IMDb > Bang the Drum Slowly (1973)
Bang the Drum Slowly
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Bang the Drum Slowly (1973) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.0/10   2,446 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Mark Harris (novel)
Mark Harris (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Bang the Drum Slowly on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
12 May 1978 (Finland) more
Genre:
Plot:
The story of the friendship between a star pitcher, wise to the world, and a half-wit catcher, as they... more | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win more
User Comments:
A Story About Real Friendship more (42 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Michael Moriarty ... Henry 'Author' Wiggen

Robert De Niro ... Bruce Pearson
Vincent Gardenia ... Dutch Schnell
Phil Foster ... Joe Jaros
Ann Wedgeworth ... Katie
Patrick McVey ... Bruce's Father

Heather MacRae ... Holly Wiggen
Selma Diamond ... Tootsie, Hotel switchboard operator
Barbara Babcock ... Team Owner
Maurice Rosenfield ... Team Owner

Tom Ligon ... Piney Woods

Andy Jarrell ... Ugly

Marshall Efron ... Bradley
Danny Burks ... Perry
Tom Signorelli ... Goose Williams
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Additional Details

Runtime:
96 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:
Company:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
First produced as an hour-long live TV drama in 1956 on the United States Steel Hour, with Paul Newman as Henry Wiggen and Albert Salmi as Bruce Pierson. more
Goofs:
Continuity: During a rainstorm, the grounds crew is shown pulling the tarp over the field. After a locker room scene, the next exterior shot shows only the home plate area covered, and the rest of the field open to the rain. more
Quotes:
Bruce Pearson: Everybody'd be nice to you if they knew you were dying.
Henry Wiggen: Everybody knows everybody is dying; that's why people are as good as they are.
more
Soundtrack:
Home On The Range more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
23 out of 23 people found the following comment useful.
A Story About Real Friendship, 10 April 2006
8/10
Author: ccthemovieman-1 from Lockport, NY, United States

There was nothing hokey overly melodramatic about this story, and usually you get that with a sports story or about a good person dying. In this case, we have a combination of the two.

This is simply a mellow, sweet-natured human interest story well-acted by the two main stars: Michael Moriarity and Robert De Niro. Both are nice to watch, playing very easy-going non-offensive characters.

Moriarty plays a pitcher on a pennant-contending team who lovingly looks after his not-so-smart-but-dying teammate and friend (De Niro). By today's standards, it's slow-moving but I never got bored with it in several viewings. As nice a film as it is, there is one warning: a lot profanity by the manager (Vincent Gardenia) but it's not a kids' movie anyway.

I watched it years ago and then again recently when it came out on DVD. It's hard to get excited about it, yet it's a memorable story that I could never get out of my head. We all wish we had friends like the one Moriarty portrays here.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Bang the Drum Slowly (1973)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Excellent Ending homerj208
One of Al Pacino's Favorite Movies moviefiend-1
Randy Hickey = Bruce Pearson PeterV
Henery Wiggen Books FibberMcGee18
Region 2 dvd? ga41
Thee Mammoth Quartet Song........ veepie58
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