Quarterback Princess (1983) (TV)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Noel Black

Writer:

Rod Browning (writer)

Release Date:

3 December 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Plot:

The Maida family has moved to Oregon, and daughter Tami wants to play quarterback for the high school football team...

Plot Keywords:

High School | Female Athlete | American Football | Teenage Girl | Girl On Boys Team

Cast

Don Murray	...	Ralph Maida
Barbara Babcock	...	Judy Maida
Dana Elcar	...	Mr. Caine
John Stockwell	...	Scott Massey
Daphne Zuniga	...	Kim Maida
Helen Hunt	...	Tami Maida
Mary-Robin Redd	...	Saleswoman
Joshua Cadman	...	Brian
Severn Darden	...	Mr. Hobart
Carmen Argenziano	...	Ed Ainsworth
Nancy Parsons	...	Mrs. Klosterman
Tim Robbins	...	Marvin
Holly Bressler	...	Jody Maida
Katherine Moir	...	Heidi Maida
Melanie Parker	...	Gidget Maida

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

McMinnville, Oregon, USA

Company:

CBS Entertainment Production

Trivia:

The town in which the story takes place was changed to the town that was actually used for the movie, minus the first two letters. Thus McMinnville changed to Minnville. This was supposedly for legal reasons.

Quotes:

Scott Massey: Bad enough I gotta lose, but then I have to be carried off the field by our lady quarterback.
Tami Maida: What bothers you? That I'm a lady or that I'm a quarterback?
Scott Massey: I wouldn't mind either if you weren't both.

Movie Connections:

Features It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Good overall, bit uneven; Sad--could still be made 20 years later

This a good movie for inspiration. Girl quarterback wins over not only her school, but also the whole town. She proves she can play a "boys" sport well yet still be a feminine girl. It's definitely a message to girls about them being able to do anything. Some of the dialogue is very much stilted, though, especially that it's obviously designed to get across an empowering message. There is a touching but poorly written scene in which Tami and her mother are talking about the differences in choice their generations have, the mother saying she herself has no regrets choosing a marriage and family even though she had few other choices. She makes a statement that I think sums up the message we girls were given growing up in the 80s: "You can do ANYTHING. You can have EVERYTHING." yet the saddest part of all is that over 20 years later this movie could be remade practically verbatim and still be relevant. I'm sure girls in tackle football would still be fought against in the average American town.

Probably the best but most unrealistic part is that, despite almost the entire town being against Tami playing football, none of the boys on the team have any objections. They're all very supportive of her. That's great for fiction, but I doubt that was entirely true in the real story. Good overall, if you can ignore some of the more uneven parts and some of the mediocre acting.