Greatest Sports Movie Ever?
This post is contributed by General R. Blie - it's a great one...
I want to stay on the theme of movie’s from EDS’s post on Saturday. He wrote about wussification (I thank you for giving me a new five syllable word and I would like to see JP discuss how law students collect an arsenal of five syllable words, so they can sound pretentious in class.) But I would like to discuss another movie travesty – Million Dollar Baby.
I saw the movie, but I didn’t watch the Oscars, even though the Oscars made Fox preempt a new “Simpsons” for “Independence Day” (which was unfairly snubbed at the Oscars). Million Dollar Baby was entertaining and worth the $10 I spent on it. Based on my not seeing any of the other nominees, I would agree that it deserved Best Picture. However, Million Dollar Baby is making a push for a more lofty title – Best Sports Movie Ever.
Many people are buying into this argument. Real people. Not just suburban housewives who would rather watch the Bachelorette than Monday Night Football. On ESPN.com’s “Page 2,” Dan Shanoff feels that Million Dollar Baby deserves the #1 spot. They even included a poll where 6% of the people thought it was number one and another 36% put it in the top five. Million Dollar Baby was a good movie, but it is clearly not the best sports movie. It is not even in the top 10 (see below).
First, it is barely a sports movie. Sure, she hung out in a gym, and she had some fights. But, the movie was not about boxing. Honestly, the fights were pathetic. None of them lasted longer than Tyson-Spinks. A good sports movie should make you want to watch the sport. All this movie told you is that Women’s Boxing is lame and uncompetitive.
Even if this were a sports movie, it would only be the top in one subcategory – best women’s boxing movie. However, it is behind both Rocky and Raging Bull in the boxing movie category. It is behind Field of Dreams in the emotional sports movie category. It is behind Brian’s Song in the sad sports movie category.
Million Dollar Baby couldn’t even break into the top 20 when judged on the basis of being a great sports movie. So here is a top 10 list of movies (that I can think of off the top of my head) which beat Million Dollar Baby:
1. Field of Dreams – This is the greatest sports movie ever. It made you feel great about baseball. It hardly showed any baseball being played, but it still worked great. Watch this after Million Dollar Baby – No contest. Shoeless Joe gets to play again. Moonlight Graham gets his dream of having just one at-bat. Terrence Mann gets to see the game the way he remembers it from his youth at Ebbets Field. Finally, it ends with Ray having a catch with his dad – Isn’t that what sports should be about.
2. Rocky – If you want a great boxing movie, watch Rocky. This is a movie about boxing. Big dumb guys pummeling the living daylights out of each other. Boxing is not about first round knockouts. It is about going 15 rounds. Getting the crap knocked out of you. Going down to the mat with a bloody nose, swollen eyes and broken ribs and still finding the strength to stand up again and fight. Throw in Mickey, and you have a great movie.
3. Slap Shot – Not all sports movies have to be serious. Combine the best part of Bad News Bears and the Mighty Ducks, and you have Slap Shot. This is exactly how you make a funny sports movie. (Many people call Caddyshack, the funniest sports movie. Caddyshack is a funnier movie, but unfortunately, it is not a sports movie. It is simply a funny movie where some people golf. For a funny golf movie, see Happy Gilmore.)
4. Hoosiers – Just a great movie. Every scene is better than the next. Is there anyone who doesn’t love Hoosiers.
5. Major League – The only time I rooted against the Yankees. Great Baseball scenes and extremely funny. Only behind Slap Shot because Slap Shot did it first.
6. Raging Bull – The best black-and-white sports movie ever. It was intense, emotional and exciting. Even better, Jake LaMotta is a real person.
7. The Natural & The Rookie – These are both the same movie. They have the same exact plot. An old man struggles to obtain his athletic dreams that he abandoned in his youth. The Natural is a better movie, and the Rookie would only be a cheap knockoff, except for the fact that the Rookie really happened.
8. Rudy – 90% of the people who watch this movie will cry. The rest will spend the next week constantly yelling “Rudy, Rudy, Rudy, Rudy…”
9. Sandlot – I don’t know how many people have seen this movie, but it is a great sports movie. It is fun from beginning to end. [Note: it is a little odd that James Earl Jones, the most unathletic actor I can think of, is in two great sports movies.]
