Written by: Bill Lancaster
I was channel surfing a while back when I stumbled upon this movie airing on the MLB Network channel. I'd seen the re-make several times, but hadn't stopped to watch the original since I was a kid.
The film is remarkably still very strong, and manages to avoid dating itself. Matthau plays the lovable loser coaching a whole team of lovable losers. The kids, led by Tatum O'Neal, give the film its weight and momentum and feeling.
What gives the film such standing, I feel, is that it manages to have heart, without resorting to the standard Hollywood corn or cheese. You care about the kids, but not because they prey upon your sympathies. Instead, they feel like real human beings. By the end of the movie, you're rooting for them without necessarily being told to. It's fascinating the way that was handled.
I'd love to watch the original and the re-make back-to-back. For now, though, I highly recommend the original.
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