IMDb > It's Good to Be Alive (1974) (TV)

It's Good to Be Alive (1974) (TV) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   54 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Up 18% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Michael Landon

Writers:

Roy Campanella (book)
Steve Gethers (writer)

Contact:

View company contact information for It's Good to Be Alive on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

22 February 1974 (USA) more

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Sport 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

Plot Keywords:

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)
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L


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.
2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful.
Extraordinary film of the life of Brooklyn Dodger star, Roy Campanella ., 13 March 2005
9/10
Author: J. B. Smith from London, Canada

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!

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (2 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for It's Good to Be Alive (1974) (TV)

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
The Stratton Story For Love of the Game The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio The Fan Never Among Friends
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits News articles
IMDb Biography section IMDb USA section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.