Everybody's All-American (1988)

Director:

Taylor Hackford

Writers (WGA):

Frank Deford (novel)
Thomas Rickman (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 November 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

Their life story is a love story

Plot:

A Louisiana football legend struggles to deal with life's complexities after his college career is over. |

Plot Keywords:

Ghost | Gambling | Racism | American Football | Sports Team

Cast

Jessica Lange	...	Babs Rogers Grey
Dennis Quaid	...	Gavin Grey
Timothy Hutton	...	Donnie 'Cake'
John Goodman	...	Lawrence
Carl Lumbly	...	Narvel Blue
Ray Baker	...	Bolling Kiely
Savannah Smith Boucher	...	Darlene Kiely (as Savannah Smith Bouchér)
Patricia Clarkson	...	Leslie Stone
Joseph Meyer	...	Pep Leader
J. Kevin Brune	...	Roommate
Wayne Knight	...	Fraternity Pisser
Roy B. Stewart Sr.	...	Junie
Pat Pierre Perkins	...	Willy Mae
Aaron Neville	...	Man with Gun
Shawn Burks	...	Georgia Center

Also Known As:

When I Fall in Love

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Australia:M | Finland:K-14 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Company:

New Visions Pictures

Trivia:

Some of the filming of the football scenes took place during halftime of the 1987 LSU-Alabama game. The producers wanted to continue shooting some scenes following the game, so they requested that the LSU fans remain after the game so that they could finish the scenes. However, Alabama won in an upset, and ten minutes after the game, the only fans still in the bleachers were wearing crimson, forcing the producers to finish shooting the following week.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During the black and white footage of the 1955 Sugar Bowl (as seen in flashback and newsreel footage and stated specifically as 1955 footage by the accompanying voice-over) a 1957 Sugar Bowl graphic design adorns the midfield.

Quotes:

Babs Grey: [watching Gavin's first pro game] It's so rough!
Player's Wife #1: Yep, pro's a different game, honey. Not much rah-rah up here. Not like when you were homecoming queen back in... where was it?
Babs Grey: Louisiana. I was Magnolia Queen.
Player's Wife #2: Most of us were the queen of something. Now? We're just players' wives.

Movie Connections:

Features Long-Haired Hare (1949)

Soundtrack:

Finger Poppin' Time

Thoroughly underrated

Even though I do not watch sports anymore, I used to watch them quite a lot and will still watch this movie whenever it's on TV. Definitely one of the best sports films of all time, realistic and superbly acted, this film follows a quarterback hero and his "trophy" wife from college to well beyond retirement. Topics of love, friendship, fidelity, aging and loyalty are all dealt with in profound ways. Dennis Quaid and Jessica Lange give probably their best performances ever and the supporting cast does not disappoint. It is melodramatic, but it comes from a place of integrity instilled in the writing and direction of the film. If you're a guy and in the mood to watch something both you and your girl can enjoy, I would highly recommend renting this. It's too bad that so many below average sports movies get more praise than they deserve and lesser known films like this one fall by the wayside. 9/10