A League of Their Own -- my favorite baseball movie (League Of Their Own, A (DVD))

Member Name: writermom

Product:	League Of Their Own, A (DVD)
Date:	20/04/09 (40 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great story, very inspiring, wonderful actors

Disadvantages: none

I remember first watching this film in 1992 -- alone. I got off from work and before going home decided to see a movie at the mall. "A League of Their Own" was being shown. I didn't have much of an idea what the movie was all about but since it has Geena Davis, Tom Hanks and Madonna there, I figured it must be good enough. I was right.

I've watched this film many times since then on cable TV and on DVD after I finally bought one years later.

Short Plot

The story began by showing an old lady who's reminiscing about the past. She was holding a baseball glove. The next scenes became flashbacks.

Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis) was a married woman whose husband had to go off to war. She and her sister Kit played baseball in between milking cows in their farm. An agent came and told them they were forming women's baseball teams since most of the men are gone.

Watch the movie to know how hundreds of girls came to become popular as America's most loved baseball players while the second world war was raging overseas.

Actors and Characters

* Geena Davis did great as Dottie Hinson, the star player who also had to serve as team captain while their coach remained drunk most of the time.

* Tom Hanks as Jimmy Dugan was convincingly irritating as the no-good ex-baseball player drunkard who was asked to coach the Rockford Peaches' team. He came through in the end though and the transformation was great. Two funny scenes I can't forget was when he awkwardly prayed for the team to win and when he threw a baseball glove at Evelyn's annoying kid who promptly fell down.

* Lori Petty was an unknown actress (for me, at least) but did good as Kit, Dottie's baby sister, whose jealousy overcame her good sense and led her to transfer to the Racine Belle's team.

* Madonna (as Mae) and Rosie O'Donnell (Doris) provided a lot of comic relief.

* Bill Pullman had a small role as Dottie's husband but he was a real eye candy in the movie.

* Jon Lovitz was the sarcastic but soft-hearted agent who brought all the girls together.

Other characters who remain memorable for me are:

Marla, the very shy and homely player who got drunk at a party and belted out a song to a guy sitting in the audience who fell in love with and married her later.

Sue Ellen, the beauty queen, who prettily pitches mean fast balls.

Evelyn, the mom who had to bring her mischievous kid along their tours because no one would take care of him at home.

Betty (whom they affectionately dubbed Spaghetti), the wife who had to be told that her husband died fighting in the war.

Other Thoughts About the Movie

Near the ending, Dottie's flashbacks were over and she's an old lady once again. She decided to attend the opening of the baseball museum and reunite with her old teammates. A lot of the scenes were very touching especially when the sisters saw each other again.

It was amazing that the producers were able to find two older actresses that do resemble Geena Davis and Lori Petty a lot. Observe how much attention to detail was done to make audiences remember the young characters during the museum opening.

The theme song of the Peaches still leaves me with LSS (last song syndrome) every time I hear it. Although I am not an American, I find it great that it was sung by all women's voices and is about being united no matter what.

I love the movie's theme song "This Used To Be My Playground" sung by Madonna.

This movie remains one of my favorite movies of all time as it embodies women power, friendship and hope.

Trivia: This story is based on the All American Pro Girls League and the old ladies playing in the field during the end credits were the actual baseball veterans that some of the movie's characters were based on.

*Also published on Ciao.com under the same username</b></i>

Summary: A movie about women's baseball