"A League of their Own" 1992

“A League Of Their Own”

Jimmy Dugan: Evelyn, could you come here for a second? Which team do you play for?
Evelyn Gardner: Well, I'm a Peach.
Jimmy Dugan: Well I was just wonderin' why you would throw home when we got a two-run lead. You let the tying run get on second base and we lost the lead because of you. Start using your head. That's the lump that's three feet above you’re a$$.
[Evelyn starts to cry]
Jimmy Dugan: Are you crying? Are you crying? ARE YOU CRYING? There's no crying! THERE'S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL!
Doris Murphy: Why don't you give her a break, Jimmy...
Jimmy Dugan: Oh, you zip it, Doris! Rogers Hornsby was my manager, and he called me a talking pile of pig$hit. And that was when my parents drove all the way down from Michigan to see me play the game. And did I cry?
Evelyn Gardner: No, no, no.
Jimmy Dugan: Yeah! NO. And do you know why?
Evelyn Gardner: No...
Jimmy Dugan: Because there's no crying in baseball. THERE'S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL! No crying!

Amazingly this movie has a lot of people that I don’t really care for but it comes together in a way that I really enjoy. But the magic is in the casting. That is what ultimately makes or breaks a great movie. I try never to avoid a movie just because of who’s starring in it. It would be easy to miss a lot of great movies.

There is a list of actors that I don’t care for. I really don’t like Juliette Lewis or Jennifer Jason Lee. I have a viral hatred for Gwyneth Paltrow. But they are all in movies I like.

Lori Petty stars as Kit. She annoys me, but in this movie she is the annoying little sister. Geena Davis is Dottie. She has always struck me as kind of stuck up. This also works for the role.

Madonna is slutty and outrageous and Rosie O’Donnell is pushy and sarcastic.

Tracy Reiner has a job because her mom is the boss.

Tom Hanks is great as Jimmy Dugan. He alone has the ability to pull it all together. Being the only man in these women’s lives, he becomes what each of them needs.

But you add all these parts together with a great story and a fantastic soundtrack and it works. I love this movie. It has love and loss, female empowerment and fun. Everyone is at the top of their game, on the field and off it.

I can watch this film over and over. I like the DVD because it has some great deleted scenes that I am happy they got rid of. The main one being a romance between Dottie and Jimmy. I am glad it was removed. You still the see the subtle flirting but it is all under the surface and not in your face.

The story is about two sisters. There is that final play of the last game. Dottie has come back to play before she really starts her married life. She loves baseball but she knows that while she’ll regret leaving it, it isn’t the most important thing. Kit is desperate to be out of Dottie’s shadow, but also anxious for her approval. Then in that last moment they collide on the field and the ball rolls out of Dottie’s hand. It was more important for Kit to win. In her heart Dottie knew that if Kit lost the game she would lose Kit forever.

When they see each other at the end, there is great affection between them.

How great was the older casting? Especially the older Dottie. She is spot on. I know they dubbed the voice, but it looks just like her too.

So I have a question for you. Is there a movie you love that has an actor you hate?