Little did I know as a child that a professional women's baseball league even existed.That just goes to prove what little recognition these ladies have gotten over the years.This film finally pushes them over the top in terms of getting that recognition.Excellent perception and direction by Penny Marshall here in recreating this long ago time;a time of war when the nation needed the simple pleasures of life more than ever,to help them escape,at least temporarily,the horrors of the goings on overseas.With most of the male professional ball players overseas,our beloved women were called upon to fill the void,and boy did they ever fill it!It makes me wish, in some ways,that I could have been there to see it all.A fine comic performance here by Tom Hanks,as Jimmy Dugan, the somewhat reluctant and ignorant(at least,at first) manager of the Rockford Peaches. Outstanding performances as well from Madonna,Rosie O'Donnell,Geena Davis,and Lori Petty.A finer tribute could not have been made.Well done.
357 Reviews
Entertaining look at an obscure piece of sporting history
JamesHitchcock16 May 2004
Like most Englishmen, I know about as much about baseball as the average American knows about cricket. I am also not a great fan of sporting films in general, although there are a number of exceptions. Despite this, however, I generally love baseball films, of which there were a number of good examples in the late eighties and early nineties. ('Eight Men Out', 'Field of Dreams' and 'The Natural' all spring to mind). There is something about the sport that seems to lend itself to the cinema; perhaps British filmmakers should consider making a film about cricket, as the two sports have a lot in common.
During the Second World War many of America's male baseball stars were drafted into the forces, and it appeared that the nation might be deprived of its favourite sport. An entrepreneur therefore had the idea of creating an all-female baseball league. 'A League of their Own' tells the story of some of the women who played in that league.
At the centre of the drama is the rivalry between two sisters, Dottie and Kit, who sign for the same team, the Rockford Peaches. The sisters have contrasting characters. Dottie is the more talented player, but Kit is more aggressive and determined to succeed. Kit's aggression and the sibling rivalry between her and Dottie lead to dissension in the team's dressing room, and Kit is traded to a rival team, the Racine Belles. The climax of the film comes when Rockford and Racine meet in the finals of the league championship, with Kit and Dottie on opposite teams.
The film has some interesting observations about the social values of the era in which it is set. During this period there was a conflict between traditional views of femininity and the need, caused by wartime conditions, for women to take on what had historically been masculine roles. Before the war, there had been only very limited opportunities for women in professional sport; most sports, such as tennis and athletics, in which women were permitted to compete were strictly amateur. During the war, they were allowed to take part, but were still expected to conform to the ideal of being 'ladylike'. In the film, players are selected as much for their sex appeal as for their talent (Ernie Capadino, the cynical, sexist talent scout, wants to leave one player out of the team because he considers her insufficiently glamorous) and they are required to attend a 'charm school' and to conform to a strict code of sexual morality. Dottie and Kit can be seen as representing the two sides of this conflict. For all her talent, Dottie's heart is not really in professional baseball, and her real wish is to return to her old life as a housewife as soon as her husband returns from the war. Kit, on the other hand, is single, and sees the game as a way of escaping from her previously dull existence.
Although Geena Davis was quite good as Dottie, the two best performances came from two actors I had not previously heard of, Jon Lovitz in the cameo role of Ernie Capadino, and Lori Petty as Kit, who brought out the fierce determination and will to win of her character. I am surprised that she has not gone on to become a bigger star than she has. It was interesting to see Madonna (normally found in starring roles) in a supporting role as Mae, one of the Peaches who rebels against the strict moral code.
Tom Hanks stars as Jimmy Dugan, the coach of the Rockford Peaches, in a role created largely because the filmmakers felt that they needed a big male star. Dugan was himself a famous baseball player in his time, but his career was wrecked by his heavy drinking. At the beginning of the film, Dugan is played as a figure of fun, making blunders such as urinating in front of the women, but being too drunk to notice or to care. Later on, Dugan sobers up and develops into a mixture of inspirational coach and dispenser of homespun philosophy along the lines of 'There's no crying in baseball'. At neither stage, however, does the film bring out the genuinely tragic aspects of Dugan's fall from grace as a great, or potentially great, athlete ruined by alcoholism. (One can think of modern parallels such as George Best or Diego Maradona). The actor may be at fault here; during the early part of his career Hanks always seemed a limited actor, convincing in 'Mr Nice Guy' roles but unable to portray more unsympathetic characters. ('Bonfire of the Vanities' being another example).
There were one or two other things about the film that I did not like. I felt we should have seen more of Kit between her transfer to Racine and her reappearance in the finals. The opening and closing scenes, showing a reunion of the surviving players more than forty years later, did not add much to the story. (They did, however, correct the misleading impression given in the rest of the film that women's professional baseball came to an end with the war; in fact, it survived until 1954). Overall, however, this was an entertaining film, well worth watching. 7/10.
During the Second World War many of America's male baseball stars were drafted into the forces, and it appeared that the nation might be deprived of its favourite sport. An entrepreneur therefore had the idea of creating an all-female baseball league. 'A League of their Own' tells the story of some of the women who played in that league.
At the centre of the drama is the rivalry between two sisters, Dottie and Kit, who sign for the same team, the Rockford Peaches. The sisters have contrasting characters. Dottie is the more talented player, but Kit is more aggressive and determined to succeed. Kit's aggression and the sibling rivalry between her and Dottie lead to dissension in the team's dressing room, and Kit is traded to a rival team, the Racine Belles. The climax of the film comes when Rockford and Racine meet in the finals of the league championship, with Kit and Dottie on opposite teams.
The film has some interesting observations about the social values of the era in which it is set. During this period there was a conflict between traditional views of femininity and the need, caused by wartime conditions, for women to take on what had historically been masculine roles. Before the war, there had been only very limited opportunities for women in professional sport; most sports, such as tennis and athletics, in which women were permitted to compete were strictly amateur. During the war, they were allowed to take part, but were still expected to conform to the ideal of being 'ladylike'. In the film, players are selected as much for their sex appeal as for their talent (Ernie Capadino, the cynical, sexist talent scout, wants to leave one player out of the team because he considers her insufficiently glamorous) and they are required to attend a 'charm school' and to conform to a strict code of sexual morality. Dottie and Kit can be seen as representing the two sides of this conflict. For all her talent, Dottie's heart is not really in professional baseball, and her real wish is to return to her old life as a housewife as soon as her husband returns from the war. Kit, on the other hand, is single, and sees the game as a way of escaping from her previously dull existence.
Although Geena Davis was quite good as Dottie, the two best performances came from two actors I had not previously heard of, Jon Lovitz in the cameo role of Ernie Capadino, and Lori Petty as Kit, who brought out the fierce determination and will to win of her character. I am surprised that she has not gone on to become a bigger star than she has. It was interesting to see Madonna (normally found in starring roles) in a supporting role as Mae, one of the Peaches who rebels against the strict moral code.
Tom Hanks stars as Jimmy Dugan, the coach of the Rockford Peaches, in a role created largely because the filmmakers felt that they needed a big male star. Dugan was himself a famous baseball player in his time, but his career was wrecked by his heavy drinking. At the beginning of the film, Dugan is played as a figure of fun, making blunders such as urinating in front of the women, but being too drunk to notice or to care. Later on, Dugan sobers up and develops into a mixture of inspirational coach and dispenser of homespun philosophy along the lines of 'There's no crying in baseball'. At neither stage, however, does the film bring out the genuinely tragic aspects of Dugan's fall from grace as a great, or potentially great, athlete ruined by alcoholism. (One can think of modern parallels such as George Best or Diego Maradona). The actor may be at fault here; during the early part of his career Hanks always seemed a limited actor, convincing in 'Mr Nice Guy' roles but unable to portray more unsympathetic characters. ('Bonfire of the Vanities' being another example).
