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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Roy Campanella (book)
Steve Gethers (writer)
Release Date:
22 February 1974 (USA) more
Plot:
The story of former Brooklyn Dodger catcher Roy Campanella, whose career was cut short in 1959 when he lost the use of his legs in an auto accident. more | add synopsis
NewsDesk:
Online, We're the Sales Leads and the Cookies are the Closers
(From Fast Company. 9 October 2009, 1:00 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
Extraordinary film of the life of Brooklyn Dodger star, Roy Campanella . more (2 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | Paul Winfield | ... | Roy Campanella |
 | Louis Gossett Jr. | ... | Sam Brockington |
| Ruby Dee | ... | Ruth Campanella |
| Ramon Bieri | ... | Walter O'Malley |
| Joe De Santis | ... | Campanella's father |
| Ty Henderson | ... | David Campanella |
| Ketty Lester | ... | Mother |
| Julian Burton | ... | Dr. Rusk |
| Lloyd Gough | ... | Surgeon |
| Eric Woods | ... | Roy Campanella, as a boy |
 | Len Lesser | ... | Man at accident |
| Gene Borkan | ||
| Matthew 'Stymie' Beard | ... | Stymie |
| Paul Savior | ... | Attendant |
| Stanley Bennett Clay | ... | Boy (as Stanley Clay) |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
100 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Goofs:
Anachronisms: When Roy is taking his first 'tour' of the Rehab center he sees several children playing. One girl is playing with a toy telephone that has a push-button dial. Push-button phones were not introduced until the early 1970s. more
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (2 total)
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Extraordinary film of the life of Brooklyn Dodger star, Roy Campanella, with a solid performance by Paul Winfield as Campanella. Roy campanella was baseball's's first black catcher, World Series champion, and Hall of Famer, he is a legend. This is a great sports movie in the tradition of Pride of the Yankees, as it tells the story of a baseball hero whose life has turned tragic. Louis Gossett Jr. does a fine job as Sam, Campanella's physiotherapist.
The movie begins with Campanella wrestling with his decision of whether to stay in Brooklyn, or relocate his family to Los Angeles with his team, the Dodgers. This illustrates how petty ones problems are as compared to other peoples lot in life, and sets the stage for what is to come. The film uses flashbacks effectively to tell Roy's story. Ruby Dee is excellent as Campanella's wife, who tries to cope with the struggles her husband is going through. This film uses actual Dodger baseball film, and it is surprising how close Winfield resembles Campanella!
Unlike the Lou Gerig, Gary Cooper film, this film focuses more on Campanella's rehabilitation than with his glory years. This creates a moving film that shows Roy's extraordinary courage in the face of despair. Without giving anything away, there is a scene with just Winfield and a fly that will haunt me for the rest of my life. Anyway, why have I not heard of this film before, and why is it not mentioned on lists of great sports movies? Don't miss this classic film!