10. Miracle – Happy 25th Anniversary. Two problems with this movie. One, people who are old enough to remember the real thing say that it doesn’t compare. Two, the Red Sox used this as inspiration. Nevertheless, this was a great movie, especially for people who are too young to remember the greatest moment in sports history (but that’s another list).
Other movies that beat Million Dollar Baby:
61*, A League of their Own, Bad News Bears, Brian’s Song, Chariots of Fire, Cool Runnings, Eight Men Out, Happy Gilmore, Hoop Dreams, Mighty Ducks, Remember the Titans, Rocky II-IV, Seabiscuit, White Men Can’t Jump
While on the topic of Sports movies, I have to mention - films that are often on sports movie lists, but do not deserve to be there:
Caddyshack – See above, Not a sports movie, but a great movie with golf in it.
Bull Durham - The Caddyshack of minor league baseball, but not funny.
Searching for Bobby Fischer – A great movie, but since when is Chess a sport
The Hurricane – Just because the protagonist was a famous boxer, does not make this a sports movie
Jerry Maguire – This is debatable. The movie was about an agent and had a lot of sports. However, it was not a sports movie. It was a romantic comedy that threw in sports so guys will watch it also. It almost clawed its way back into the Sports category by giving us “Show me the money.” This phrase defines professional sports over the last 20 years. However, this is not a sports movie (unless we give women the vote).
Million Dollar Baby may be a great movie, but it is not a great sports movie
I want to stay on the theme of movie’s from EDS’s post on Saturday. He wrote about wussification (I thank you for giving me a new five syllable word and I would like to see JP discuss how law students collect an arsenal of five syllable words, so they can sound pretentious in class.) But I would like to discuss another movie travesty – Million Dollar Baby.
I saw the movie, but I didn’t watch the Oscars, even though the Oscars made Fox preempt a new “Simpsons” for “Independence Day” (which was unfairly snubbed at the Oscars). Million Dollar Baby was entertaining and worth the $10 I spent on it. Based on my not seeing any of the other nominees, I would agree that it deserved Best Picture. However, Million Dollar Baby is making a push for a more lofty title – Best Sports Movie Ever.
Many people are buying into this argument. Real people. Not just suburban housewives who would rather watch the Bachelorette than Monday Night Football. On ESPN.com’s “Page 2,” Dan Shanoff feels that Million Dollar Baby deserves the #1 spot. They even included a poll where 6% of the people thought it was number one and another 36% put it in the top five. Million Dollar Baby was a good movie, but it is clearly not the best sports movie. It is not even in the top 10 (see below).
First, it is barely a sports movie. Sure, she hung out in a gym, and she had some fights. But, the movie was not about boxing. Honestly, the fights were pathetic. None of them lasted longer than Tyson-Spinks. A good sports movie should make you want to watch the sport. All this movie told you is that Women’s Boxing is lame and uncompetitive.
Even if this were a sports movie, it would only be the top in one subcategory – best women’s boxing movie. However, it is behind both Rocky and Raging Bull in the boxing movie category. It is behind Field of Dreams in the emotional sports movie category. It is behind Brian’s Song in the sad sports movie category.
Million Dollar Baby couldn’t even break into the top 20 when judged on the basis of being a great sports movie. So here is a top 10 list of movies (that I can think of off the top of my head) which beat Million Dollar Baby:
1. Field of Dreams – This is the greatest sports movie ever. It made you feel great about baseball. It hardly showed any baseball being played, but it still worked great. Watch this after Million Dollar Baby – No contest. Shoeless Joe gets to play again. Moonlight Graham gets his dream of having just one at-bat. Terrence Mann gets to see the game the way he remembers it from his youth at Ebbets Field. Finally, it ends with Ray having a catch with his dad – Isn’t that what sports should be about.
2. Rocky – If you want a great boxing movie, watch Rocky. This is a movie about boxing. Big dumb guys pummeling the living daylights out of each other. Boxing is not about first round knockouts. It is about going 15 rounds. Getting the crap knocked out of you. Going down to the mat with a bloody nose, swollen eyes and broken ribs and still finding the strength to stand up again and fight. Throw in Mickey, and you have a great movie.
