Perhaps considered a flaw by some viewers, everybody in this film is just so nice, dealing with the issues of a stroke that a real life professional basketball player, Bernie Casey had, and everything he goes through with the aide of a team member, Bo Svenson at his side, taking on the responsibility of seeing to his every need in spite of his ongoing career as Casey's parents, Bill Walker and Maidie Norman, live too far away to be conservators. Casey's beautiful girlfriend (Janet MacLachlan), Svenson's wife (Stephanie Edwards) and the irreplaceable nurse Rosie (Pauline Myers) are others who really know the definition of Christian charity and good will towards fellow man, and it's amazing that Edwards never complains about the time that her husband spends with Casey.
If all the goodness going on throughout the film doesn't bring tears to your eyes, the theme song, "Here's to the Heroes" at the end will for sure. Casey is magnificent, really looking the part of a stroke victim, with shadowing and makeup obviously making him look sick as his health crisis gets worse even though he's able to get around better. He gives one of the best performances of 1973, as forgotten as the film is unfortunately. Svenson's character seems too good to be true oh, but I just had to go with the idea that he was a good guy who wanted to make sure that his friend got the best treatment which he does.
Every character in the film is just so kind to each other, and even Casey's parents who are wonderful people as well never questioned Svenson's motives. They just take him for who he is. You'll recognize Maidie Norman as Elvira from "Whatever happened to Baby Jane", and she's closer to Juanita Moore in "Imitation of Life" than she is as the cleaning lady who took no guff from Bette Davis. Myers is very funny, getting a lot of good lines and making you want to hug her the minute she walks on the scene. I love her response to being referred to as a dirty old lady. My only issue is that the story that occurs here happened in the 1950's, and this seems very modern, with absolutely no period detail at all. But feeling a little twee after getting into the sentiment of the film, that was easily forgotten.
If all the goodness going on throughout the film doesn't bring tears to your eyes, the theme song, "Here's to the Heroes" at the end will for sure. Casey is magnificent, really looking the part of a stroke victim, with shadowing and makeup obviously making him look sick as his health crisis gets worse even though he's able to get around better. He gives one of the best performances of 1973, as forgotten as the film is unfortunately. Svenson's character seems too good to be true oh, but I just had to go with the idea that he was a good guy who wanted to make sure that his friend got the best treatment which he does.
Every character in the film is just so kind to each other, and even Casey's parents who are wonderful people as well never questioned Svenson's motives. They just take him for who he is. You'll recognize Maidie Norman as Elvira from "Whatever happened to Baby Jane", and she's closer to Juanita Moore in "Imitation of Life" than she is as the cleaning lady who took no guff from Bette Davis. Myers is very funny, getting a lot of good lines and making you want to hug her the minute she walks on the scene. I love her response to being referred to as a dirty old lady. My only issue is that the story that occurs here happened in the 1950's, and this seems very modern, with absolutely no period detail at all. But feeling a little twee after getting into the sentiment of the film, that was easily forgotten.