There were one or two other things about the film that I did not like. I felt we should have seen more of Kit between her transfer to Racine and her reappearance in the finals. The opening and closing scenes, showing a reunion of the surviving players more than forty years later, did not add much to the story. (They did, however, correct the misleading impression given in the rest of the film that women's professional baseball came to an end with the war; in fact, it survived until 1954). Overall, however, this was an entertaining film, well worth watching. 7/10.
A Simple but effective Movie
mjw230523 January 2005
Set at the start of World War 2, Geena Davis and Lori Petty are recruited to the first professional baseball league for women. The sisters struggle to keep the league going against the odds, while their own personal rivalry begins to escalate.
I don't pretend to know much about baseball, so if this element is poor i wouldn't really notice, but i did feel that it was a good setting for the story.
Quite touching and well directed, i was surprised how compelling this movie was. All in all the strong cast and pleasant script makes this a good movie, with a little for everyone.
8/10
I don't pretend to know much about baseball, so if this element is poor i wouldn't really notice, but i did feel that it was a good setting for the story.
Quite touching and well directed, i was surprised how compelling this movie was. All in all the strong cast and pleasant script makes this a good movie, with a little for everyone.
8/10
Pleasant Experience.
tfrizzell3 July 2002
"A League of Their Own" tells a story that is rarely discussed in historical circles. The country is immersed in World War II and it is up to the women to keep professional baseball going. The film follows the sometimes rocky relationship between two sisters (Geena Davis and Lori Petty) who go from a small town in the midwest to the major leagues. Tom Hanks does outstanding work as the former player who now manages their team. Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell are among the other girls on the team who keep Hanks on his toes. Penny Marshall's direction is very solid here and she tells the story with a dignified style and grace that works well on the silver screen. A very good comedy-drama from the early-1990s. 4 stars out of 5.
a good film for a wide audience
rebeljenn25 February 2006
'A League of Their Own' is a film about an all-female baseball team during the second World War. This film follows the stories about the team of females and their perspective on life and society (as women) during this time in history. I am not a fan of sports or sport-related films, but I did enjoy this one. I think that this film had enough elements for a wider audience to enjoy it. It also is able to combine comedy with drama and history, and it makes an exciting and engaging film with characters that are three-dimension and easy to care about. I think that this is an exciting film, and even if you dislike sports, the film has plenty more to offer for any viewer.
Perfect movie
Med-Jasta15 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Everything about this movie is executed perfectly. The comedy is funny and isn't forced. The drama is real but not heavy. It's about two serious subjects but the message is in the subtext and doesn't hit you over the head.
The casting is spectacular. Davis plays the girl where everything comes naturally to her so perfectly. And she also has that distraction behind her eyes until her husband comes home. Not only does she act this perfectly but she also physically has the look. Her tall appearance is regal by nature. And in good contrast to her little sister. Lori Petty embodies the little sister. I don't know what it is but she does it perfectly. She looks so desperate and competitive with everything that happens. She's never relaxed and always has a chip on her shoulder. If you have siblings their relationship feels real. And not Hollywood real. They subtly convey the love/hate relationship. I guess it's more resentment than hate. But as you probably know, it's complicated.
Everyone else is great. Rosie and Madonna are two great supporting characters. As they all are. Of course Hanks is great. I think my favorite part of his is when he's trying to be nice to Bitty Schram after she botches a play. He looks like he's about to explode. And I like that his character never really has a "come to Jesus moment." He just slowly warms up to the girls and his job.
Even the casting of the old ladies was great. This way you could avoid all of the aged make up that didn't look so good in those days. And save the time and money. And give some older actors some work. I really had to question if I was looking at Geena Davis at the start. Using her voice was a great idea. It really bridged the gap. And when you saw all of them you knew exactly who it was. I don't know why but who was alive and wasn't made so much sense but it did.
Penny Marshall does an amazing job. Of course because it's good and her movie. But even more than that. The small things. Like when Dotty shows up at the very end its kind of a surprise. It's not overly set up that way. No one says her name or anything. But it goes on for so long that you question where she is. And then when she shows up you are glad she's there. Then at the last game they're all banged up. Not only because they're not wearing much but because it's the last game. She also shoots nice and wide. This is great because you get to see those grand baseball fields and all of the players are always present. Davis dropping the ball at the climax is ambiguous. But if you were paying attention you know that Davis didn't drop it in the dugout or the last play at the plate.
I really liked the scene when they get the mail from the army. Not only do you see how far Hanks has come but also you are quickly reminded that this was the reality for all of these girls. Because when that letter comes they all think it could be for them. Then they're all relieved it's not but sad for their friend. Must have been rough.
I grew up watching this movie. I had it on VHS next to a handful of other movies. So on boring summer days this was in the regular rotation. And it was one of the few movies my mom would watch with me. It was great to watch as a grown up and not only understand the historical context but also the film making side. I don't call many movies perfect but this is one of them. Does everything it sets out to do. Nothing feels forced. Nothing misses. The mood is always right. And "There's no crying in baseball," is one of those lines that never gets old.
The casting is spectacular. Davis plays the girl where everything comes naturally to her so perfectly. And she also has that distraction behind her eyes until her husband comes home. Not only does she act this perfectly but she also physically has the look. Her tall appearance is regal by nature. And in good contrast to her little sister. Lori Petty embodies the little sister. I don't know what it is but she does it perfectly. She looks so desperate and competitive with everything that happens. She's never relaxed and always has a chip on her shoulder. If you have siblings their relationship feels real. And not Hollywood real. They subtly convey the love/hate relationship. I guess it's more resentment than hate. But as you probably know, it's complicated.
Everyone else is great. Rosie and Madonna are two great supporting characters. As they all are. Of course Hanks is great. I think my favorite part of his is when he's trying to be nice to Bitty Schram after she botches a play. He looks like he's about to explode. And I like that his character never really has a "come to Jesus moment." He just slowly warms up to the girls and his job.
Even the casting of the old ladies was great. This way you could avoid all of the aged make up that didn't look so good in those days. And save the time and money. And give some older actors some work. I really had to question if I was looking at Geena Davis at the start. Using her voice was a great idea. It really bridged the gap. And when you saw all of them you knew exactly who it was. I don't know why but who was alive and wasn't made so much sense but it did.
Penny Marshall does an amazing job. Of course because it's good and her movie. But even more than that. The small things. Like when Dotty shows up at the very end its kind of a surprise. It's not overly set up that way. No one says her name or anything. But it goes on for so long that you question where she is. And then when she shows up you are glad she's there. Then at the last game they're all banged up. Not only because they're not wearing much but because it's the last game. She also shoots nice and wide. This is great because you get to see those grand baseball fields and all of the players are always present. Davis dropping the ball at the climax is ambiguous. But if you were paying attention you know that Davis didn't drop it in the dugout or the last play at the plate.
I really liked the scene when they get the mail from the army. Not only do you see how far Hanks has come but also you are quickly reminded that this was the reality for all of these girls. Because when that letter comes they all think it could be for them. Then they're all relieved it's not but sad for their friend. Must have been rough.
I grew up watching this movie. I had it on VHS next to a handful of other movies. So on boring summer days this was in the regular rotation. And it was one of the few movies my mom would watch with me. It was great to watch as a grown up and not only understand the historical context but also the film making side. I don't call many movies perfect but this is one of them. Does everything it sets out to do. Nothing feels forced. Nothing misses. The mood is always right. And "There's no crying in baseball," is one of those lines that never gets old.
