Of course one of the ironies is no sportswriter thought to transcribe the complete speech as it was spoken and only about four lines were filmed.
I would list “Slapshot” as the best sports film (every time a fight breaks out in an NHL game, I yell “Old Time Hockey! Eddie Shore! Dit Clapper! Toe Blake”). For sheer sports action, the racing scenes in John Frankenheimer’s “Grand Prix” are to die for, plot is kind of soggy. An under appreciated film is “Heart like a Wheel” about female drag racer Shirley Muldoowney." Best sports comedy is “Pat and Mike” with one of the greatest final lines in any film.
Rudy had a dream. Even though he was 5 feet nothing, weighed a hundred and nothing and had hardly a speck of athletic ability, he hung in with the best football team in the land for 2 years and he also walked out of there with a degree from the university of Notre Dame.
My all-time favorite movie.
Another one not yet mentioned is Vision Quest, which is many ways is like Rudy. Only about wrestling (not rasslin’)
Because they haven’t been mentioned and are quality movies that people may not know about:
The Rocket (Maurice Richard) another great ice hockey movie. Ice hockey means nothing to me except in sports movies and this is as good as Miracle, or Slapshot and is full of real ice hockey players so it looks good.
61* a Billy Crystal directed telemovie about Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle racing each other to break Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record. Barry Pepper is excellent again but all the cast are superb. Never knew it existed until I saw it on the shelf at my DVD store.
Sugar about a Dominican baseballer who dreams of winning game 7 of the World Series but reality is a little harsher.
Bring It On.
I’m serious too.
I’m a big fan of Mystery, Alaska. It’s no Slapshot, but it’s an underrated little movie about hockey. SpouseO and I are always quoting this one, back and forth. (Lately, especially during the NFL playoffs as the time is running out. “That time is your time. You own that time.”)
Stars Russel Crowe, Burt Reynolds, Hank Azaria, Mary McCormack, Colm Meaney, and a bunch of other actors you’ll recognize. It’s top notch.
Pumping Iron is the definitive bodybuilding movie. Granted, it is mostly about Ahnuld, but as iconic as he is/was, that is appropriate. There is a line in the book that is perfectly expressed in the movie, although never actually quoted -
Arnold’s ego is as big as his biceps. And he gives the whole movie that feeling, just as he did in bodybuilding.
Regards,
Shodan
Baseball:
- The Rookie (2002)
- The Sandlot
- Bad News Bears (1976)
- Bull Durham
Football:
- Rudy
- North Dallas Forty
- Remember the Titans
Basketball:
- Hoosiers
- Glory Road
Hockey:
- Slapshot
- Miracle
- Mystery, Alaska
Miscellaneous:
- The Wrestler (great call - definitely not on my radar as a sports movie yet)
- Breaking Away
- Rocky
I’m glad someone mentioned 61*, because it perfectly captures how baseball was in that timeframe. I also liked Cobb, but it is a movie that can’t help being biased and less indicative of reality. Ditto The Babe, with John Goodman in the title role.
And, yes, The Rocket was also a fantastically done movie. The filmakers captured the era perfectly.
Another one worth seeking out which did receive a DVD release is the CBC production of Canada/Russia '72, which shows the Russians as even more calculating and dirty than they were ever portrayed in Miracle.
One real bomb was Youngblood, which really missed the mark. Patrick Swayze as a hockey player just isn’t all that convincing.
My favourite ‘sport’ is figure skating – I’m not a big fan of Ice Castles, but there’s not a lot of competition for singles figure skating. There are two Disney movies though which I like for various reasons, Ice Princess because of the characters and Go Figure because I think it got closer to the spirit of the sport (even though most of the movie was dedicated to women’s hockey, go figure…heh). But there is actually an anime series that I can’t remember the name of right now that was the best in my opinion.
You know, I don’t know crap about cricket, but Lagaan was a seriously awesome movie that made me care deeply about it. It’s a big time investment, but it’s worth it.
Not a movie, but there was that SNL skit with Harry Shearer and Martin Short …
Haven’t noticed anyone posting a soccer movie.
I’ll suggest Victory (originally called Escape to Victory) about WWII prisoners of war who play against the Germans. Stars Pele, Bobby Moore … and that well known soccer wizard, Sylvester Stallone …
The french film Water Lilies takes place in the world of high school synchronized swimming, but it’s more of a coming-of-age drama than a competition film.
I’ve always called that movie “Any Given Cliche.” All of the characters, the settings, and the situations are so cliched. And yet, I find it an enjoyable movie.
Another football movie that I like is Necessary Roughness. Yeah, of course the underdog team is going to win in the end and yes it does have Sinbad, Rob Schneider, and Kathy Ireland’s voice but it’s pretty funny.
Hazel mentioned Bend it Like Beckham.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who caught this. I’d be willing to say it’s the best baseball movie since Durham, though The Rookie does make an honorable contender.
The Damned United is another football (soccer) one.
And **Equipoise **mentioned Victory.
Most of my favorites have already been mentioned.
I’ll add the excellent 1963 movie This Sporting Life, starring Richard Harris. It’s about the life of a tough rugby league player in a working-class northern England town. Harris is excellent, and the movie is very dark and gritty.