For Love of the Game (1999)

Director:

Sam Raimi

Writers (WGA):

Michael Shaara (novel)
Dana Stevens (screenplay)

Release Date:

17 September 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

Billy Chapel must choose between the woman he loves and the game he lives for.

Plot:

A washed up pitcher flashes through his career.

Plot Keywords:

Baseball | Detroit Tigers | Cult Director | New York City | Flashback

Awards:

6 nominations

Cast

Kevin Costner	...	Billy Chapel
Kelly Preston	...	Jane Aubrey
John C. Reilly	...	Gus Sinski
Jena Malone	...	Heather Aubrey
Brian Cox	...	Gary Wheeler
Addie Daddio	...	Waitress
J.K. Simmons	...	Frank Perry (as JK Simmons)
Vin Scully	...	Himself
Steve Lyons	...	Himself
Carmine Giovinazzo	...	Ken Strout (as Carmine D. Giovinazzo)
Bill E. Rogers	...	Davis Birch (as Bill Rogers)
Hugh Ross	...	Mike Udall
Domenick Lombardozzi	...	Tow Truck Driver
Arnetia Walker	...	Airport Bartender
Larry Joshua	...	Yankee Fan in Bar

Also Known As:

For the Love of the Game (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language and some sexuality.

Runtime:

137 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG-13 (certificate #36985) | Italy:T | South Korea:12 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Australia:M | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Denmark:7 | Finland:K-7 (re-rating) | Finland:K-8 (original rating) | France:U | Germany:6 (w) | Mexico:B | Netherlands:AL | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Aspen, Colorado, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Many of the Yankees players were played by Yankee minor leaguers.

Goofs:

Continuity: As the third inning ends the TV network scoreboard graphic indicates that neither team has any hits, runs or errors. Moments later a shot of the Yankee Stadium scoreboard indicates the same thing. However, when the fourth inning starts TV announcer Vin Scully states that the Yankee pitcher has allowed two hits.

Quotes:

Frank Perry: [Billy Chapel is warming up in the bullpen before the game] Well, since you're throwing bullets, I'm not even gonna mention the fact that you're an hour late, and I have been standing here trying to figure out who my starting pitcher would be if you didn't show up.
Billy Chapel: Have I ever not showed? In the 19 years, have I ever not showed?
Frank Perry: Well, that's true of everyone until the first time they don't show.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Comebacks (2007)

9 on a scale of 10

I would have to say that I have seen very few movies better than For Love of the Game. My favorite genre is Romantic Comedy. This wasn't a comedy, but it was feel good. It was light drama and it was extremely well done.

Costner portrayed an aging baseball player with a romantic attachment to the game that reminded me of Robert Redford in The Natural - another movie I rated a 9. The symbolism of the movie was the notion of ending a romance for the game and transferring that romance to a woman. For him, at least, there was room for only one at a time. And, fortunately for her, his career was at the very end. Fortunately for us, we got to see his last game interspersed with flashbacks.

The movie was brilliantly done with respect to the actual game of baseball. I cannot recall having seen a sports movie that did such an excellent job of maintaining accuracy about the game. I honestly could have believed I was watching an actual game. The plays were realistic. The situations realistic. And, Vin Scully was sensational doing the play by play.

I've only rated a few movies as 10's in my life. One of them was Field of Dreams - another Costner vehicle. This movie wasn't far behind FOD. In fact, it was nearly as magical and it was a lot more romantic. Why the reviewers of IMDB only give it a 6.7 is beyond me.