* RK review: Mr. Deeds Goes to Yankee Stadium

Baseball Films in the Capra Tradition

by Wes D. Gehring, McFarland, 2004

Gehring, a professor of film at Ball State University and associate media editor for USA Today magazine, combines th best of both worlds as he examines several baseball features, comparing them with the works of Frank Capra.

For example, these baseball films mirror Capra’s with its message of hope, optimism, and faith in the goodness of people. optimism; the main characters, whether it’s in the halls of Congress (as in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington) or the baseball diamond (staying with Jimmy Stewart, who played the aforementioned title role as well as Monty Stratton. Another icon of the era, Gary Cooper played both Longfellow Deeds, “John Doe” in Meet John Doe and Lou Gehrig in The Pride of the Yankees. Stewart was adjudged the more convincing athlete).

The stars in Capras films and the eight baseball movies basically represent the common man; even such superstars as Gehrig and Roy Hobbs (The Natural) come from humble beginnings.

Another common element is is a betrayal of circumstances. Things are moving along nicely then catastrophe strikes. Stratton accidentally shoots himself in the leg; Gehrig contracts ALS; Hobbs is shot and a sure-thing career goes down the tubes. Also, many of the films contain a “criminal element” and/or naysaying media personage. Think Max Mercy, Gus, and “The Judge” in The Natural, Hank Hanneman in Pride, and Fred Bayless in the original Angels in the Outfield.

The heroes of the films also share another characteristic: a good relationship with their parents or a substitute for an absent father. For example:

The Rookie: Dennis Quaid’s character has a tempestuous connection with his father until the end of the movie, when he finally makes it to the majors. It’s the older menfolk of his home town who support him without reservation. At the same time, Quaid has a loving bond with his own son.
In Frequency, not what you would consider a traditional baseball film like the others, Quaid plays another father who maintains contact with his son through a sci-fi storyline.
In Pride , Cooper is very much a moma’s boy but gets along well with his dad, too.
In Bull Durham, Tim Robbin’s Nuke LaLoosh is worried when his father comes to see him pitch. His catcher, played by Kevin Costner, suggests that Nuke’s did is as full of shit as anybody.
Paul Douglas, the foul-mouthed manager in Angels, falls for a little orphan girls who helps him change his ways.
Stewart has no father in Stratton but connects with Frank Morgan in the father role.
Robert Redford loses his own father right before he leaves to make his fortune, hooks up with another father-figure in John Finnegan, and learns of his own son from his former teenage sweetheart.
In Field of Dreams — the ultimate daddy picture — Costner has the chance to finally have that game of catch.

The astute cinemaphile and baseball fan will note the similarities between Angels and It’s A Wonderful Life. In both films, the main character is “visited” by a celestial being who guides him through the rough spotsto ultimately find “the answer” and thereby happiness.

My favorite part of reading any book is the “aha” moment, offering some thought-provoking nugget. It’s especially nice to be able to pass such titles along to others, who might overlook them because they don’t get much hype.