3. Slap Shot – Not all sports movies have to be serious. Combine the best part of Bad News Bears and the Mighty Ducks, and you have Slap Shot. This is exactly how you make a funny sports movie. (Many people call Caddyshack, the funniest sports movie. Caddyshack is a funnier movie, but unfortunately, it is not a sports movie. It is simply a funny movie where some people golf. For a funny golf movie, see Happy Gilmore.)
4. Hoosiers – Just a great movie. Every scene is better than the next. Is there anyone who doesn’t love Hoosiers.
5. Major League – The only time I rooted against the Yankees. Great Baseball scenes and extremely funny. Only behind Slap Shot because Slap Shot did it first.
6. Raging Bull – The best black-and-white sports movie ever. It was intense, emotional and exciting. Even better, Jake LaMotta is a real person.
7. The Natural & The Rookie – These are both the same movie. They have the same exact plot. An old man struggles to obtain his athletic dreams that he abandoned in his youth. The Natural is a better movie, and the Rookie would only be a cheap knockoff, except for the fact that the Rookie really happened.
8. Rudy – 90% of the people who watch this movie will cry. The rest will spend the next week constantly yelling “Rudy, Rudy, Rudy, Rudy…”
9. Sandlot – I don’t know how many people have seen this movie, but it is a great sports movie. It is fun from beginning to end. [Note: it is a little odd that James Earl Jones, the most unathletic actor I can think of, is in two great sports movies.]
10. Miracle – Happy 25th Anniversary. Two problems with this movie. One, people who are old enough to remember the real thing say that it doesn’t compare. Two, the Red Sox used this as inspiration. Nevertheless, this was a great movie, especially for people who are too young to remember the greatest moment in sports history (but that’s another list).
Other movies that beat Million Dollar Baby:
61*, A League of their Own, Bad News Bears, Brian’s Song, Chariots of Fire, Cool Runnings, Eight Men Out, Happy Gilmore, Hoop Dreams, Mighty Ducks, Remember the Titans, Rocky II-IV, Seabiscuit, White Men Can’t Jump
While on the topic of Sports movies, I have to mention - films that are often on sports movie lists, but do not deserve to be there:
Caddyshack – See above, Not a sports movie, but a great movie with golf in it.
Bull Durham - The Caddyshack of minor league baseball, but not funny.
Searching for Bobby Fischer – A great movie, but since when is Chess a sport
The Hurricane – Just because the protagonist was a famous boxer, does not make this a sports movie
Jerry Maguire – This is debatable. The movie was about an agent and had a lot of sports. However, it was not a sports movie. It was a romantic comedy that threw in sports so guys will watch it also. It almost clawed its way back into the Sports category by giving us “Show me the money.” This phrase defines professional sports over the last 20 years. However, this is not a sports movie (unless we give women the vote).
Million Dollar Baby may be a great movie, but it is not a great sports movie
posted by EDS | 7:40 PM
11 Comments:
1. Field of Dreams is a great number 1 ( i cry everytime he has the catch at the end with dad).
2. I might go Hoosiers as 2
3. Rocky,
4. stick Slap Shot as 4 (watched it for like the 15th time today, still laughing out loud everytime...)- one thing this movie does brilliantly is use swear words.. I've rarely heard cursing perfected in such a humorous way, it's almost mafia-like in its perfection of use.
5. The Natural (loved this one)
6. Raging Bull (I actually barely remember this movie I saw it so long ago, and this reminds me to buy or rent it and watch it again soon,,, but it's an easy call for top 10)...
7. 61*
8. Rudy
9. Major League
10. Sandlot (didnt think of this one till you mentioned it, great call)
Now I'll mention three you did not mention. I have not seen Million Dollar Baby, but from what I hear it's more of a father-daughter relationship movie than sports...
You did not mention - Any Given Sunday - which has one of the best speeches in a sports movie ever, and He Got Game. He Got Game most people have not seen, it is the only Spike Lee movie I've seen. Ray Allen plays "Black" Jesus Shuttlesworth...excellent movie...in fact, if it wasn't Spike Lee, it has a top 10 chance... another is Blue Chips. Also a great sports movie about college basketball...
I agree on Caddyshack analysis, but must say that movie is funny enough to be in people's top 10 of all movies... so it gets its due there anyway...
I liked Miracle, but I get more chills from the video highlights than the movie, so it did not make my top 10, but it was close. Cool Runnings had a legit shot at top 10, but the humor factor is much higher than the sports factor in that movie - i know it's olympics, but please,,, a Jamaican bobsled team???
