Angels in the Outfield (1994)

When a boy prays for a chance to have a family if the California Angels win the pennant, angels are assigned to make that possible.

Director:

William Dear

Writers:

Dorothy Kingsley, George Wells,

Stars:

Danny Glover, Brenda Fricker, Tony Danza

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Danny Glover	...	George Knox
Brenda Fricker	...	Maggie Nelson
Tony Danza	...	Mel Clark
Christopher Lloyd	...	Al the Boss Angel
Ben Johnson	...	Hank Murphy
Jay O. Sanders	...	Ranch Wilder
Joseph Gordon-Levitt	...	Roger Bomman
Milton Davis Jr.	...	J.P.
Taylor Negron	...	David Montagne
Tony Longo	...	Triscuitt Messmer
Neal McDonough	...	Whitt Bass
Stoney Jackson	...	Ray Mitchell
Adrien Brody	...	Danny Hemmerling
Tim Conlon	...	Wally
Matthew McConaughey	...	Ben Williams

Storyline

Roger who has lost his mother is living separated from his father. As he and his friend J.P. are one of the biggest fans of the Los Angeles baseball team he has got only two dreams: Living together with a real family and let LA win the championship. As he is praying for these two things to happen some angels show up in order to help him - but he is the only one to see them and believe in them. Fortunately the coach of the baseball team sees his abilities and so LA has a run to the finals...

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Plot Keywords:

angel | team | baseball | friend | coach | 

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Taglines:

It Could Happen.

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for mild language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 July 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Angels

Filming Locations:

Alameda, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$24,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$50,236,831 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Caravan Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kit "Hit or Die" Kesey is said to be the "League RBI Champion" when he comes up to bat against Mel Clark. In reality, Carney Lansford (a real 15 season MLB Veteran who played Kesey) never drove in more than 80 runs in any season and averaged just 76 RBIs in a standard 162 game season.

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Goofs

When Ben Williams (Matthew McConaughey) is first helped by the angels a stepping device can be seen as he is lifted by the angels.

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Quotes

[first lines]
JP: Roger, do you believe in heaven?
Roger Bomman: I guess. That's where they said my mom went.

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Connections

Referenced in The Nostalgia Chick: City of Angels (2011)

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Soundtracks

"It's All Right"
Written by Curtis Mayfield
Performed by The Impressions
Courtesy of MCA Records

User Reviews

Future Stars in Amiable Family Dramedy/Fantasy

Although I don't usually go for relentlessly heartwarming fare like this, I happened to catch the 1994 version of ANGELS IN THE OUTFIELD (AitO) on cable one Saturday morning just as it was starting. Being an Adrien Brody fan, I was curious to see what Brody was like as a youth of 21 (20 when he filmed it, I suppose) in this early role as Danny Hemmerling, utility infielder for the California Angels (in the 1951 original, the hard-luck baseball team was the Pittsburgh Pirates. The name change is a nice touch, since it turns the title into wordplay). I decided to give the flick a chance, and it turned out to be a pretty painless, even amiable experience, with a decent balance of laughs, tears, sweetness, and baseball-based excitement. Also, my 7-year-old daughter liked the angel effects! :-) Directed by Mike Nesmith's frequent collaborator William Dear, AitO is the story of Roger (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a foster child who prays real hard after his ne'er-do-well dad (the convincingly sleazy Dermot Mulroney) sarcastically says they'll be a family again once the last-place California Angels win the pennant. Soon Roger starts seeing real angels at the Angels' games, led by Christopher Lloyd, whose usual zany, eccentric irreverence keeps AitO from plummeting irretrievably into The Schmaltz Zone. Crusty manager George Knox (Danny Glover in world-weary, exasperated mode) is a hard sell, but once the team starts winning, he believes Roger's angel sightings, and soon Knox has Roger and his cute li'l pal and fellow foster kid J.P. (the adorable Milton Davis Jr.) at every Angels game for good luck. Knox even starts toning down his own temperamental outbursts and profane language, as much to appease the angels as for the kids' sake, resulting in a funny bit when he starts dressing down an umpire in his usual way but starts editing himself as he goes along. Predictable obstacles ensue, such as obnoxious sportcaster Ranch Wilder (Jay O. Sanders) trying to make trouble for Knox because of the angel angle. Sure, it all works out fine for our heroes in the end, but they're so darn amiable you don't mind! :-) Baby-faced Brody has a couple of good lines (I especially like his exchange with Glover about the emotional impact of the National Anthem at a ballgame) as well as a cute bit where a pretty blonde angel massages his shoulders before he goes up to bat. Brody isn't the only future star in AitO's lineup: his teammates include Matthew McConaughey and Neal McDonough, and of course, young Gordon-Levitt went on to co-star in TV's 3rd ROCK FROM THE SUN as well as such films as 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU. The always-amusing Taylor Negron and Oscar winners (but not for this film :-) Brenda Fricker and Ben Johnson lend able support. If you're a baseball fan who wants to rent a movie appropriate for the kids and check out some notable young actors before they became stars, AitO '94 will do nicely.