The Bad News Bears (1976)

Powerful

Don't listen to the negative reviews

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Baseball is not a game that has ever (or will ever) interest me in the slightest, but if you avoided all sports films just because you didn't like the subject you'd be missing out on some bona fide classics. This entry doesn't quite reach that lofty standard, but there's enough good characterisation amongst the team members and Walter Matthau's gruff turn as the abrasive yet good-hearted coach for it to JUST make the play-offs (I know, bad reference joke there).I would like to take issue though with the ending, which almost made me spit fire. Let me get this straight... You're ONE game away from winning the championship... and in the final match... you decide to let all the WORST players on your side take to the pitch... just because 'they haven't had a chance all season?' And, when you inevitably are defeated, you celebrate like it was a victory because 'everyone got to take part'? This is stupidity almost beyond the realms of comprehension.If you wanted to give the losers a run-out, how about in one of the EARLIER matches, when you were ahead by a long way and nothing was at stake? By letting them have free reign in such an important game... it's the most terrible kind of self-vandalism. What was the point in working so HARD to reach this point, to throw it all away to make a pathetic moral?Morons, the lot of 'em. And I bet they'd make the England football squad too... 6/10

The Bad News Bears still stands as an impressive film. In a world where some little league teams apparently don't even keep score anymore, this film provides some valuable nostalgia. It isn't hard to forgive the ancient "sports movie" clichés about a bad team somehow learning to win against their more privileged competition when you take the entire film into account. The laughs generally keep coming as Walter Matthau stars as an alcoholic ex-ballplayer hired to coach a pack of misfit kids. Apparently these kids have won some type of lawsuit to be able to participate in an exclusive tween baseball league. Not a lot is said of this legal aspect, and once the games start, its basically forgotten. Matthau's Bears are made up of mostly "Jews, Sp*cs, and N-words", as the foul-mouthed kid named Tanner points out. Its frankly kind of jaw-dropping to hear little kids use that kind of language, but by the end you're used to it. This is one of those PG movies from back in the day that are more harsh than some of today's PG-13 movies.The story progresses as you might expect it to. The team stinks, they get made fun of, it looks like they're going to have to quit, etc... Then Matthau pulls an ace out of his sleeve. Tatum O'Neal plays the daughter of a woman he used to date. She has a hell of a pitching arm and after he bribes her into playing, the Bears are suddenly contenders. A local juvenile delinquent also helps out, if only to annoy off the arrogant coach of the rival Yankees. Naturally the league championship comes down to the Bears against the Yankees, and the outcome was at least not so much clichéd.The Bad News Bears succeeds because it can do so many things at once. Not only is it funny, but it has some arresting moments involving over-aggressive parents and stunning bad behavior from some of the kids. There are also some touching moments. One has O'Neal try to suggest Matthau and her mother reconcile, or at least maybe they could do something together after the season like a father and daughter. Matthau angrily rebukes this olive branch and admits he's just using the girl for her fastball. She walks away heartbroken, and as a viewer you're kind of stunned. You sort of presumed there will be a happy ending with the little girl melting the old drunk's heart, but it doesn't happen. The cast is good enough. Matthau is perfect as Buttermaker. Vic Morrow is memorable as the slimy coach of the Yankees. His career of course would be cut short in a horrific accident on the set of Twilight Zone: The Movie. Tatum O'Neal had definite charisma, and you really wish she could have had better guidance growing up. She ended up too much like her dad, unfortunately. Most of the kids are pretty funny. The Tanner kid steals plenty of scenes. You have to listen close in many cases to hear some of the hilarious things these kids say in various situations. In one scene for example, a kid is hit in the groin by the ball. He collapses in agony and you hear one of the adults call for a stretcher. Listen close, and one of the kids says, "a stretcher? For his balls?". Lots of funny moments like that! The film also makes great use of classical music throughout. Definitely take another look at this film. But not the sequels, and the remake was likely also a dud. 8 of 10 stars.The Hound.

An alcoholic ,ex-minor leaguer, and all-round sour-puss is hired to coach a losing Little League team because no one else will do it. The team miraculously pulls together to overcome their problems. There is a lot of profanity and bad behavior by both adults and children on the way to the inevitable happy ending. Walter Matthau sleepwalks his way through his standard grouchy/heart of gold role while Tatum O'Neill is wasted. Her character is given little screen time and no development. There's not one word about how the boys feel about a girl teammate, and in 1976, this would have been news.Trashy.

Rewarding for both adults and children, this funny and astute movie revels in poking the ribs of Little League Baseball whilst casting a cautionary eye of the obsession some have with winning. An on form Walter Matthau stars as Morris Buttermaker, a now washed up ex minor league player who, prompted by a financial carrot, becomes manager of a multi-racial team of Little League misfits. It's originally a rough road as Buttermaker is more concerned with drinking beer, while the kids themselves don't know which end of the bat to hold. But things start to pick up when Morris enlists his talented daughter Manda (Tatum O'Neal) to pitch for them. Not only that but the town rebel, Kelly Leak (Jackie Earl Hayley), with points to prove, has also been prompted to join.Directed by Michael Ritchie and written by Bill Lancaster (yes, Burt's son), The Bad News Bears never sinks to being a preachy fable. It also delightfully doesn't resort to type for its finale. Making this a very clever and aware film from a genre of film so often troubled by safe playing and a too frothy approach. It would spawn two so so sequels in the next two years, inspire an imitation, get a TV series make over and was remade in 2005 with Billy Bob Thornton taking on the role of Buttermaker. 7.5/10