny Peary's favourite baseball movie too, and as he has written a heap of books about movies AND baseball, I guess he should know!
My own fave would probably be EIGHT MEN OUT, good to see it on the list.
And I think the acknowledgement of BAD NEWS BEARS is appropriate.
The Rookie lol, it's cheesy as hell but me and my little brother loved it as kids
1. Field of Dreams (It's more than a baseball film… to me at least)
2. Bull Durham (Maybe the closest realistically to baseball)
3. Major League (I could quote this all day)
4. The Natural (Capra-esque)
5. Fever Pitch (I just dig this film)
I can't wait for Moneyball… loved the book.
1. Field of Dreams
2. The Sandlot
3. 61*
4. The Natural
5. Bull Durham
Honorable Mention: Fever Pitch (Not a classic, but IMHO underrated).
I would like to know where you rank Moneyball after you watch it so I hope you follow up.
Been said a bunch of times but you've GOT TO have The Sandlot on here.
Best ever.
I'd put a case forward for The Fan as well but that's more fifty fifty. Sandlot is 100% needed on this list.
"I've always said a true male star is someone that the ladies want to bed and the guys want to have a bear with."
…what?
and the token "why isn't this movie on here" comment, where's 61*?
I saw that myself. A beer with – lol. Although having a large slice of bear with Paul Newman certainly would have been fun, too. And a great conversation starter at parties.
The Rookie is missing.
Most of these movies are great. I also would put For Love of the Game on there, because it is truly about the game of baseball and how it interacts with life and sometimes takes over and makes you forget who you really are. People think Costner's performance is a little weak, but I think its incredibly strong, because he was able to play and aging pitcher who had the mind and attitude of a little kid, somewhat oblivious to things except the game. Great at the game, horrible at life.
Here is my problem with The Natural and Pride of the Yankees. As absorbing as the stories are, every time they go onto the ball field, it takes me out of it, because the baseball is so phony. I understand "Pride", because of the times. But also, the quote being one of the most iconic in movie history: doesn't the fact that the quote was merely repeated from real life, not written, disqualify it?
The Lou Gehrig story is one worth retelling, because they really sugarcoated a lot of it, and if it were made today, it would not stack up. And Gary Cooper, a great actor, and looking like Gehrig, played it like a desheveled old man, while Gehrig was like a machine, a lion.
And people also forget that The Natural opted for a Hollywood Ending, which to me came across as completely manipulative. Remember how the book ended? He didn't hit the home run and break the lights and run around the bases in fireworks. He struck out, then went home and began his life. The way the movie ended, it made the game bigger than the more important aspects of Roy Hobbs. And plus, the baseball was almost unbearably phoney, which just drives me nuts. It's not that hard to be convincing, as in Major League, For Love of the Game, Bull Durham…even the Naked Gun! You just gotta spend some extra money and try!
My personal favorites are;
1. Bull Durham
2. Bad News Bears
3. Eight Men Out
4. 61*
5. The Sandlot
Now, I have to agree that realism plays a relatively important role, but more important is the statement the movie makes about baseball, fir realistically and then atmospherically. Notice I do not say *emotionally*. If that were the case I'd include "Field of Dreams" and "Pride of the Yankees", or the "Natural". I think these more "emotional" films are nice stories, but within the relative realism coupled with feeling what baseball is really like, the five I have listed beat these out. The "Natural" *did* opt for the "Hollywood" ending, but one should not let that detract in my opinion from the rest of the films saying something a little truthful about baseball. I do think the five I have listed say the *most* about baseball. The scene in "A League of Their Own" in which Tom Hanks overrules Geena Davis is a good example of something truer of baseball than other moments. The five movies above do more of that in my opinion than others.
Pastime (1990) is not well known but one of my favorites.
It Happens Every Spring
Rhubarb
Angels In the Outfield (1951)
All are musts.
I tried to watch a baseball game recently. All of the "athletes" were fat, and the camera kept zooming in on guys who were about to spit tobacco juice or were grabbing their crotches. The romanticization of this dull pastime in movies is a mystery of mass hypnosis. And Costner? One of the most lifeless, dopey actors of all time. People who have probably never seen Gary Cooper really need to stop comparing the two.
Tommy-
Respectfully, I think the only other mention of Gary Cooper herein today is from Andrew Goorthuis. It appears as if Andrew indicates a problem he has with Gary Cooper's performance in "Pride of the Yankees", and mentions separately Kevin Costner with regard to his baseball move "For Love of the Game". So, I don't see a comparison between Gary Cooper and Kevin Costner herein. It certainly may be true that people have compared Kevin Costner and Gary Cooper as actors on other sites? It is my express opinion that Gary Cooper was a *stoic* actor, and sometimes came off a little stiff in some of his parts. Just the same he is a much much better actor than Kevin Costner. Kevin Costner is plastic stiff, and you are correct that he is not as good.
As for the "romanticization" of baseball, I remember many many years ago going to see baseball and enjoying the smell of fresh grass, peanut shells shucked by fans, etc. Then again, the team I was watching was called the "Seattle Pilots". That team lasted exactly *one year* and are known as the Milwaukee Brewers! ;) So, you see, there is used to be a sort of romantic nature to things, and young men still find that a little bit. But, I took my son to a Red Sox game about ten years ago or so, and it was about 98 degrees (F) in the shade, hot unbearable, and while Fenway park provides decent views the fans were rude, etc. So, it never was *perfect*. ;)
"Bull Durham", "Eight Men Out" & "Field Of Dreams" are 3 of best movies ever in ANY genre, but right up there along with them is "For Love Of The Game". A best friend kept bugging me to see it, I did & I was shocked at how much I liked it. Of course, Vin Scully's voice is cat nip to any SoCal baseball fan. I still find it hard to believe that Costner go to the baseball plate 3 times & hit it grand slams (or pitch a perfect game) in movies.
Great list! I agree with the call to have Bad News Bears #1 and Bull Durham #2. I have watched the Bad News Bears numerous times and every time I hope that he is called safe at home. However I agree that the Bears win more by losing and telling the Yankees where to stick it at the end.
And yes – every kids born in the 70s was in love with Tatum O'Neill after seeing the film.
How about "For Love of the Game"?
Wouldn't you have to include Ken Burn's Baseball on this list? It has a lot of content, although it's a tad long.
There were so many errors in the Ken Burns series
I'm glad no one included it.
1) the sandlot (untouchable)
2) Major League)(just plain hilarious)
3)Field of Dreams (best overall baseball movie but not my personal favorite)
4) Bad News Bears (matthieu is just great)
5) Little Big League (childhood nostalgia and actually really accurate baseball wise from a strictly player basis…obviously its insane that a kid could manage a team)
6) Bull Durham (great dialouge)
7) Rookie of the Year (see Little Big League….without the accuracy of actual baseball)
8) The Rookie (nothihg wrong with a feel good story)
9) The Natural (A little dated but the theme song is possibly the song most associated with baseball other than take me out to the ballgame)
10) Pride of the Yankees (again dated but classic viewing)
Most of the second paragraph of the Bull Durham entry is actually taken almost verbatim from Wikipedia….