Classy feelgood story of women pioneers
spottedreptile12 June 2000
Like many others, I didn't know anything about a wartime female baseball league so the story was fascinating to me. The film is beautifully told and is very touching and funny. The plot follows the women who made up a professional girls' baseball league during the second world war when the guys went fightin'. And then of course the war is over, and the guys come back - then what happens to the women with their glimpse of independence and a life outside the kitchen?
There are lots of good character arcs, particularly the two sisters, Dottie (Geena Davis) and Kit (Lori Petty), and the washed up has-been, Jimmy Dugan, played by Tom Hanks with about 2 stone extra on him for the role.
The flashback structure works so well you can't imagine doing it any other way. All the actors do a great job, but for me, Lori Petty as Kit, Dottie's kid sister, steals the show. She is brilliant.
Watch out for occasional glimpses of Tea Leoni as a Racine hitter.
Apparently all the injuries seen were sustained by the actors themselves. You can believe it too - they really look like ball players. First-rate editing makes it genuinely exciting sport.
The film could have been a stinker - there are many cliches and it's pretty predictable, but it's handled with great sympathy and sentiment without treacle by Penny Marshall. Twists and subplots would have been out of place - this is a classic feelgood and entertains without dragging on.
I give this 7 out of 10. On a rainy afternoon it's great entertainment.
There are lots of good character arcs, particularly the two sisters, Dottie (Geena Davis) and Kit (Lori Petty), and the washed up has-been, Jimmy Dugan, played by Tom Hanks with about 2 stone extra on him for the role.
The flashback structure works so well you can't imagine doing it any other way. All the actors do a great job, but for me, Lori Petty as Kit, Dottie's kid sister, steals the show. She is brilliant.
Watch out for occasional glimpses of Tea Leoni as a Racine hitter.
Apparently all the injuries seen were sustained by the actors themselves. You can believe it too - they really look like ball players. First-rate editing makes it genuinely exciting sport.
The film could have been a stinker - there are many cliches and it's pretty predictable, but it's handled with great sympathy and sentiment without treacle by Penny Marshall. Twists and subplots would have been out of place - this is a classic feelgood and entertains without dragging on.
I give this 7 out of 10. On a rainy afternoon it's great entertainment.
"There's no crying in baseball!"
Smells_Like_Cheese23 November 2003
A League of their Own, another classic movie that I grew up with. I have to admit it, I'm a girl, I totally fell in love with this movie. But I'm one of the rare girls that loves baseball with a passion, I was raised in a very baseball oriented family, we live in Chicago, we kinda have to enjoy sports, lol. But growing up you wonder why baseball, football, basketball are more for the boys vs. the girls, girls can play but are not famous for it and if they are an athlete are accused of being manly. It's a tough world, but when I was 7 years old A League of their Own was released in theaters, my family saw this movie together and my life changed. Sounds silly, but this was the movie that reminded me to stay strong, at the time when women were expected to stay in the kitchen, as hard as they had to work for it, there was a women's baseball league during WWII. A League of their Own explores this hard but extremely fun time for the girls of the All American Baseball League.
When World War II threatens to shut down Major League Baseball, candy manufacturing magnate Walter Harvey decides to create a women's league to make money. Ira Lowenstein is put in charge of public relations and scout Ernie Capadino is sent out to recruit players. Capadino likes what he sees in catcher Dottie Hinson. She's a terrific hitter and he offers her a tryout, but the married woman is content where she is, working in a dairy and on the family farm in Oregon while her husband is away at war. He's less impressed with her younger sister, pitcher Kit Keller, who loves the game passionately but appears to be less talented. He finally lets her come along when she persuades Dottie to give it a try for her sake. When the trio arrive at the tryouts in Chicago, they meet Doris and Mae. They make it onto the team, The Peaches who are managed by drunkard former baseball great Jimmy Dugan. Jimmy initially treats the whole thing as a joke, leaving the managerial duties to Dottie. However, he takes over when he sees how hard and well his team plays. The league attracts little interest at first. With a Life magazine photographer in attendance, he asks them to do something spectacular. When a ball is popped up behind home plate, she catches it while doing splits; the resulting photograph makes the cover of the magazine. More and more people show up and the league becomes a huge success.
The acting is absolutely superb, we have actors on top of their game, Tom Hanks who delivers the memorable "There's no crying in baseball!" speech. Geena Davis who was a great heroine as the star of the league who just wants her husband home from the war but is hanging onto the league for her little sister's sake. Even Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell are great together and have awesome chemistry as best friends Mae and Doris. This is one of those chick flicks that everyone has to see because it worked on every level. Penny Marshall truly brought out the pain these girls had to go through to be taken seriously. The ending always gets me in tears I have to admit, just knowing that these girls hung in there and stayed strong when everyone told them that girls couldn't play ball, let's hope that one day they'll have the opportunity again.
10/10
When World War II threatens to shut down Major League Baseball, candy manufacturing magnate Walter Harvey decides to create a women's league to make money. Ira Lowenstein is put in charge of public relations and scout Ernie Capadino is sent out to recruit players. Capadino likes what he sees in catcher Dottie Hinson. She's a terrific hitter and he offers her a tryout, but the married woman is content where she is, working in a dairy and on the family farm in Oregon while her husband is away at war. He's less impressed with her younger sister, pitcher Kit Keller, who loves the game passionately but appears to be less talented. He finally lets her come along when she persuades Dottie to give it a try for her sake. When the trio arrive at the tryouts in Chicago, they meet Doris and Mae. They make it onto the team, The Peaches who are managed by drunkard former baseball great Jimmy Dugan. Jimmy initially treats the whole thing as a joke, leaving the managerial duties to Dottie. However, he takes over when he sees how hard and well his team plays. The league attracts little interest at first. With a Life magazine photographer in attendance, he asks them to do something spectacular. When a ball is popped up behind home plate, she catches it while doing splits; the resulting photograph makes the cover of the magazine. More and more people show up and the league becomes a huge success.
The acting is absolutely superb, we have actors on top of their game, Tom Hanks who delivers the memorable "There's no crying in baseball!" speech. Geena Davis who was a great heroine as the star of the league who just wants her husband home from the war but is hanging onto the league for her little sister's sake. Even Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell are great together and have awesome chemistry as best friends Mae and Doris. This is one of those chick flicks that everyone has to see because it worked on every level. Penny Marshall truly brought out the pain these girls had to go through to be taken seriously. The ending always gets me in tears I have to admit, just knowing that these girls hung in there and stayed strong when everyone told them that girls couldn't play ball, let's hope that one day they'll have the opportunity again.
10/10
Generally Enjoyable But Inconsistent Period-Comedy About A Fascinating Episode of American Life
classicalsteve18 March 2017
Prior to 1940, the United States economy mostly thrived on the shoulders of the working male. Males were the bread-winners, as they say, and worked for a variety of different companies in many different positions. While we think of these jobs predominantly in factories or in offices, sports players were also employees. Prior to the 1970's, baseball players were similar to employees even though they did make wages several times the national average but not nearly what they make in the 21st century. So what happens when a huge percentage of the working population of males had to leave the United States and fight the Nazis in Europe or the Japanese in the Pacific? Other people had to take those jobs, leading to the rise of "Rosy the Riveter" and other jobs for females. And it also happened in baseball with the rise of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League.
"A League of Their Own" tells the quasi-fictionalized/quasi-historical tale of one of the teams of the league, the Rockford Peaches. While there was definitely a Rockford Peaches and their rivals, the Racine Belles, the characters are largely fictitious. The only character inspired by a real person is Dorothy "Dottie" Hinson played by Geena Davis, loosely based on real-life baseball player Dorothy "Dottie" Kamenshek. The other characters, particularly those played by Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell are entirely fictional but give relatively good examples of what some of the girls who actually played may have been like. Madonna in particular was a good casting choice, allowing her to do what she does best as a sexy baseball outfielder. How the film compares to the actual history we'll explore later.