Great list though...
It's always nice to come up with Top 10 lists, especially those that deal with movies. I'll refrain from posting my own list because I don't have one in mind at this time. But, since this website begs for opinions, I'll offer up some of mine.
My comments largely focus on the exclusion of Caddyshack from the list. Further explanation may alleviate my confusion, but I fail to see some key distinctions made in the original post.
First, what exactly is the distinction between Caddyshack and Happy Gilmore? Caddyshack is claimed to be a funny movie (it is) where people in it happen to play golf. Happy Gilmore is claimed to be a funny (it is) golf movie. This is where I'm lost. Following the logic that excludes Caddyshack from the genre of sports movies would likewise exclude Happy Gilmore. (Just to clarify, Happy Gilmore has been dubbed a "golf movie" in the original post, and yes, golf is indeed a sport). Caddyshack is set primarily at a country club. Most, if not all, of the characters play the sport of golf. The movie also involves a competitive tournament that has important ramifications for those involved. YET, it is not a sports movie. Likewise, Happy Gilmore is set primarily at the various stops of a professional golf tour. Most, if not all, of the characters play the sport of golf (even a hockey player doing it only for the money). This movie also involves competitive tournaments that have important ramifications for those involved. This seems eerily similar to Caddyshack, but this movie IS considered a sports movie (specifically dubbed a "golf movie"). Instead of removing Happy Gilmore from its duly deserved genre, Caddyshack should be included.
My second, and last, point concerns Field of Dreams. My comments are not meant to disparage the movie or even convince anyone that it does not deserve a spot at the top of the list (personally, I think it is a great movie). I'm only using it as a comparative springboard to demonstrate why Caddyshack deserves inclusion within the genre, and really, at some spot on the top ten list.
I'll focus on the three main points discussed above. First, both Caddyshack and Happy Gilmore are set, full-on, within the world of golf. Field of Dreams is set on a farm in Iowa. Even after destroying a few acres of an important human staple to create the field, the overriding purpose of the farm was to grow food for sale, not to indulge in America's pasttime. Even at the end, when the realization was that hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of people would flock to Nowhere, Iowa to pay a modest fee to watch a catch and batting practice, the most important accomplishment was the avoidance of a mortgage foreclosure. It does not have the same competitive connotations of say, the Red Sox exposing the Yankees to the worst upset in major sports history.
Second, most, if not all, of the characters in Caddyshack and Happy Gilmore play golf. Field of Dreams follows suit as well. But, the characters happen to play baseball. Baseball is not the important part of the story. In fact, out of all three of the movies mentioned here, Caddyshack's story is the most sports-centric.
Finally, as mentioned above, both Caddyshack and Happy Gilmore involve a competitive situation that has serious ramifications for those involved. Field of Dreams simply lacks this element. The idea of competition is such a miniscule part of the movie. Field of Dreams is really a story of the reconciliation of a father and son, THAT HAPPENS to involve the sport of baseball.
In my opinion, sports, more than anything else, is about competition. Happy Gilmore and Caddyshack have it, Field of Dreams doesn't. Leaving Field of Dreams on the list is fine, even at the number one spot, but please, give Caddyshack its due recognition as the achievement it is. Certainly its ahead of Slap Shot, Major League and Sandlot.
Any Given Sunday did not live up to my expectations. I enjoyed it, but I always thought, with that cast, it could be better. It deserves an honorable mention for great helmet-view football scenes.
As for Blue Chips. This movie is dissapointing. Even the basketball scenes feel phony. If you want a great movie about gritty college sports, The Program is much better. (JP - Thanks for reminding me.)
He Got Game lost it at the end. Denzel Washington vs. Ray Allen one on one. Give me a break.
As for JP's list - I just hated Bull Durham. I find it difficult to watch. (I can't understand why so many people think its a great movie.)
Unfortunately, I never saw For The Love of the Game. I'll have to see it when I get a chance.
Finally, nice shout out to Space Jam. That reminds me to start on a worst sports movie list (fyi...Space Jam would not be on it.)
-General R. Blie
I am not going to leave my top ten as my obsession with hockey will cloud my judgment. However, I would like to comment on some movies that were not mentioned.
Youngblood – One of the best movies ever made and up there with Miracle as the top hockey movie ever. Great hockey action, good fights and some nifty hockey moves. Recommended for anyone who has not seen it.
