Monday, April 18, 2011

Movies I Dig...The Natural

The Natural is why I love baseball.

It really is as simple as that.  That is almost enough for me to hit the "publish post" button.  This movie is everything that is great about movies, sports, and what it means to have dreams and live life...it is also one of the most magical movies I've ever seen.

What makes The Natural great to me is the determination of its central character Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford's best performance in my opinion, and a damn fine swing as well).  A man who has natural talent, but is warned by his father that that in itself isn't enough to get through life, because if you do "you'll fail".  It is that talent that attracts the Chicago Cubs to send for him, as well as a beautiful stranger cloaked in black.  She represents one of the many themes running deep into the movie.  She also represents the sudden and quick end to the promising Hobbs young career.  Black equals evil, bad luck, and everything that is wrong with what comes with fame.  Whenever Roy is around it, he suffers in one way or the other.  But every cloud has a silver lining and that is Glenn Close as Roy's love interest.  She represents the good and the passion of what is in Roy's heart, and what his talent thrives on.


One of my favorite scenes involves just those two themes of good and evil.  Roy falls into a terrible slump and everyone seems to see the problem except Roy (Kim Basinger).  It takes an "angel" of sorts to end this slump.  In the scene Roy has been struggling at the plate all game, until something and someone catches his eye during a break in the at bat.  He isn't quite clear what it is, but we as the audience realize it's his true love saving him from his slump.  Just like us, she doesn't want to see him fail.


The pitch.

CRACK!

Roy sends the ball flying through the air so quickly, so far, and so high that it shatters the outfield clock.  What helps this scene bring a lump to my throat more then anything is the swelling of the music.  The elation of the crowd that their hero has returned.

Now I can't go without mentioning what I consider the greatest ending to a sports movie for sure, and possibly of all time.  It is goosebump central people.  Roy's past catches up to him, and is asked to throw the game should he play (if he does, he could die as result of the bullet wound he received 16 years earlier).

Of course Roy suits up.  And...hits away.

The build up to that final at bat is the dream of every kid who ever played baseball.  The opportunity to win the big game and in grand fashion.  Everything about the scene is magical.  The music is fantastic.  Again it takes another symbol of good in the crowd to resurrect Roy and give him his power to cement himself as the greatest their was to ever play the game...his son.  The symbol of his father, "The Wonderboy" bat forged out of a tree that was struck by lightning near where his father died which had helped to carry him along so far finally splits during Roy's last at bat.

"Go pick me out a winner Bobby."

The son who had been watched over by the father, is now the father himself.  Roy is now surrounded by good.  And ready for the pitch.

Then.

CRACK!


The moment the ball hits the bat and begins its ascent into immortality the music parallels it.  And right with the ball shatters the lights, the music explodes with as much power as the lights themselves.  The look in Pop's eyes (their coach) as the sparks fall toward the stadium is the realization that Roy kept his promise, he'd win him his pennant.  And as Roy rounds the bases his dreams are finally realized...he was the best there ever was.

"God I love baseball."--Roy Hobbs

Now the book deserves its own blog another day...

No comments:

Post a Comment