The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg
|
Our Price: $69.73 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $29.99 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Canada
Movie Reviews of The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg
Movie Review: Portrait of a great ballplayer
Summary: 4 Stars
I wasn't expecting a documentary of such quality. Admittedly I didn't know much about the subject, but after 90 minutes I'll be paying more attention on my next visit to the Hall of Fame.Hank Greenberg paved the way for Jackie Robinson to make it into the majors. People today don't realize how much antisemitism existed in America before WWII. This movie shows how Hank overcame it with grace and dignity while building a stellar career. Makes today's baseball stars look pale in comparsion. Don't rewind or stop the movie until you see and hear ALL the credits- you'll miss a lot!
Movie Review: A Fantastic Documentary
Summary: 4 Stars
have to admit it, before watching Life and Times of Hank Greenberg, I really didn't know that much about Hank Greenberg. I of course had heard his name mentioned as 'one of the greats' and I had heard that he was one of the first openly Jewish ballplayers to play baseball, but I really knew very little about his life story. As with many great documentaries, after watching Life and Times of Hank Greenberg I now feel like I really know the whole Hank Greenberg story, and it is a pretty amazing story. Greenberg played at a time where there simply weren't openly Jewish ballplayers. And while Hank wasn't a deeply religious person, he didn't (like some) conceal the fact he was Jewish. Hank Greenberg is known both for standing up in the face of bigotry as well as being an amazing ballplayer. Playing for the Detroit Tigers for the majority of his career, Hank Greenberg was the first player in the American League to receive the MVP award twice. In 1938 he came amazingly close to breaking Babe Ruth's single season home run record 23 years before it was broken by Roger Marris.
Life and Times of Hank Greenberg is a loving tribute to a man who didn't let bigotry get in the way of his love for baseball and never stopped giving it his all. The documentary was produced over the course of 12 years and features interviews with Hank (who is no longer living), as well as many of the ball players and children of the people he played with. Watching a movie like Life and Times of Hank Greenberg really gives you a glimpse into what makes baseball America's pasttime and something that has the ability to create legends. If you're a baseball fan I'd highly recommend you check out Life and Times of Hank Greenberg - it's a fantastic documentary.
Movie Review: A must-see for all baseball fans/history buffs
Summary: 4 Stars
Hank Greenberg was more than just a baseball superstar. He was an icon -- the pride and joy of the Jewish Americans in the 1930s and 40s amidst rampant anti-Semitism. As the first prominent Jewish player in the Major League Baseball, Greenberg not only established himself as one of the best sluggers in baseball history, but he also gave the Jewish Americans something to cheer about. He also paved a path for other baseball pioneers like Jackie Robinson as he quietly fought discrimination by letting his stats speak for themselves. This movie isn't your typical boring documentary either. It shows a nice balance of Greenberg's baseball achievements and personal life (though I wish they focused a bit more on the baseball part) with a good mixture of old baseball footage, interviews with fans, family, friends and Greenberg himself, as well as clips from classic baseball movies such as The Pride of the Yankees. You don't have to be a baseball fan/historian to enjoy and appreciate this movie. Besides, there is nothing quite like listening to "Take Me out to the Ball Game" sung in Yiddish.