Remember the Titans – Very good movie. However, in light of JP’s argument of what constitutes a true sports movie, this might be more about the integration of the south than it is about football.
The Replacements – Keanu Reeves is a horrible actor and I hate him. However, this movie clearly overshadows his lack of acting skills. Great one-liners, great motivational speeches and some great football scenes. Very underrated movie.
The Longest Yard (The original) – Excellent movie. Haven’t seen it in a long time but it was one of my favorites.
White Men Can’t Jump – Just a great movie.
Bring it On – Is cheerleading a sport, cause the girls are hot.
Now a list of some of the worst sports movies:
Tin Cup
Rocky V
Slapshot 2
Major League 2
AJS
In response to Tino:
I still claim Caddyshack was not a sports movie. It merely had sports in it. It was about a country club. One of the things they do is play golf. I always felt that the golf was beside the point. It was not really about the game, or how they played. It was about some rowdy caddies and a fight over the fate of a country club. It just wasn't really about golf.
Happy Gilmore on the other hand was about playing golf. The movie was about the funny way Happy plays golf, convincing Happy to play golf, training Happy to play golf, and Happy actually playing golf on the pro tour.
I agree that Caddyshack can technically be labeled a "sports" movie, since it had the requisite sports scene in it. It just always seemed that the golfing was besides the point in the movie. (This was still one of my favorite movies ever, just not a sports movie.)
As for Field of Dreams. You can argue that the way it treated sports drops it off the top 10. But to say it is not a sports movie is just wrong. The movie was all about baseball. It was about what baseball means and what it is supposed to be.
You make three points.
1. It takes place on a farm, not a ball field: This is meant to highlight what the movie is about. Its a farm in Iowa. What could be more pure and all-American? The answer is baseball. Baseball is pure, especially the way it used to be played.
2. Baseball is not important to the story: This is just wrong. Baseball is the story. Even the father-son relationship is based on baseball. If you take baseball out of the story, you wouldn't have any story. (Unlike Caddyshack, which could have been just as funny if they played gin rummy instead of golf.)
3. There is no competition in the movie: This is true. We hardly see any baseball being played. However, that is the point. The viewer is left to imagine that they are playing the perfect game of baseball. Not for money or for fame, but because they love it. The movie doesn't want to show them playing. It wants to leave it to the viewers imagination.
That being said, you can't compare Caddyshack to Field of Dreams. Caddyshack is a silly comedy. Field of Dreams is a drama that has (or at least, attempts to have) a deeper message than what is simply shown on screen. In Field of Dreams that message is about baseball, therefore, it is a sports movie.
--General R. Blie
AJS:
Good call with Youngblood. A great movie that I totally forgot about.
As for The Replacements - It is no match for Necessary Roughness in terms of football comedies. The Waterboy also beats it, although it is a different type of comedy. In addition, Hardball totally turned me off from all Keanu Reeves sports comedies.
--General R. Blie
Hardball sucked. Replacements was funny,,, but not classic... Necessary Roughness, how did we leave that out? Excellent movie. On cable constantly and worth the watch every time.
Caddy Shack - great movie, loved it, one of my top 10 favorites, but like you said Blie, could've been a game of croquet and still be as good... Field of Dreams could not be about anything but baseball...
Damn - I just realized - we forgot a major sports movie...
The Karate Kid... this has to crack some top 10 lists...
I will have a post coming up later today dealing with a top 10 list of Non-Sports sports movies. Dont worry- it will be explained in the post - There will also be General R. Blie's list of the worst 10 sports movies...
However, while writing up my post, I realized that a definite top 10 sports movie was left out. For some reason it never came to mind till today. 'Gladiator' - this movie represents the birth of professional sports and fan-filled arenas. This movie is clearly about sport at its most brutal and unpolished stage. This is a great movie... thoughts anyone?
I actually was going to add Gladiator to my list. Killing is definetly a sport. You think people in Texas know the Rangers record off the top of their head? No way but I bet they can tell you how many disabled people were fried in the last 3 months.
Fighting for your life is the ultimate sport. Every match was like the Super Bowl.
Gladiator is in the top 10 for sure.
AJS
Again, 1 scene does not make it a sport. A ggo dportion of the movie must involve the sport to be considered.
AJS
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