To
achieve the incredible, you have to attempt the
impossible!
"A League of
Their Own" chronicles the story of the first
women's baseball league, which formed during
World War II while the men were off to war. In
the film, Tom Hanks plays Jimmy Dugan, an
alcoholic ex-baseball player who becomes the
women's coach.
The team is made up of quite the diverse
personalities including the sassy "all the way"
Mae (Madonna), Dottie (Geena Davis), Kit (Lori
Petty), Mae's best buddy Doris (Rosie
O'Donnell), and others.
The film is an easygoing, fun time and I'm
admittedly a tad biased as I was an extra for
several days during filming at Bush Stadium in
Indianapolis. It afforded me the opportunity to
meet several members of the cast, and to watch
the way they work. As much fun as filming was,
that fun isn't always radiated onscreen.
Davis, a late addition to the cast, in
particular seems a tad disconnected and
particularly out of sync with the rest of the
cast. Real life friends Madonna and O'Donnell,
on the other hand, have a marvelous chemistry
and this may be the best performance by both of
them. Likewise, Hanks starts off a bit slow but
after about the first third of the film has
moved beyond stereotypical coach gestures and is
developing a true character.
Penny Marshall directs, and while she tries to
accomplish a lot she continues her tendency to
get bogged down in sentiment which hinders the
character and story development. The script by
Babaloo Mandel and Lowell Ganz is good, but at
times too comfortable and the game scenes lack
the excitement needed, especially moving toward
the championship.
"A League of Their Own", in some ways, is a
missed opportunity considering the incredible
talent in the cast, however, even with the
missed opportunities it remains a pleasant view
with enough laughs and good will to overcome
it's fundamental weaknesses.
©
Written by Richard Propes
TC Candler's Comment
n/a
Jacob
Hall's Comment
n/a