The film begins with Geena Davis and Lori Petty as Kit Keller playing in a softball game viewed by a scout, played with typical obnoxiousness by John Lovitz. He convinces them to tryout for the women's baseball league in Chicago. They go by train and there at Cubs field meet other aspiring recruits, including "All the Way" Mae Mordabito (Madonna) and Doris Murphy (Rosie O'Donnell). Their "manager" is down-on-his-luck former baseball home-run hitter Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks). They end up on the Rockford Peaches and become one of the best teams in the league. One aspect which was very true: the league didn't want "butch"/Sadie Hawkins types on the teams. They desired women who still exuded femininity even when playing the rough and dirty game of baseball. While this attitude is certainly disapproved of in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, it was very real in the 1940's. They were also told no booze and no men. There is a scene where they "escape" the confines of the dorms and party which probably did happen.
The film is mostly enjoyable but seemed very uneven in the comedy versus drama department. A few bits seemed more like scraps from unused Saturday Night Live sketches, such as when Hanks enters the locker room and uses the "facilities" in front of the girls, and this is supposed to be 1943! Another was a kid of one of the girls who was so over-the-top in the misbehavior department, with chocolate all over his face, I wanted to spank the screenwriter! I thought there might be a scene where one of the women puts him in his place but it doesn't happen until about 9/10's through the film. This character should been axed as it served no purpose. Also, some of Hanks' drunken episodes were too over-the-top to be believable.
The film suffers from two main problems. The first was it couldn't decide if it was going to be a straight slapstick comedy or a relatively honest look at one of the most interesting cultural phenomenons which was a piece in a larger puzzle which changed the role of women in American society and culture. Many of the daughters of these women would eventually fuel the Women's Liberation Movement of the 1970's. However the film's desperate need to be "funny" overshadowed some of the larger points about the social roles of women.
The other is the lacking historical accuracy; Hollywood really missed out on a golden opportunity. Women who were part of the actual AAGPBL give the film about 30% accuracy. What was most disappointing was reading about the real "Dottie" Dorothy Kamenshek. Kamenshek was considered to be such an effective player, she was actually considered for recruitment for MLB. One of the managers of the MLB thought she was the best athlete he had ever seen among both men and women. Instead, the filmmakers decided to water-down Davis' attitude towards the game even though her character's accomplishments mirror that of the real Dottie. The real Dottie played for about 10 seasons and she won batting titles. Without giving anything away the destiny of Davis' character by the end of the film is completely different. This league and other institutions in which women participated in nearly identical roles as men changed the United States. However, the film emphasized more of the comedy and less of that aspect. Sort of a B or a B+ at best but could have been quite a compelling contribution to the world of sports films. Instead it's a decent movie with some interesting dramatic moments punctuated by silly comedy.
"A League of Their Own" tells the quasi-fictionalized/quasi-historical tale of one of the teams of the league, the Rockford Peaches. While there was definitely a Rockford Peaches and their rivals, the Racine Belles, the characters are largely fictitious. The only character inspired by a real person is Dorothy "Dottie" Hinson played by Geena Davis, loosely based on real-life baseball player Dorothy "Dottie" Kamenshek. The other characters, particularly those played by Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell are entirely fictional but give relatively good examples of what some of the girls who actually played may have been like. Madonna in particular was a good casting choice, allowing her to do what she does best as a sexy baseball outfielder. How the film compares to the actual history we'll explore later.
The film begins with Geena Davis and Lori Petty as Kit Keller playing in a softball game viewed by a scout, played with typical obnoxiousness by John Lovitz. He convinces them to tryout for the women's baseball league in Chicago. They go by train and there at Cubs field meet other aspiring recruits, including "All the Way" Mae Mordabito (Madonna) and Doris Murphy (Rosie O'Donnell). Their "manager" is down-on-his-luck former baseball home-run hitter Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks). They end up on the Rockford Peaches and become one of the best teams in the league. One aspect which was very true: the league didn't want "butch"/Sadie Hawkins types on the teams. They desired women who still exuded femininity even when playing the rough and dirty game of baseball. While this attitude is certainly disapproved of in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, it was very real in the 1940's. They were also told no booze and no men. There is a scene where they "escape" the confines of the dorms and party which probably did happen.
The film is mostly enjoyable but seemed very uneven in the comedy versus drama department. A few bits seemed more like scraps from unused Saturday Night Live sketches, such as when Hanks enters the locker room and uses the "facilities" in front of the girls, and this is supposed to be 1943! Another was a kid of one of the girls who was so over-the-top in the misbehavior department, with chocolate all over his face, I wanted to spank the screenwriter! I thought there might be a scene where one of the women puts him in his place but it doesn't happen until about 9/10's through the film. This character should been axed as it served no purpose. Also, some of Hanks' drunken episodes were too over-the-top to be believable.
The film suffers from two main problems. The first was it couldn't decide if it was going to be a straight slapstick comedy or a relatively honest look at one of the most interesting cultural phenomenons which was a piece in a larger puzzle which changed the role of women in American society and culture. Many of the daughters of these women would eventually fuel the Women's Liberation Movement of the 1970's. However the film's desperate need to be "funny" overshadowed some of the larger points about the social roles of women.
The other is the lacking historical accuracy; Hollywood really missed out on a golden opportunity. Women who were part of the actual AAGPBL give the film about 30% accuracy. What was most disappointing was reading about the real "Dottie" Dorothy Kamenshek. Kamenshek was considered to be such an effective player, she was actually considered for recruitment for MLB. One of the managers of the MLB thought she was the best athlete he had ever seen among both men and women. Instead, the filmmakers decided to water-down Davis' attitude towards the game even though her character's accomplishments mirror that of the real Dottie. The real Dottie played for about 10 seasons and she won batting titles. Without giving anything away the destiny of Davis' character by the end of the film is completely different. This league and other institutions in which women participated in nearly identical roles as men changed the United States. However, the film emphasized more of the comedy and less of that aspect. Sort of a B or a B+ at best but could have been quite a compelling contribution to the world of sports films. Instead it's a decent movie with some interesting dramatic moments punctuated by silly comedy.
What a wonderful film!
Drewboy-216 February 2001
I love this film! Seeing Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Rosie O'Donnell and Madonna in one film is fantastic. Having it directed by Penny Marshall makes it all the better. After I watched it, for some strange reason I felt I'd watched an extended episode of "Laverne & Shirley" but this is great for the comedy!
Tom Hanks was magnificent with all the comic touches that endear him to so many of us.
The older version of Dottie at the beginning and ending of the story is NOT Geena Davis made up to look older - neither are any of the other ladies! An excellent casting decision was made to have older actresses play these parts - Lynn Cartright was chosen to play Dottie (Geena Davis) in her late 60's and she was a dead-ringer for Geena!
Watch for Tea Leoni (as Racine Belles 1st-base player), Eddie Mekka (Carmine on "Laverne & Shirley" - he dances with Madonna!) and David L. Lander (Squiggy from "L & S" - radio announcer.)
Brings a tear to my eye no matter how many times I watch it - right up there with FIELD OF DREAMS!
Tom Hanks was magnificent with all the comic touches that endear him to so many of us.
The older version of Dottie at the beginning and ending of the story is NOT Geena Davis made up to look older - neither are any of the other ladies! An excellent casting decision was made to have older actresses play these parts - Lynn Cartright was chosen to play Dottie (Geena Davis) in her late 60's and she was a dead-ringer for Geena!
