|
 Barry Levinson's The Natural (1984) didn't win any of the fours Oscar's it was nominated for, but is still what I would call a classic. Many classic movie fans still list The Natural among their top favorites. Adapted for the screen by Robert Towne from the novel by Bernard Malamud, the 1939 story is about Roy Hobbs, a baseball player who yearned to stand at home plate from the time his father first pitched him a ball. Robert Redford plays Hobbs, and the movie also stars Glenn Close, Wilford Brimley, Kim Basinger, Robert Prosky and Robert DuVall.
 When Roy Hobbs get his chance at the big league with a tryout for the Chicago Cubs, he's set. His mind is on the game, his heart is in the right place, and he has his special bat - one he made from a tree standing above his father's grave when it was felled by lightening. The only thing Roy is sad about is leaving the farm and his gal behind, but he promises Iris (Glenn Close) he'll be back. Famous last words!
One night while on the road, Roy gets tangled up with a woman (Barbara Hershey) who ends up dead in her hotel room after shooting him. The scandal is bad enough, but Roy has internal injuries that begin to plague him as well, and he drops from sight. The story fast-forwards 16 years as Roy gets another chance to play the game he loves when he tries out for the New York Knights. He's past his prime but Roy's enthusiasm fuels his game. Coach Pop Fisher (Wilford Brimley) knows a jewel when he sees one, and Roy makes the team.
Kim Basinger
Once Roy gets his game on, he becomes involved with Pop's niece, Memo Paris (Kim Basinger). Pop is not too crazy about this, not because of Memo, but for Roy. Pop isn't sure her relationship with the Judge (Robert Prosky), a co-owner of the team, is on the up and up. Now that Roy is helping the team to win, it might be okay, but should they begin to lose, Pop will lose his share of the team.
Roy crawls from underneath Memo's strong clutch on the very day he's not hitting well. A quick shot into the stands between pitches and Roy sees an angel standing tall among the sitting men. It's Iris, beautifully lit by  cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (The Spiderwick Chronicles). The brim of her hat appears to be a halo. The goodness that radiates off her face like a silent message of hope is all Roy needs to inspire him. He slams in a home run, and the Knights are on their way to the pennant.
When Roy meets Iris after game, there are a few awkward moments, before Iris begs off and leaves.
Glenn Close &
Robert Redford
But they meet a few more times before the team has to leave the area and Roy tries to make Iris understand why he didn't come back. It's obvious the flame for each other is still burning but Roy has a pennant to win.
Before that happens he has more dealings with the Judge who tires to pay Roy to throw the game. Roy also has to contend with reporter, Max Mercy (Duvall) who is holding some secret photos that could end Roy's immense fan base and maybe his career. Before he can respond to either problem, Roy ends up in the hospital and told if he plays ball again, he could die.
While this story is exceptionally entertaining - and one both baseball and romance fans can enjoy together - it's Deschanel's luminous cinematography that kept me so excited. His unique eye behind the camera and the exceptional way he lit so many scenes made the story resonant even more. If you watch the movie there are so many scenes where this expertise shows up. In a scene between Roy and Max, as Duval speaks light and shadows both play across his face as he speaks to Roy. Yet when Roy looks at Max, his face beams with not a single shadow. I've already mentioned the scene with Iris in the stadium, but there are also subtle differences in the way Iris and Memo are lit. While Iris always looks radiant, soft and angel-like, Memo appears darker, less close ups, and more harsh. Good and evil transcends through the magic of Deschanel's lens without a single line of dialogue. Then there's the brilliant scenes when Roy hits the ball and it crashes into the ball park clock, sign, park lights and they break one at a time live fireworks. These scenes appear so real you think you're in the park watching them.
The icing on the cake in this film is Barry Levinson's direction and Randy Newman's sensational original score. Every note fits the scene perfectly and heightens the film's entertainment. The score includes:
-
Prologue 1915-1923 (5:20)
-
The Whammer Strikes out (1:56)
-
The Old Farm 1939 (107)
-
The Majors: The Mind is a Stranger thing (2:14)
-
"Knock the Cover Off the Ball" (2:17)
-
Memo (2:02)
-
The Natural (3:33)
-
Wrigley Field (2:13)
-
Iris & Roy (0:58)
-
Winning (1:00)
-
A Father Makes a Difference (1:53)
-
The Penthouse Party (1:10)
-
The Final Game (4:37)
-
The End Title (3:22)
The four Academy Award nominations the film won include: Best Actress in a Supporting Role Glenn Close; Best Art Direction-Set Decoration Mel Bourne, Angelo P. Graham, Bruce Weintraub; Best Cinematography Caleb Deschanel; Best Music, Original ScoreRandy Newman. The Natural is one film you can see time and again, and if you haven't seen it, make sure you do.
Director: Barry Levinso
Writers: Robert Towne (screenplay), Bernard Malamud (novel)
Cast: Robert Redford, Glenn Close, Wilford Brimley, Kim Basinger, Robert Prosky, Joe Don Baker and Robert DuVall.
Rating: PG
Classic Movie Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Run Time: 134 minutes
Studio: TriStar Pictures
Format: Color, widescreen
Photo credits: TriStar Pictures
|
