@powerbook145 and @bbcwhereareyou You motherfuckers had me pontificating on this bullshit all day as if I don't have better things to do with my time. I don't, but that's not the point!
I don't even know where to start. Are documentaries "baseball movies?" If that's the case, is Ken Burns 9 part PBS documentary "Baseball" a movie? Let's leave documentaries to the side right now. I also think I want to... veer away from movies about fans for now. Movies made after 1940. I've seen movies about baseball made before 1940 but none of them are interesting in a way that I've retained any fucking memory about them. Where also going by release date. This is in no particular order, but I think after laying it out I might have an idea of what my favorite is.
Pride of the Yankees (1942) The problem with Pride of the Yankees (And a lot of baseball biopics) is I haven't seen it since Herbert Walker Bush was in office. I remember being blown away, but I was blown away by Ninja Turtles. It's also hard to tell if I liked the movie, or if I like Lou Gehrig and Lou Gehrigs story. Babe Ruth is in it! That's... weird. Right? Playing yourself in a movie about your dead friend? Kinda like, "Gotta make this all about the babe." I gotta imagine that Babe Ruth probably needed money at this point so I'll let it slide.
The Babe Ruth Story (1948) This may be the worst movie ever made. I love it so much. I'm not sure if its a bad movie night entry, but maybe an advanced bad movie night entry. For the real sickos. The guy hired looks nothing like Babe Ruth which is fine, because my guy George Herman had a very particular face, and was too sick to participate in the production. I don't need to get too deep in the weeds here, this thing is already going long. But Babe Ruth accidentally hits a dog with a baseball. He stops the game to take the dog to the hospital with his gaggle of kid pals. The doctors say WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ITS A FUCKING DOG. And the Babe looks them in the eye and says a Dog is the same as a human. And they save the dog's life. But the Yankees are pisse dbecause he left the game. They are presented as villainous for doing this, instead of adults. Fantastic movie.
Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949) Another movie I saw over a quarter century ago. Eh, you got Frankie Blue Eyes, you got Gene kelly, you got a story about Baseball. There's singing there's dancing. Fuck it.
Fear Strikes Out (1957) This might be in the running for favorite baseball movie. Pre Psycho Tony Perkins playing fascinating baseball figure Jim Piersall. It is dated in a lot of ways, but you know what it was made in 1957. Fuck off. Karl Marlden is also in it, and I love Karl Marlden.
Damn Yankees (1959) STRIKE THREE BALL FOUR WALK A RUN WILL TIE THE SCORE, FLY BALL DOUBLE PLAY YANKEES WIN AGAIN TODAY, THOSE DAMN YANKEES WHY CAN'T WE BEAT EM HE'S OUT HE'S SAFE HE'S OUT HE'S SAFE HE'S OUT HE'S SAFE HE'S OUT, YER BLIND UP YER BLIND UP YOU MUST BE OUTTA YOUR MIND UMP. Man sells his soul to satan so he can help the Washington Senators win the pennant. What the fuck else do you need. I was in a production of Damn Yankees! I played "guy in back."
Bang the Drum Slowly (1972) See, I don't know if this movie was good, or if its just sad, but if you're interested in pre Godfather 2 Bobby DeNiro well here ya go.
Bad News Bears (1976) Eh, not a lot to say about it. I'm not sure if I ever got into it like most people because I saw it after the Bad News Bears in Japan or whatever its called. If you like seeing a child say slurs then it might be up your alley, but I'll watch anything Walter Matthau does.
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings (1976) GO. Watch this movie right now! It's incredible. Barnstorming black baseball team. It stars Billy Dee, James Earl, Richard Pryor, loosely based on Satchel Paige. It's fun and funny and doesn't take itself seriously. It might also be in the running.
Bull Durham (1988) Take a long jump in the timeline to a movie I've talked about endlessly here. If it's not the best baseball movie ever, it might be the MOST baseball movie ever. It's not trying to trick you with any "AMERICA'S GAME" bullshit, any sepia toned remembrance of a past that never existed. It's about a bunch of red asses. It's about a guy who continues to play not reallyf or love of the gme, but no real knowledge of life outside of baseball, falling in love with a groupie. It's perfect, but you know that.
Eight Men Out(1988) I think this is the one. I think Eight Men Out is the best baseball film. It is perfect. Look at the like wikipedia for Baseball movies. This one makes 98% of the listed movies completely irrelevant. It's got an all star cast and John Sayles doing his John Sayles thing. It's got Studs Terkel in it! I don't know why it doesn't get more credit, I think because the Black Sox scandal is so fucking tragic and this rubs your face in it, but my god. Eight Men out.
Field of Dreams (1989) It's good for what it is! And what it is is a movie for babies and man babies. I'll give it credit for being a well made movie for babies and man babies.
Major League (1989) I can't believe that Major League and Field of Dreams were made in the same year. The Angel on one shoulder and the Devil on the other. I love its portrayal of baseball players as degenerates. Just like the real thing! I also love how Major League Baseball gave them licensing? Allowed their brand to be used, even though its about team relocation. Like, a deliberate team relocation! I could talk about that for hours, especially since the real life Tribe at that time were under constant threat of relocation. More on this in another post!
A League of their Own (1992) Magic movie. Perfect cast. One of the greatest portrayals of sibling rivalry ever committed to screen. MARLA HOOCH WHAT A HITTER. I wrote up a lot about ALOTO earlier today, but we're running out of light over here.
The Sandlot (1993) I wrote up a lot about the Sandlot too! I've seen teh Sandlot like.... 800 times. Hell at baseball bar, I would have the Sandlot on every day. It's comfort.
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