Watch for Tea Leoni (as Racine Belles 1st-base player), Eddie Mekka (Carmine on "Laverne & Shirley" - he dances with Madonna!) and David L. Lander (Squiggy from "L & S" - radio announcer.)
Brings a tear to my eye no matter how many times I watch it - right up there with FIELD OF DREAMS!
Plastic nostalgia...but Geena Davis and Lori Petty are perfectly cast
moonspinner5528 August 2007
A present-day reunion of WWII-era women's league baseball players that brings back fond memories of America's Golden Era to the now-aged ladies who blazed the trail. Director Penny Marshall's nostalgic valentine to war-time tomboys puts the squeeze on us right from the start (with elderly actress Lynn Cartwright dubbed with Geena Davis' voice, to ill effect). Marshall wants to make sure we don't miss any of her hat-tricks, some of which (including a urination gag) that misfire completely. The cast of high-spirited gals (and Tom Hanks as their coach) are alternately lively, wonderful and excruciating. Rosie O'Donnell is a real chore stomping about on the field, but Geena Davis and Lori Petty (as competitive sisters) are genuinely charming, shrewdly cast and nearly flawless (a movie about them alone would be worth watching). The film isn't nearly as hearty as it wants to be (it has a mechanical engine driving it), but the put-on sentiment may hook some. Madonna's supporting performance is one of her least self-conscious, and she contributes a moving song, "This Used to Be My Playground". **1/2 from ****
For me, a very beautiful and inspiring movie
rull_cl2 February 2006
Despite the fact of this movie was exhibited on screens in 1992 or 93, I've just saw it on TV in my country only a few days ago. In fact, it isn't the first time it is exhibited, but for one reason or other I've never had seen it. And I've to say that "A League Of Their Own" really touched me. In my country, unlike other Latinamerican like Venezuela, Puerto Rico and -- if I'm not wrong -- Cuba, baseball isn't a popular game, like soccer or tennis. It's played only in some clubs by American citizens or Chilean who lived in the U.S. and learned to play and love it. However, for me the ignorance of the baseball rules is not important, but the fact of that the subjects treated in this movie are universal: fight for a dream and achieve it, solidarity (how beautiful the scene when one of the players teaches to read the one who doesn't know, using a "little hot" short-novel), friendship, hope, dignity and the spirit of trying to be always better. From now on, this movie has become one of my favorites, with some other like "Steel Magnolias" and "Fried Green Tomatoes". Beautiful ones, inspiring, with no-violence and giving a positive message good for our spirits, no matter the zone of the world where you live because, like I've already said, its message is universal: the hope on reaching your dreams and be a better person. And I think that it's marvelous in a world like the present, that sometimes turns so hard to live in. I believe also that it isn't necessary to be American or have had friends or relatives involved in a terrible conflict like the 2nd W.W. to understand this movie. Finally, I'm sorry for my not good English and, if possible, I beg from someone who had had the patience to read this lines up to this point, some additional information about the female baseball league of the United States. I will appreciate it, really. And friendly greetings from Chile, proudly the world's southernmost country!!. (and very friendly with foreigners, too. Visit us, we're waiting for you!!)
Lori Petty is just too whiny
heat912017 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I love almost everything about this film; the only problem is that the thing I most dislike is a BIG part of the story. Specifically, the Kit character played by Lori Petty. The character spends far too much time whining and complaining about how life constantly does her wrong.
And it's very hard to shake the impression at the end that Geena Davis' character Dottie lets Kit have the win in the "big game." Perhaps that wasn't the film's intention (we do see Dottie telling the pitcher what kind of throws Kit isn't good at hitting), but when Dottie had earlier executed the same kind of play successfully, I just can't believe that she legitimately dropped the ball when Kit rammed into her at home plate.
No, I think Dottie lost the game on purpose, and that's a betrayal of her teammates.
The movie is still well worth watching though, especially for Tom Hanks' delightfully crude manager, Madonna's unrestrained energy (much better than Evita) and the great sight of sisters doin' it for themselves.
And it's very hard to shake the impression at the end that Geena Davis' character Dottie lets Kit have the win in the "big game." Perhaps that wasn't the film's intention (we do see Dottie telling the pitcher what kind of throws Kit isn't good at hitting), but when Dottie had earlier executed the same kind of play successfully, I just can't believe that she legitimately dropped the ball when Kit rammed into her at home plate.
No, I think Dottie lost the game on purpose, and that's a betrayal of her teammates.
The movie is still well worth watching though, especially for Tom Hanks' delightfully crude manager, Madonna's unrestrained energy (much better than Evita) and the great sight of sisters doin' it for themselves.
Unwatchable
ahlstrom-31-88080228 May 2017
I was always surprised this film did so well at the box office. If you are a baseball fan it is almost unwatchable. I like Tom Hanks but he mostly snarls and growls in the film. Madonna is a complete anachronism and painful to watch. Most of the other women are simply irritating. Only Genna Davis is worth watching. Completely fails to capture the spirit of the wartime America. Don't waste your time with this turkey of a film.
Highly Entertaining Baseball Movie WIth Some Curve Balls
museumofdave20 April 2013
There is little doubt that to the average viewer this is an entertaining, well-made film, and if you and your family are in a non-critical mode, in the mood for a baseball movie, some easy laughs and a tiny bit of history, this is a good choice.
If there is a problem with the film its because its trying to do three things simultaneously: Is it a serious feminist document about women in baseball in the 1940s? Is it a predictable comedy with stereotyped characters (the grumpy manager who doesn't think women can play ball..guess what happens?) and all-too familiar plot lines? Is it a three-hankie tear jerker with lots of female bonding to ensure the waterworks will flow? Director Penny Marshall balances the elements effectively, but the honor she could have done to the real accomplishment of these sports- minded pioneers too frequently smacks of the sitcom; nevertheless, fine performances all round, especially from lead Geena Davis
If there is a problem with the film its because its trying to do three things simultaneously: Is it a serious feminist document about women in baseball in the 1940s? Is it a predictable comedy with stereotyped characters (the grumpy manager who doesn't think women can play ball..guess what happens?) and all-too familiar plot lines? Is it a three-hankie tear jerker with lots of female bonding to ensure the waterworks will flow? Director Penny Marshall balances the elements effectively, but the honor she could have done to the real accomplishment of these sports- minded pioneers too frequently smacks of the sitcom; nevertheless, fine performances all round, especially from lead Geena Davis
Never waste time, never waste an opportunity
AlsExGal21 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I watched this film for the nth time after many times as part of the "Trailblazing Women" series on Turner Classic Movies. After watching the Rosie the Riveter documentary, it really stands out how much women were "used" during World War II. They were told how important they were to the war effort. What wasn't emphasized was the transient nature of the situation, that it was "until the men come back", so they got used to doing something other than housework if they were married or pretty mind numbing low paying jobs if they were not. The women working in the factories during the war had good paying jobs and some independence for the first times in their lives, the same with the girls in this movie. They not only had good pay, but a place in the limelight, doing something they were good at doing - baseball - with crowds rooting for them, but like Dottie and Kit, they had just been playing as amateurs pre-War. Dottie doesn't want to join the league at first. What Kit says is true - Dotty is the prettier sister, the sister with more baseball talent, and she doesn't want to admit her own competitive spirit until she is given a chance to exercise it, and then that competitiveness somewhat scares her. Tom Hanks is brilliant as Jimmy Dugan, a washed up ball player who drank away the five best years of his career and is recruited to coach the Rockford Peaches. At first he doesn't take this job seriously, but time, a few verbal bouts with Dottie, and a growing attachment to the girls change that. Towards the end of the film he delivers one of the best monologues that I have ever heard about talent, opportunities lost, and the fact that certain moments never come again. I know somebody else wrote these lines, but he delivered them with heart. One line should be emblazoned on everybody's mind - "If it wasn't hard everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great." Don't run away from anything because it is hard.
Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell provide great comic relief - they actually had a pretty good off-screen friendship - so their back and forth comes across naturally. Even if you don't like these two individually, I think you'll like them here. It's funny how much women playing ball just offends American society's sensibilities about what is proper for a woman so much that a big part of the girls' training is basically a charm school, and that as players the women actually have curfews and places like bars that are off limits to them due to publicity, as though they were minors or gentle flowers that need protection.
And now let me talk about Oregonian sisters Dottie and Kit, specifically Kit. Kit has talent. Kit has beauty. She just doesn't have as much as her sister. She definitely shows the audience how to be both a bad winner and a bad loser and just how much jealousy can make anybody ugly inside and out. And now the debate on the ending - that has been rehashed endlessly. I'll just say what I THINK happened makes me furious, because if I'm right then one person let an entire team down just to give another person who was green with envy a false victory in the hope that it would give them a lifetime of confidence. I know this is just a movie, but envy is a condition that is not cured by an external victory, earned or not. It can only be cured by a person changing their viewpoint, that THEY are responsible for their lives and actions. Give a jealous person one victory today and this time next year it will just be something else they feel is unfair and responsible for their misery.
I highly recommend this one. It is almost perfect on every level, even the soundtrack!
Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell provide great comic relief - they actually had a pretty good off-screen friendship - so their back and forth comes across naturally. Even if you don't like these two individually, I think you'll like them here. It's funny how much women playing ball just offends American society's sensibilities about what is proper for a woman so much that a big part of the girls' training is basically a charm school, and that as players the women actually have curfews and places like bars that are off limits to them due to publicity, as though they were minors or gentle flowers that need protection.
And now let me talk about Oregonian sisters Dottie and Kit, specifically Kit. Kit has talent. Kit has beauty. She just doesn't have as much as her sister. She definitely shows the audience how to be both a bad winner and a bad loser and just how much jealousy can make anybody ugly inside and out. And now the debate on the ending - that has been rehashed endlessly. I'll just say what I THINK happened makes me furious, because if I'm right then one person let an entire team down just to give another person who was green with envy a false victory in the hope that it would give them a lifetime of confidence. I know this is just a movie, but envy is a condition that is not cured by an external victory, earned or not. It can only be cured by a person changing their viewpoint, that THEY are responsible for their lives and actions. Give a jealous person one victory today and this time next year it will just be something else they feel is unfair and responsible for their misery.
I highly recommend this one. It is almost perfect on every level, even the soundtrack!
One of the greatest movies of the '90s
defazio7627 December 2000
For the person who said that the movie was good up until the reunion scene, you really need to go rent it and think that comment over, buddy. The reunion scene is what ties it all together! It shows you what happens to all the characters! I think that scene was one of the most adorable! And the casting! The women who played Kit and Dottie's part as older women were fantastic! They looked exactly like them! Every time I watch it with someone who has never seen it, they exclaim, "What good makeup work they've done!", thinking that they just made up Geena Davis and Lori Petty. For whichever person it was who said it dealt too much with the rivalry between sisters and not enough on the league, that was the whole point! That's the plot, that's everything about the movie. If they had focused entirely on the league, not only would it not hit the theatres and wind up being some stupid special on A&E, but nobody would watch it even then! True, to the women who lived it all, it was exciting, but unless you make it into a movie that good, nobody's going to end up caring. Children who saw A League of their Own learned about women in baseball and saw the beginning of females playing sports. Do you think more than about 3 kids in America would know ANYTHING about how women's baseball started if it had just been a boring documentary on the History Channel? I don't think so. To conclude this long-winded speech about why you two who commented negatively should go rent the movie again, I give it two very enthusiastic thumbs-up! I know I rented that movie a 14 year-old girl who figured girls had been allowed to play sports since Jesus was alive and after watching it, knew entirely better. One of the most fabulous movies and might I add - My favorite actress/director, Penny Marshall did a WONDERFUL job on it. And just a note: Keep an eye out for Penny's new movie, Riding in Cars With Boys. It's sure to be a good one, overlook the title, anyone who liked League will like this one, I guarantee!
A Baseball Coming Of Age Story For Women - But Men Will Enjoy It Too
sddavis6326 February 2002
There's nothing particularly earth-shattering in this movie, which offers a heavily fictionalized account of the goings on in the "All American Girls Professional Baseball League" - a real baseball league formed during the Second World War as a means of keeping interest in the game alive while some of its biggest stars were fighting overseas.
There are some good performances to be found here. Tom Hanks - reunited with Director Penny Marshall (they worked together previously on "Big") offered his usual high calibre performance as Jimmy Dugan - an alcoholic ex-baseball star who (against his will) is assigned to manage the Rockford Peaches. Geena Davis was great as Dottie Hinson, the Peaches catcher and - as Dugan describes her - "the best player in the league." I was also impressed by Lori Petty as Kit Keller, Dottie's little sister. In a relatively brief role through the first half hour or so of the movie, Jon Lovitz was entirely believable as the scout (Ernie Capadino) who discovered Dottie and got her to agree to play. Several other "big" names appear - most notably Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell as teammates on the Peaches.
The movie is in many ways a coming of age story, with at least three subplots all revolving around the theme. First is Dugan's growth as the Peaches manager. Originally not interested in the team, showing up at games late and drunk, falling asleep in the dugout, he becomes almost fanatical in his desire to see the Peaches win the AAGPBL (now there's a mouthful!) World Series. The relationship between Dottie and Kit gets a lot of attention, as Kit's resentment of living in Dottie's shadow grows and grows throughout the movie. Then there's the story of Marla Hootch (played by Megan Cavanaugh), the homely, shy girl, raised by her widowed father as a tomboy, who - ironically enough - learns how to be a "lady" by the time she spends hanging out with "girl baseball players."
All in all, this is a good story, very entertaining, with good acting and good directing from Penny Marshall, who manages to create a real "game feel" in the baseball scenes and keeps us interested in the human interest sidelines without letting them bog us down.
7/10.
There are some good performances to be found here. Tom Hanks - reunited with Director Penny Marshall (they worked together previously on "Big") offered his usual high calibre performance as Jimmy Dugan - an alcoholic ex-baseball star who (against his will) is assigned to manage the Rockford Peaches. Geena Davis was great as Dottie Hinson, the Peaches catcher and - as Dugan describes her - "the best player in the league." I was also impressed by Lori Petty as Kit Keller, Dottie's little sister. In a relatively brief role through the first half hour or so of the movie, Jon Lovitz was entirely believable as the scout (Ernie Capadino) who discovered Dottie and got her to agree to play. Several other "big" names appear - most notably Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell as teammates on the Peaches.
The movie is in many ways a coming of age story, with at least three subplots all revolving around the theme. First is Dugan's growth as the Peaches manager. Originally not interested in the team, showing up at games late and drunk, falling asleep in the dugout, he becomes almost fanatical in his desire to see the Peaches win the AAGPBL (now there's a mouthful!) World Series. The relationship between Dottie and Kit gets a lot of attention, as Kit's resentment of living in Dottie's shadow grows and grows throughout the movie. Then there's the story of Marla Hootch (played by Megan Cavanaugh), the homely, shy girl, raised by her widowed father as a tomboy, who - ironically enough - learns how to be a "lady" by the time she spends hanging out with "girl baseball players."
