Talent for the Game (1991)

Virgil Sweet is on the verge of losing his job as a talent scout with the California Angels when he discovers Sammy Bodeen, a country boy with no pro ball experience, but with a pitching ... See full summary »

Director:

Robert M. Young

Writers:

David Himmelstein, Thomas Michael Donnelly,

Stars:

Edward James Olmos, Lorraine Bracco, John E. Coleman

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Edward James Olmos	...	Virgil Sweet
Lorraine Bracco	...	Bobbie
John E. Coleman	...	Angels Coach
Jeff Corbett	...	Sammy Bodeen
Jamey Sheridan	...	Tim Weaver
Terry Kinney	...	Gil Lawrence
Thomas Ryan	...	Paul
Felton Perry	...	Fred
Tom Bower	...	Rev. Bodeen
Janet Carroll	...	Rachel Bodeen
Daniel A. Haro	...	Burns
Murphy Sua	...	Dick Bortner
David Riley	...	Toby Curry
James Keane	...	Ray Coffey
Zachary I. Young	...	Rudy Coffey

Storyline

Virgil Sweet is on the verge of losing his job as a talent scout with the California Angels when he discovers Sammy Bodeen, a country boy with no pro ball experience, but with a pitching arm no one has seen the like of. Money-hungry owners want to make a quick buck while Sammy just wants to play ball. Virgil finds himself caught in the middle.

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Plot Keywords:

idaho | pitcher | baseball movie | team owner | anaheim angels | 

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Taglines:

Some men are born with a gift, and some are born to discover it.

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Genres:

Drama | Sport

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 April 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Aikalisä

Filming Locations:

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$336,396 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

In the scene in the car just before it overheats, the camera can be seen reflected in the passenger side window.

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Soundtracks

"Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda"
Written by Joe Sample
Performed by The Crusaders

User Reviews

A Good addition to sports movie buffs

I suppose I could be prejudiced in commenting on this movie, since I was a member of the cast ... however, my scene ended up on the cutting room floor (fairly typical) and since I was scared to death when I filmed it and was just shy of awful, I hope you'll cut me some slack! Edward James Olmos is good, Lorraine Bracco gave some zip to an otherwise marginal role. Using real-life location settings in my beautiful home state of Washington, as well as Cour D'Alene, Idaho, adds some spectacle and reality to what is, admittedly, a somewhat clichéd story. But then again, so is just about every other baseball movie I've seen, and yet I love 'em all. Perhaps the most cogent part of the story is the battle between corporate greed and the simple love of the sport, which Olmos portrays well. He is an excellent actor (and I'm happy he's found success with Battlestar Galactica.) This movie had a very limited theatrical release and was rushed to video shortly thereafter. If you really love baseball, and in particular if you dislike the way the sport (and many other sports, too) has been sullied by big bucks, I think you'll enjoy it. Oh, and Olmos was a real gentleman to the rest of the cast, something I'll always appreciate. You'll have to overlook plot devices (in that, it makes me think of "It Happens Every Spring") and you won't have the awe-making spectacle of "Field of Dreams." What you get is a mostly realistic depiction of the sport, and the hope that beats eternal that another "phenom" is about to make an appearance.