Mr. Baseball (1992)

A fading baseball player is traded to a Japanese team and has trouble fitting into the society.

Director:

Fred Schepisi

Writers:

Theo Pelletier (story), John Junkerman (story),

Stars:

Tom Selleck, Ken Takakura, Aya Takanashi

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Selleck	...	Jack Elliot
Ken Takakura	...	Uchiyama
Aya Takanashi	...	Hiroko Uchiyama
Dennis Haysbert	...	Max 'Hammer' Dubois
Toshi Shioya	...	Yoji Nishimura
Kosuke Toyohara	...	Toshi Yamashita
Toshizo Fujiwara	...	Ryoh Mukai
Mak Takano	...	Shinji Igarashi
Kenji Morinaga	...	Hiroshi Kurosawa
Joh Nishimura	...	Tomophiko Ohmie
Norihide Goto	...	Issei Itoi
Kensuke Toita	...	Akito Yagi
Naoki Fuji	...	Takuya Nishikawa
Takanobu Hozumi	...	Hiroshi Nakamura
Leon Lee	...	Lyle Massey

Storyline

Although a one-time MVP for the New York Yankees, Jack Elliott is now on the down side of his baseball career. His batting average is low and one of his few claims to fame is that during the previous year, he led the team in 9th inning doubles in the month of August. With an up and coming slugger ready to replace him, he learns that he's been traded to the Chunichi Dragons of the Japanese Central baseball league. Elliott is set in his ways and quite inflexible, not only in accepting Japanese culture in general, but also with the way the baseball team is managed. When he meets his very pretty PR agent, Aya Takahashi, he begins to gain a greater appreciation that he should accept his current situation. When he realizes her other connection to the team, his attitudes begin to change at an even greater pace

---

Plot Keywords:

baseball | baseball team | baseball player | japanese television | television commercial | 

---

Taglines:

An inspirational baseball movie.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Romance | Sport

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sensuality and language

Details

Country:

USA Japan

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

2 October 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Campione per forza

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$20,883,046 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

DENTSU Music And Entertainment, Outlaw Productions (I), Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The rookie who pushes Tom Selleck's character off the Yankees roster was played by Frank Thomas, who went on to become one of the best MLB hitters in the 1990s and won two MVP awards.

---

Goofs

The Yankees manager tells Jack that the has been traded to the Dragons. MLB teams do not conduct trades with non-MLB teams.

---

Quotes

Jack Elliot: I don't believe this. What's next? Somebody going to tell me how to take a crap?
[walks into the bathroom]
Jack Elliot: Hey Max!
Max 'Hammer' Dubois: Yeah, what!
Jack Elliot: I need someone to tell me how to take a crap.

---

Connections

References Knight Rider (1982)

User Reviews

This film is a grand slam

Tom Selleck has been for most of his career a box office bust. Even though this movie did not score a home run with movie goers, it is still a nicely done film. It doesn't play down Japanese stereotypes, as the writers of this film did their homework on life in Japan. I used to watch Japanese baseball, and I can tell you that the film does a pretty good interpretation. In Japan, the manager of a ball club is more of a nurturing father. It's also more like work than sport. Players run fundamental drills all day and talent takes a backseat to skill. The movie is nicely done and Selleck does a good job as selfish, self-centered Jack Elliot. Dennis Haysbert is also nice in the supporting role of Max DuBois (He had enough practice being in baseball movies after being in Major League). Ken Takakura is good as the no-nonsense manager of the club. It's a shame he hasn't done any other American films after this one. Aya Takanashi is also nice as Jack's love interest. If you can, get the video or DVD because the TV version makes some of the most absurd edits and cuts I have seen.