The Junction Boys (2002) (TV)

Director:

Mike Robe

Writers (WGA):

Jim Dent (book)
Mike Robe (teleplay)

Release Date:

14 December 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Plot:

Story of Bear Bryant's first summer as head football coach at Texas A&M. Bear takes his charges out onto the scorched plains and sees who survives. |

Plot Keywords:

American Football | Broken Nose | Based On True Story

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Tom Berenger	...	Paul 'Bear' Bryant
Fletcher Humphrys	...	Skeet Keeler
Ryan Kwanten	...	Claude Gearheart
Bernard Curry	...	Johnny Haynes
Nick Tate	...	Smokey Harper
Luke Ford	...	Perch
Josef Ber	...	Pine
Ryan Johnson	...	Mike Hess
Warwick Sadler	...	Welch
Mark Lee	...	Gilmore
Andy Anderson	...	Betch
Ewen Leslie	...	Luke Mason
Matt Edgerton	...	Jimmy Nubbs (as Matthew Edgerton)
David Webb	...	Dr. Wiedeman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bianca Biasi	...	Nurse
Saskia Burmeister	...	Joyce
Sandy Gardiner	...	Reunion Wife
Peter Hansen	...	Reunion Survivor #1
Michael Ienna	...	Wide Reciever
Christine McClure	...	Helen
Barry O'Donnell	...	Lineman (uncredited)

Directed by
Mike Robe

Writing credits (WGA)
Jim Dent		(book "The Junction Boys")
Mike Robe		(teleplay)

Produced by
Orly Adelson	....	executive producer
Eric M. Bennett	....	co-producer
James Dalthorp	....	executive producer
Jonathan Eskenas	....	co-producer
Michael O. Gallant	....	producer
Mark Shapiro	....	executive producer
Adam J. Sher	....	co-producer
John H. Williams	....	producer

Original Music by
Steve Dorff

Cinematography by
Stephen F. Andrich		(as Steve Andrich)

Film Editing by
Sabrina Plisco

Casting by
Susan Edelman
Faith Martin

Production Design by
Tim Ferrier

Set Decoration by
Tony Xeros

Costume Design by
Louise Wakefield

Production Management
Mark Shapiro	....	executive in charge of production
Will Staeger	....	executive production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Scott Lovelock	....	second assistant director: second unit
Eddie Thorne	....	third assistant director

Art Department
David P. Crowe	....	props (as David Crowe)
Diana Freeman	....	art department coordinator
Diana Robertson	....	props buyer

Sound Department
Beau Biggart	....	adr mixer
Bob Costanza	....	sound effects editor
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer
G. Michael Graham	....	supervising sound editor
Devon Heffley Curry	....	adr supervisor
Lou Thomas	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Mark Greentree	....	stunts
Philip Partridge	....	stunt performer
Warwick Sadler	....	stunts
Leon Stripp	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Gerard Maher	....	additional second assistant camera
Jem Rayner	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Michael Rich	....	key grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dan Owen	....	costume assistant
Jo Thorpe	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
John Potter	....	color timer
Dana B. Wilson	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Chris Ledesma	....	music editor

Other crew
Jon Attenborough	....	set runner
Kira Bohn	....	script supervisor
Mark Robert Ellis	....	sports coordinator
Sandy Gardiner	....	assistant: Mike Robe
Cathy Grace	....	production assistant
Colin McDougall	....	location manager
Reza Mokhtar	....	caterer
Arwen Munro	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• ESPN Original Entertainment

Distributors

• ESPN (2002) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Walt Disney Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• ReelSports Solutions  sports coordination

Also Known As:

Runtime:

Brazil:93 min | Portugal:89 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

St Marys, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

ESPN Original Entertainment

Trivia:

With the movie being filmed in Australia, virtually all of the young men playing prospective Aggie football players were Australian. Therefore, all of the Texas accents - as convincing as they might've been - were indeed fake.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During one of the practice scenes at Junction, a current-day, padded belt designed to protect the ribs can be seen underneath a players' jersey. This piece of football equipment was not available in 1954.

Quotes:

Gearhart's Father:[In reference to Gearhart's father beating up Gearhart's younger brother] Little prick! I could whup your ass six weeks from Christmas!
Claude Gearheart:You had enough practice.
[He drives away]
Gearhart's Father:Good luck in Aggieville! God knows you ain't good enough to play for Texas!

Lots of Potential - Lots of Disappointment - Come on, ESPN

Let me start by saying that Tom Beringer is an outstanding and under rated actor of the highest regard. His performance as a ruthless coach is on a par with his role in Platoon.

THAT SAID...

This ESPN film is a disgusting excuse for entertainment. It had the potential to be the Full Metal Jacket of football movies. Instead, it should be put in a metal jacket and thrown out of a moving vehicle somewhere near Junction, Texas.

You sit through the hell camp pre-season, and then are left only to return to the "modern" Bryant reminiscing and looking at clippings of the horrible year A&M had following that initial "Camp".

I recommend watching right up until they get off the bus in Junction. If you do that, you will have seen what I think ESPN was hoping to inject - football is king in Texas. After that it's a death camp "documentary" of the inhumane and insane. That would be fine if there were some resolution like seeing them perform on the field - doing to opponents what Bryant did to them, but sorry - they sucked.

This movie sucks too.

Remember the Titans is a much more worthwhile effort.