All in all, this is a good story, very entertaining, with good acting and good directing from Penny Marshall, who manages to create a real "game feel" in the baseball scenes and keeps us interested in the human interest sidelines without letting them bog us down.
7/10.
Stylish, warm and fun to watch
DennisLittrell20 July 2004
Warning: Spoilers
(Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get it at Amazon.)
This movie is about ten times better than it has any right to be considering how sappy director Penny Marshall could have been tempted to make it, and how phony is the actual baseball played by the young women. (More on this below.)
What makes it work are fine performances by Geena Davis as catcher Dottie Hinson, "the best player in the league," and Lori Petty as her younger sister, Kit Keller. Geena Davis absolutely looks the part with her cool confidence and stately figure while Lori Petty is scrappy and believable as the little sister whose puck and determination set the stage for a sister-rivalry climax at the end.
Jon Lovitz as Ernie Capadino, the baseball talent scout, is a crackup as he delivers just about all the best one liners. (Example: he's watching Dottie and Kit milk the cows and asks, "Doesn't that hurt them?" Geena shrugs for the city slicker, "They don't seem to mind." Ernie thinks about it and then says, "Well, it would bruise the heck out of me," which was doubly funny since he has his anatomy confused.) But the guy who really holds the whole thing together is Tom Hanks as one-time home run king Jimmy Dugan, who is now the Rockford Peaches' alcoholic manager. I have seen Tom Hanks in a number of films, but I don't think he was ever any better than he is here. His transformation from a crude, uncaring drunk to the team's hard-nosed but soft-hearted leader is very well and believably done. And Hanks was never more charming and seldom funnier.
Just as good as the work of the fine cast is Marshall's clear, old-fashioned direction. In many ways this film is a throwback to an earlier time when films set out to warm the hearts of the audience and uplift their spirits. Sure, there is evil in the world and you can't win them all, but you can try, is what this film makes us feel, and if you do, something good will happen. There is of course a somewhat self-conscious retrospective look at the sorry political and social state of women sixty years ago, but Marshall does not wallow in the politics. Instead she emphasizes a fun-to-watch tale with real human characters. The unpredictable, but believable ending was very agreeable.
Okay now to some of the problems with the "baseball." Notice that we first see Kit as a softball pitcher. How she made the transition from throwing underhanded to being one of the best overhand hardball throwers in the league in just a few months is...well, doubtful. And the outfits they wore!
Ever try to slide into second trying to break up the double play without sliding pads or even jersey pants? I don't think so. The girls were bare-legged. To Marshall's credit she does show one girl with a huge strawberry bruise on her thigh. Furthermore for those viewers who have actually played baseball, the way many of the young women threw and caught the ball was again, shall we say, doubtful. Marshall employed as extras some young ladies who could actually play a little and we see some shots of their style and grace, but the only star who could even pretend to play at that level would be Rosie O'Donnell. Madonna has some athletic ability, but to imagine her patrolling center field and hauling down long drives strains credibility.
Okay, so what? If we put Tom Hanks at bat against even the most mediocre of Class A pitchers, it would be obvious that he is no home run king. In fact, I think Penny Marshall did a great job of creating and maintaining the illusion of Big League skills for the players so that we were not distracted from the story itself. Skillful editing helped.
By the way, if they gave Academy Awards for a performance in a role short of a supporting role but longer than a cameo (and maybe they should), Megan Cavanagh would have won it for her touching impersonation of Marla Hooch, a painfully shy and vulnerable, less than pretty girl from the farm who finds herself as a baseball player in the city as she steals some guy's heart with an unselfconscious, boozy, off-key torch song. I also loved the scene where she is rocketing line drives off the walls and through the windows of the high school gymnasium.
Note the appearance of David L. Lander as the radio play-by-play guy. He's best known as the wacky/creepy "Squiggy" Squiggman from the old Laverne and Shirley TV sit-com. Here he plays it mostly straight but does get to wear his hat with the bill up as Leo Gorcey did in the East Side Kids (AKA The Bowery Boys) movies from the early forties.
Bottom line here: Uplifting, fun, and even worth seeing again.
This movie is about ten times better than it has any right to be considering how sappy director Penny Marshall could have been tempted to make it, and how phony is the actual baseball played by the young women. (More on this below.)
What makes it work are fine performances by Geena Davis as catcher Dottie Hinson, "the best player in the league," and Lori Petty as her younger sister, Kit Keller. Geena Davis absolutely looks the part with her cool confidence and stately figure while Lori Petty is scrappy and believable as the little sister whose puck and determination set the stage for a sister-rivalry climax at the end.
Jon Lovitz as Ernie Capadino, the baseball talent scout, is a crackup as he delivers just about all the best one liners. (Example: he's watching Dottie and Kit milk the cows and asks, "Doesn't that hurt them?" Geena shrugs for the city slicker, "They don't seem to mind." Ernie thinks about it and then says, "Well, it would bruise the heck out of me," which was doubly funny since he has his anatomy confused.) But the guy who really holds the whole thing together is Tom Hanks as one-time home run king Jimmy Dugan, who is now the Rockford Peaches' alcoholic manager. I have seen Tom Hanks in a number of films, but I don't think he was ever any better than he is here. His transformation from a crude, uncaring drunk to the team's hard-nosed but soft-hearted leader is very well and believably done. And Hanks was never more charming and seldom funnier.
Just as good as the work of the fine cast is Marshall's clear, old-fashioned direction. In many ways this film is a throwback to an earlier time when films set out to warm the hearts of the audience and uplift their spirits. Sure, there is evil in the world and you can't win them all, but you can try, is what this film makes us feel, and if you do, something good will happen. There is of course a somewhat self-conscious retrospective look at the sorry political and social state of women sixty years ago, but Marshall does not wallow in the politics. Instead she emphasizes a fun-to-watch tale with real human characters. The unpredictable, but believable ending was very agreeable.
Okay now to some of the problems with the "baseball." Notice that we first see Kit as a softball pitcher. How she made the transition from throwing underhanded to being one of the best overhand hardball throwers in the league in just a few months is...well, doubtful. And the outfits they wore!
Ever try to slide into second trying to break up the double play without sliding pads or even jersey pants? I don't think so. The girls were bare-legged. To Marshall's credit she does show one girl with a huge strawberry bruise on her thigh. Furthermore for those viewers who have actually played baseball, the way many of the young women threw and caught the ball was again, shall we say, doubtful. Marshall employed as extras some young ladies who could actually play a little and we see some shots of their style and grace, but the only star who could even pretend to play at that level would be Rosie O'Donnell. Madonna has some athletic ability, but to imagine her patrolling center field and hauling down long drives strains credibility.
Okay, so what? If we put Tom Hanks at bat against even the most mediocre of Class A pitchers, it would be obvious that he is no home run king. In fact, I think Penny Marshall did a great job of creating and maintaining the illusion of Big League skills for the players so that we were not distracted from the story itself. Skillful editing helped.
By the way, if they gave Academy Awards for a performance in a role short of a supporting role but longer than a cameo (and maybe they should), Megan Cavanagh would have won it for her touching impersonation of Marla Hooch, a painfully shy and vulnerable, less than pretty girl from the farm who finds herself as a baseball player in the city as she steals some guy's heart with an unselfconscious, boozy, off-key torch song. I also loved the scene where she is rocketing line drives off the walls and through the windows of the high school gymnasium.
Note the appearance of David L. Lander as the radio play-by-play guy. He's best known as the wacky/creepy "Squiggy" Squiggman from the old Laverne and Shirley TV sit-com. Here he plays it mostly straight but does get to wear his hat with the bill up as Leo Gorcey did in the East Side Kids (AKA The Bowery Boys) movies from the early forties.
