Everybody's All-American (1988)

A Louisiana football legend struggles to deal with life's complexities after his college career is over.

Director:

Taylor Hackford

Writers:

Frank Deford (novel), Thomas Rickman (screenplay) (as Tom Rickman)

Stars:

Jessica Lange, Dennis Quaid, Timothy Hutton

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jessica Lange	...	Babs
Dennis Quaid	...	Gavin Grey
Timothy Hutton	...	Donnie 'Cake'
John Goodman	...	Lawrence
Carl Lumbly	...	Narvel Blue
Ray Baker	...	Bolling Kiely
Savannah Smith Boucher	...	Darlene Kiely (as Savannah Smith Bouchér)
Patricia Clarkson	...	Leslie Stone
Joseph Meyer	...	Pep Leader
J. Kevin Brune	...	Roommate
Wayne Knight	...	Fraternity Pisser
Roy B. Stewart Sr.	...	Junie
Pat Pierre Perkins	...	Willy Mae
Aaron Neville	...	Man with Gun
Shawn Burks	...	Georgia Center

Storyline

Louisiana football star Gavin Grey had it all. He was an All-American champion who married his high-school sweetheart, homecoming queen Babs Rogers, and who was a hero to his hometown. Yet after a failed professional career, Gavin realizes that fame and success have passed him by and that he no longer is the hero everyone keeps reminding him he should still be. His dissatisfaction with his life leads to strains in his marriage, and Gavin begins to wonder who he is, if he's not a hero anymore.

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Plot Keywords:

reference to robert f. kennedy | football | louisiana | college | homecoming queen | 

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Taglines:

Their life story is a love story

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | Sport

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 November 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

When I Fall in Love

Filming Locations:

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$12,638,294

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Visions, Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the movie, the LSU Tigers won the mythical 1956 NCAA football championship and a trip to the Sugar Bowl. In reality, the team suffered through a dismal 3-7 season and were awarded no bowl invitations that year.

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Goofs

During the black and white footage of the 1955 Sugar Bowl (as seen in flashback and newsreel footage and stated specifically as 1955 footage by the accompanying voice-over) a 1957 Sugar Bowl graphic design adorns the midfield.

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Quotes

Babs Grey: You once asked for his name for a chain of drive-ins.
Narvel Blue: Too late for that now.
Babs Grey: Then will you give me a job?
Narvel Blue: I got a hundred black men need jobs! Black women, too. Why should I give you one?
Babs Grey: Because you need white faces.

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Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: Danny DeVito/The Bangles (1988)

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Soundtracks

Workin' in A Coal Mine
Written by Allen Toussaint
Performed by Lee Dorsey

User Reviews

More than just a sports movie

This movie is more than just a football movie, or a character study of an athlete that can't hang up his shoes. It's a movie about friendship, glory, and how you can't hang on and stop time. It's a theme that's echoed in the civil rights back story as well. Wonderfully acted, this movie always makes me a little sad for Gavin and the gang. No matter how hard they try, they just can't recapture the good times and glory of yesteryear. Whether those good times are scoring on the field, or in love. Tim Hutton, Jessica Lange, and Dennis Quaid all give great performances. This movie is often underrated and overlooked in lists of great sports movies.