 |  | NICE GUYS DO FINISH FIRST!! |  |
'Guffy' McGovern's the roughest guy in baseball and he manages the worst team in baseball, the Pittsburgh Pirates (many actual scenes from the old Forbes Field). When the local paper assigns the Home Economics reporter (Janet Leigh) to cover the Pirates to try and find a different angle since they're losing all the time and nobody is following the team, she confronts McGovern about his attitude and he replies, 'Dogs have fleas, managers have sportswriters'. After being thrown out of a game for the umpteenth time, 'Guffy' can't find his pin and goes to look for it on the field after the game. It is there sitting on 2nd base under the stars he encounters an angel and his life is changed. No more bad guy. Amazingly the team's fortunes start to change, also. It becomes even more mysterious when Janet Leigh writes an article about a young, orphan girl who has been praying for the team. 'Guffy' wants to find this girl but Leigh won't reveal who she is. He tracks her to the orphanage and in one of the most poignant scenes in the film tells the Sister in charge that he's 'looking for a little girl'. The Sister rushes into the classroom and announces to the classroom full of 8 year old girls that a man is here who is 'looking for a little girl'. One little girl wearing thick glasses quickly takes them off and hides them, telling her friend, 'people looking to adopt don't like children with glasses'. Your heart goes out as you wonder how many times she has had her hopes up that the next person 'looking for a little girl' would pick her. It's wonderful family film with enough baseball for real fans. It has cameo appearances by Ty Cobb, Joe Dimaggio and Bing Cosby, who was part owner of the Pirates at that time. Conspicuous by their absence, there are no African-American players in the Major Leagues at that time. Dwight Eisenhower called it his favorite movie. Enjoy!! www.lusreviews.blogspot.com .
March 2, 2008| | | Great movie and better than the remake by the same title! | |
See this original version that is all! DONT MISS IT! You will be sorry! Five stars? NO! Give this one TEN Stars! Paul Douglas is great and funny at its best and the co stars are all great too! What a tremendous find this was for us! And so good for the soul! Get it see it and be happy again!
May 14, 2007Angels In The Outfield is one of the more under-rated baseball films, and most people think of the later remake rather than this gem from 1950. Gruff character actor Paul Douglas plays the manager of the hapless Pittsburgh Pirates(not far off the mark), with a young Janet Leigh as a journalist covering the team. Cameos from Bing Crosby, Joe DiMaggio & others make this a worthwhile addition to your baseball film library.
May 14, 2007Fun movie with a heart. Brings back the days of old time baseball.
May 10, 2007To someone not in the least bit sports minded and with no idea at all of the rules of baseball, this was a super lighthearted and entertaining film with plenty of the "feel good" factor. Sentimental yes, but never dissolving into "mush". The faultless portrayal by the wonderful Paul Douglas of Guffie McGovern, the foul mouthed and permanently frustrated coach of the hapless Pittsburgh Pirates, who suddenly hears angel voices, apparently despatched to him on the prayers of a small orphan girl, is a joy. Janet Leigh is excellently cast as the household hints columnist on the local newspaper, who finds herself catapulted into reporting on the luckless games of the Pirates and gradually becoming more and more involved in the team and, of course, McGovern. The story moves forward apace, and as the fortunes of the Pirates, with angelic help are turned around, the three characters of Douglas, Leigh and the little orphan girl also begin to be brought together, . Excellent support from Keenan Wynn and Spring Byington, with a personal appearance by the great Joe Di Maggio.
Good all round entertainment!
April 11, 2007More reviews at Amazon.com ...
Daily Birthdays
(17 reviews)