61*
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Movie Reviews of 61*
Movie Review: Grand slam
Summary: 5 Stars
61* belongs on the top-shelf with the great non-fiction sports movies like BRIAN'S SONG and EIGHT MEN OUT. This is Billy Crystal's love letter to the 1961 Yankees, and to his credit it doesn't blink or flinch in its treatment of that greatest of childhood heroes, Mickey Mantle.
In 1961 Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle took aim at Babe Ruth's record of 60 home runs in a season. Barry Pepper plays the young and reclusive Maris with a haunting sadness, Thomas Jane plays the charismatic Mantle with an easy going honesty that masks an emotionally and physically injured young man. Pepper is a dead-ringer for Maris, and both actors get under the skin of the characters they're portraying. There are times when you forget they're not really Maris and Mantle. Couple their performances with 61*'s meticulous attention to detail and you've got a baseball fan's dream movie.
The dvd comes with a commentary track with director Billy Crystal, text biographies of Maris and Mantle, and a `making of' documentary. You should watch the movie before the documentary, since it contains a lot of scenes from the movie.
Movie Review: 61-The best insiders view of the life and times of two of the NY Yankees Best
Summary: 5 Stars
When I first saw this autobiography of Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris stars, it was like being there with them.
Growing up in Brooklyn, NY, and Joe Pepitone (another Yankee local scouted and signed with the Yankees, his brothers Billy and Jimmy were our neighbors. I lived that era and thought I knew everything about every Yankee. This film, I have sought for years and now that I immediately purchased it through Amazon.com, I can tell any fan of baseball that is has all the fun, drama, trials and problems of any normal person that brought tears to my eyes of what went on during and after their professional careers. The class and charachter that more then describes those great players were my idols. But meeting them in person, in the dugout, never, ever gave me anything else but goosebumps.
This film I would highly recommend to any father not knowing these greats to sit with their children for a heart warming and insite not only how to behave and present themselves but a learning lesson of how a sport brought out the finest in them that will last forever.
Movie Review: A great American story
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a review by housemouse's husband, shoprat. My wife is the usual purchaser of items from Amazon. But in this case, I was the buyer, and I was very delighted to find this movie still available.
I was 12 years old back when the Maris/Mantle home run battle took place, and baseball was my life. My neighborhood buddies and I played ball every day that the weather allowed. This movie took me back in time to re-live my love of the game and how us youngsters used to entertain themselves in moral, athletic ways. Life seemed much simpler then. And our heros like Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris were just regular people with tenacity and highly developed skills that came from years of practice. No drugs or artificial enhancements were involved. These guys didn't play ball just for the money either; they actually loved the game too. I don't think the movie makers could have picked better actors to play the roles either. I just loved this film and will undoubtedly watch it many more times in the years to come.
Movie Review: A First Rate Baseball Movie Despite Having a Mistake
Summary: 5 Stars
I found this to be one of the best baseball movies to come out in recent years. Both of the actors look the part of Mantle and Maris, especially Maris. For those of us fortunate enough to remember this 1961 season it brought back a lot of memories. I do want to make note of two things in particular that caught my eye, one good and one bad. The person who played the part of Hoyt Wilhelm when he came in to pitch to Maris had the same mannerism as Wilhelm in the way he tilted his head. The movie also showed a "fan" throwing a chair in then Briggs Stadium in Detroit at Maris in right field. This incident did NOT take place in 1961. It took place in 1960 when Yankee first baseman Bill Skowron hit a disputed home run in the right field stands that Tiger fans thought to be foul. When the Yankees took the field in their half of the inning (7th or 8th) someone in the upper deck in right field threw the back of a chair at Maris. I know this to be true. I was there above the Yankee bullpen in right field.Movie Review: Great movie, gives you an inside look at Maris and Mantle
Summary: 5 Stars
I love baseball movies. But some are better than others. And this one is near the top. It depicts the home run race between Micky Mantle and Roger Maris, who at times were rivals but were also great friends, with a love and respect for each other.It really brought the history of the game to the forefront for me, as I did not realize the fans were so against Maris breaking Babe Ruth's record. The fact that the record stood all these years with an asterix behind it, was unfair to Maris because his accomplishment was astounding and took many years to be matched.
Billy Crystal brought the story forward to when Maris's record was broken, with actual footage of the Maris family. This was a wonderful way to weave the past with the present, as Crystal was recapturing the excitement and joy of both records being reached. This movie is a 5 star bet, so grab your cracker jacks and head to the ball game, because you won't be disappointed.