Bottom line here: Uplifting, fun, and even worth seeing again.
Great baseball flick
hillary113 February 2005
I loved this movie. There were some great lines ("There's NO CRYING in baseball!") and the cast was fabulous, even the minor characters (Garry Marshall is one of my all-time favorite character actors). Tom Hanks was brilliant, and one gets the feeling that if Madonna had stuck to comedy she'd be a huge box office draw by now. The only thing I didn't really care about was the "rivalry" going on between Dottie Hinson and her sister-Kip was one of the weakest characters in the film and too much attention was paid to her for her to be so underdeveloped.
If you haven't seen it, rent it sometime during the baseball season. It's almost as good as "The Natural" and better than "Field of Dreams."
If you haven't seen it, rent it sometime during the baseball season. It's almost as good as "The Natural" and better than "Field of Dreams."
When Women Took a Sports and Made it Theirs
nycritic16 June 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Unless you're a history buff you may not know that there was a women's baseball league -- the All American Girls' Professional Baseball League, formed in 1943 -- and while the men were away fighting the war in Europe these women kept the spirit alive by playing an game that has become part of Americana. Itself a sports version of SWING SHIFT, A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN is a sentimental journey back in time to when all this was taking place and it seemed that women would also claim this as their own sports in a male-dominated world. (They didn't, but it was good while it lasted.)
The story of how these very different women came together from all areas of the country, played under the tutelage of Jimmy Dugan, a one-time baseball hero who was now going through his own bad patch as an alcoholic, is the basis for Penny Marshall's movie. Focusing mainly on Dottie Hinson and Kit Keller, sisters living in Oregon who become a part of this team but due to Kit's hotheaded temper, eventually become estranged and playing opposite teams, the movie in itself becomes an interesting view of how cutthroat woman can be in the sports arena, but also, how a sisterhood can thrive in the face of a horror that hovers over like an invisible cloud.
With performances by Geena Davis (then at the top of her movie career, going from hit to hit to hit), Lori Petty, Tom Hanks (on the cusp of Oscar greatness and still in his boyish mode), Jon Lovitz, Rosie O'Donnell (playing herself, much the case in all of the movies she's appeared in), Madonna (actually able to act), David Strathairn, and Bill Pullman in a small but crucial part as Bob Hinson, A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN is the equivalent of sitting back and taking a good look at your high-school yearbook and reminiscing. The final segment, in which the characters reunite in their older selves, is impacting because it features many of the actual players from the time.
The story of how these very different women came together from all areas of the country, played under the tutelage of Jimmy Dugan, a one-time baseball hero who was now going through his own bad patch as an alcoholic, is the basis for Penny Marshall's movie. Focusing mainly on Dottie Hinson and Kit Keller, sisters living in Oregon who become a part of this team but due to Kit's hotheaded temper, eventually become estranged and playing opposite teams, the movie in itself becomes an interesting view of how cutthroat woman can be in the sports arena, but also, how a sisterhood can thrive in the face of a horror that hovers over like an invisible cloud.
With performances by Geena Davis (then at the top of her movie career, going from hit to hit to hit), Lori Petty, Tom Hanks (on the cusp of Oscar greatness and still in his boyish mode), Jon Lovitz, Rosie O'Donnell (playing herself, much the case in all of the movies she's appeared in), Madonna (actually able to act), David Strathairn, and Bill Pullman in a small but crucial part as Bob Hinson, A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN is the equivalent of sitting back and taking a good look at your high-school yearbook and reminiscing. The final segment, in which the characters reunite in their older selves, is impacting because it features many of the actual players from the time.
An interesting and entertaining study of women's baseball
MovieAddict20165 September 2005
I've seen this numerous times on cable over the years. While it isn't a perfect film, it is a nice little enjoyable flick for a Sunday afternoon - you could do worse.
When the men were shipped off to fight in World War II, there wasn't anyone left to play baseball. Fearing financial losses, women were hired to fill in for the men's absence - forming major and minor league teams and putting on games like the boys did.
This is based on a true story and stars Geena Davis as the main character. Tom Hanks plays her alcoholic coach, who has trouble accepting his position as a women's coach - he kind of resents the idea of coaching females in general.
Madonna has a co-star role as one of the baseball players, and it was her name on the credits that really helped make this a success back in '92 - without her it wouldn't have been quite as marketable.
The cast is overall pretty good. There are some recognizable faces like Jon Lovitz to add humor to the mix. And the story is well told without coming across as smug.
It's not a great movie but if you're in the mood for gentle entertainment, it's a good choice.
When the men were shipped off to fight in World War II, there wasn't anyone left to play baseball. Fearing financial losses, women were hired to fill in for the men's absence - forming major and minor league teams and putting on games like the boys did.
This is based on a true story and stars Geena Davis as the main character. Tom Hanks plays her alcoholic coach, who has trouble accepting his position as a women's coach - he kind of resents the idea of coaching females in general.
Madonna has a co-star role as one of the baseball players, and it was her name on the credits that really helped make this a success back in '92 - without her it wouldn't have been quite as marketable.
The cast is overall pretty good. There are some recognizable faces like Jon Lovitz to add humor to the mix. And the story is well told without coming across as smug.
It's not a great movie but if you're in the mood for gentle entertainment, it's a good choice.
Penny Marshall's Absolute Home Run
jobennett8622 December 2005
I am not a movie-goer. I watch everything on video or cable. I have seen League of Their Own no less than 50 times, and each time, I'm delighted and amazed at the comedic thought and timing that Penny Marshall put into this movie. This is the only movie that I can quote verbatim during the dialogue. Such gems as when Jimmy Dugan asks why the bus stopped, then "Betty Spaghetti" informs him that "Lou quit." Dugan screams, "Who's Lou?!" And on another Dugan rant, when Rosie O'Donnell's character mumbles, "Is that English?" The expression on the scout's face when he sees how, er, plain-looking Marla looks. His explanation that he has to go home after dropping his recruits off for tryouts, because he needs to shower, shave, and "give the wife some pickle tickle." Beyond the funny, fine performances, though, this film has a sweet sadness that makes it real. In the end, these former professional athletes who made it to their golden years come back to be honored in the Baseball Hall of Fame and play in a virtual homecoming game. They all look pretty much like the grandma who you love or who lives down the street from you, but you know that they're women who were brought together because they all had the guts, determination and talent to change the face of American sports.
This Clubhouse is Flooded With Character, But Wafer-Thin
drqshadow-reviews15 August 2014
Geena Davis helms a plucky, extroverted squad of girls embroiled in the inaugural season of a ladies' baseball league. It's got heart and charm to spare, but often veers too close to super motivational, Lifetime Network feel-good material for my taste. The talent is there, with strong support from Tom Hanks, Jon Lovitz and Madonna, though their roles frequently edge near the cartoonish. Some are able to pull that off - Lovitz has been making bread with such exaggerated characters for years - but others, like Rosie O'Donnell's stereotypical feisty Jersey girl, aren't as adept. Puffy, padded, and egregiously predictable, its message about the irresistible force of gender equality in the midst of WWII is nice, but often feels secondary to the manufactured lite drama in the locker room.
A decent film about the only Woman's Baseball League
mbrochu28 September 1998
This is about the most even movie I have ever seen. The film had enough to keep my interest for the duration, but not enough to make me think "Wow, I've just seen a great movie" There is little in the way on conflict for the talented cast to act around. Consider Hanks who plays a recovering alcoholic ex ballplayer. His transformation is not mentioned in any way. One moment drunk and down on himself, the next moment fully recovered and socially functional. There is no down point of this movie so there is no soaring to an up point. The movie is even all the way through. What really peaks your interest is the history behind the league.
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