While I am not a fan of tennis, I was familiar with all of the big women's names in that sport, but I had never heard of Maureen Connolly, a teen player who became a superstar but unfortunately died at a young age. Glyniss O'Connor is fantastic in this role, one of her best film roles, and she's surrounded by broadcast, especially Michael Learned as her coach and Anne Baxter as her mother. "Teach" is quite tough on her, ignoring her when she's not performing as good as Learned knows she can be, yet rewarding her without spoling her when she does well. This is a great role for the legendary Ma Walton who has proven her versatility in many different types of parts.
Ann Doran, a veteran actress since the 1930's, an automatic scene-stealer as her great aunt, encouraging her along the way, and offering fantastic advice when her mother and stepfather Claude Akins try to stand in her way. Eventually Akins has had enough, and storms out, but his loss isn't really felt houses character is one of the few weak links. Leslie Nielsen. Anne Francis, Mark Harmon and Martin Milner have other major supporting roles, although their parts don't really offer much as way of plot development.
You get a women's tennis 101 course in the two and a half hours of this movie which moves along at a brisk pace, and if you know the story, you will be prepared for the sad twist towards the end. The details of the pain that Connolly feels as her injuries increase are hurtful more because of how this impacts her future, and mother hen Learned indeed does know what's best. A very well done sports biopic that gave me a quick lesson on the trials of a sports legend I had never heard of, and indeed, it was very interesting and well worth spending two and a half hours watching.
Ann Doran, a veteran actress since the 1930's, an automatic scene-stealer as her great aunt, encouraging her along the way, and offering fantastic advice when her mother and stepfather Claude Akins try to stand in her way. Eventually Akins has had enough, and storms out, but his loss isn't really felt houses character is one of the few weak links. Leslie Nielsen. Anne Francis, Mark Harmon and Martin Milner have other major supporting roles, although their parts don't really offer much as way of plot development.
You get a women's tennis 101 course in the two and a half hours of this movie which moves along at a brisk pace, and if you know the story, you will be prepared for the sad twist towards the end. The details of the pain that Connolly feels as her injuries increase are hurtful more because of how this impacts her future, and mother hen Learned indeed does know what's best. A very well done sports biopic that gave me a quick lesson on the trials of a sports legend I had never heard of, and indeed, it was very interesting and well worth spending two and a half hours watching.
