28 - "A League Of Their Own" (1992)

     I think I just caused a few eyebrows to raise with this entry on my list. While probably a bit of a surprise to some of you, it is no surprise to me. I knew this movie would be high up on the list when I started and this feels like the perfect spot for it. I fell in love with it the first time I saw it and eventually caught in a theater four times when it was originally released. To me this movie works for one major reason...Tom Hanks. Hanks would go on in the next two years and win Best Actor Oscars for his work in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump. It should have been three in a row, with this performance being his first. Hanks plays Jimmy Dugan, a former baseball star whose career was ruined due to bad knees and alcoholism. He is approached by Walter Harvey (Garry Marshall) with a managing job. Harvey has just created the first all women's baseball league to serve as a buffer while most of the major league baseball men are overseas fighting in World War II. He wants Dugan to coach the Rockford Peaches team. This team consists of characters portrayed by Geena Davis, Madonna, Rosie O'Donnell and Lori Petty, just to name a few. Geena Davis gives a wonderful performance as Dottie, who along with her sister Kitt (Petty), are the main focus of the story. But this is Hanks show from the get-go. He starts out as a drunk who could care less what happens to the girls, but over time he starts to respect them and ultimately becomes their leader. The movie almost consists of two different halves, each providing us with very different emotions. The first half is a pure comedy, with Hanks drunk or hungover most of the time, and provides some hilarious moments. The scene where Dugan flips out on one of his players ("THERE'S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL!!!") is pure gold. But about the halfway point of the film, something tragic happens and from this point on the tone of the film takes a different route. There are some scenes in the second half of the movie that I think are very moving and kudos must be given to director Penny Marshall for her work here.
     Several years back, I was at a toy convention of all things and one of the ladies who happened to play in this league (it was a real league that existed) had a booth set up and was signing a book she wrote. I sat down and talked with her for about 10 minutes and the passion she had while talking about her memories of playing was amazing. I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't buy her book and I don't even remember her name. That's unfortunate, and if I ever get the opportunity to speak with one of these ladies again, I will be more appreciative of their place in history.