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The Pistol: The Birth of a Legend

  • 19911991
  • GG
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
1.3K
YOUR RATING
The Pistol: The Birth of a Legend (1991)
Biography of pro basketball player "Pistol" Pete Maravich, who died suddenly in 1988 at age 40 from a heart attack.
Play trailer2:21
1 Video
6 Photos
  • Biography
  • Drama
  • Sport
Biography of pro basketball player "Pistol" Pete Maravich, who died suddenly in 1988 at age 40 from a heart attack.Biography of pro basketball player "Pistol" Pete Maravich, who died suddenly in 1988 at age 40 from a heart attack.Biography of pro basketball player "Pistol" Pete Maravich, who died suddenly in 1988 at age 40 from a heart attack.
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
1.3K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Frank C. Schroeder
  • Writers
    • Darrel Campbell(book)
    • Peter Maravich(story)
  • Stars
    • Millie Perkins
    • Nick Benedict
    • Adam Guier
Top credits
  • Director
    • Frank C. Schroeder
  • Writers
    • Darrel Campbell(book)
    • Peter Maravich(story)
  • Stars
    • Millie Perkins
    • Nick Benedict
    • Adam Guier
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 19User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:21
    Trailer

    Photos6

    The Pistol: The Birth of a Legend (1991)
    The Pistol: The Birth of a Legend (1991)
    The Pistol: The Birth of a Legend (1991)
    The Pistol: The Birth of a Legend (1991)
    The Pistol: The Birth of a Legend (1991)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Millie Perkins
    Millie Perkins
    • Helen Maravichas Helen Maravich
    Nick Benedict
    • Press Maravichas Press Maravich
    Adam Guier
    • Pete Maravichas Pete Maravich
    Murrell Garland
    • Coach Pendletonas Coach Pendleton
    Tom Lester
    Tom Lester
    • Pete as adultas Pete as adult
    Buddy Petrie
    • Buddy Pendletonas Buddy Pendleton
    Darrel Campbell
    Darrel Campbell
    • Carl Connfieldas Carl Connfield
    Wendy Leblanc
    • Sandyas Sandy
    John Richardson
    • Mooseas Moose
    Rodney Stone
    • Walkeras Walker
    Eddie Hailey
    • Myronas Myron
    Nick Cardona
    • Postmanas Postman
    John Lewis
    • Reporteras Reporter
    John Raymond
    • Clemson College basketball playeras Clemson College basketball player
    Melinda Walsh
    • Rachelas Rachel
    • Director
      • Frank C. Schroeder
    • Writers
      • Darrel Campbell(book)
      • Peter Maravich(story)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Scoring
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    Untitled Pistol Pete Maravich Project
    Untitled Pistol Pete Maravich Project

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The basketball goal used by Pete (Adam Guier) is hanging inside the historic Ponchatoula Country Market in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, where the movie was filmed. The market is located inside a historic train depot built in the 19th century.
    • Goofs
      A package of Marlboro "Light" cigarettes is clearly visible in the pocket of young Pete's father. That product would not be introduced for years.
    • Quotes

      Press Maravich: [to his players at practice] I am not spending valuable hours of my life just to teach you boys to throw a ball through an iron hoop. This is a way of life, I want players to think. Work, sweat, challenge themselves, discipline themselves, because anything else you boys it just isn't worth it, to anyone. The problem with you boys is simple. You're all a bunch of dummies 'cause you think you know it all. Give me the ball.

      [He draws a small circle on the ball]

      Press Maravich: You see this circle? The size of this circle represents everything that I know about basketball. But the size of this ball represents everything about the game that has never been dicovered.

      [He puts a small dot on the ball]

      Press Maravich: This dot is what you know, combined.

      [throws the ball back to the player]

      Press Maravich: Now if you'll forget about the girls and cars and listen to me you can accomplish things that you never thought were possible. I don't care if you're short, slow, tall, or small. You can play with the best of them if you'll dedicate yourself to becoming better.

    • Soundtracks
      Rise On My Own
      Written by John Gregory and Brad Hanratty

      Performed by Mirage

      Produced by Rick Jarrard

      Published by Uncle Josh's Song Emporium, Inc.

    User reviews19

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    An Early Look At 'Pistol Pete'
    This is about as clean a story as you could find: a nice story about the famous basketball player "Pistol" Pete Maravich in his earlier days. An incredible talent, Maravich went on to star at LSU and then in the professional NBA.

    This particular story centers around young Maravich as an eighth-grader playing basketball for his high school team. The first half of the film was fascinating as actor Adam Guier was very credible exhibiting Maravich's tremendous ball-handling skills for a kid his age. There also is some nice photography in here.

    The second half of the movie became a little too Hollywood-cliché ridden. I wish they had gone into Pete's college and pro career and ended with his conversion to Christianity before his untimely death. It could have been a very powerful movie instead of just a nice after-school-type TV film. (Just reading another review here, I am glad to learn some of that material is included in the DVD. My only look at this was on tape about a dozen years ago.)
    helpful•16
    1
    • ccthemovieman-1
    • Jul 5, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 25, 1991 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • El mago de la N.B.A.
    • Filming locations
      • Ponchatoula, Louisiana, USA
    • Production company
      • L.A. Film Partners
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

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