Angels in the Outfield (1951)

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Oh how times have changed in the world of baseball. Today we worry about performance enhancing drugs and steroid scandals and players cheating, along with multi-million dollar contracts and ridiculously priced tickets. Back in 1951, apparently the biggest scandal would be a manager who believes he talks to angels! And ends up being threatened with discipline for no reason other than that his belief in angels apparently makes him a better person and his team a better team!Paul Douglas played Guffy McGovern, the manager of the sad-sack Pittsburgh Pirates - a bad joke around the world of baseball. McGovern is mean and demanding to his players, abusive toward the umpires (this being a family movie, I love the very innocent and even humorous way that he's depicted swearing) and he's involved in a long running feud with broadcaster Fred Bayles (Keenan Wynne.) But there's a little girl named Bridget in an orphanage run by nuns who prays for the Pirates and McGovern every day. Her prayers get heard, and all of a sudden heaven is on the Pirates' side. There aren't just angels in the outfield - they're in the infield, in the dugout and sitting on the scoreboard, too. And with the help of the angels the Pirates are transformed into contenders. But when, partly the result of stories written by reporter Jennifer Paige (a very young and beautiful Janet Leigh), people find out that McGovern is consorting with these heavenly beings - well, all hell breaks loose. Suddenly, Bayles has evidence that McGovern is crazy, the Commissioner of Baseball holds a hearing. My gosh, you'd have thought this was about Pete Rose gambling again.It's a very innocent movie - quaint even - when sports wasn't quite the big business it is today and when society wasn't quite as cynical about the stars. It's humorous - but not over the top - and Donna Corcoran (who plays Bridget) is an adorable 8 year old baseball fan who just wants the Pirates to win. On occasion it's even thoughtful - there's some commentary on the debate between belief and disbelief, but - as with most other things in this movie - there's no heavy duty religious content. The baseball action is even pretty well done. Perhaps it turns a bit overly sweet toward the end, but basically, this is a very enjoyable movie - perhaps not the best baseball movie ever made ("Pride Of The Yankees" still holds that place in my books), but quite well done. (7/10)

Paul Douglas is perfectly cast as the belligerent, irascible, steak- devouring Pittsburgh Pirates manager whose second-division club is the beneficiary of divine intervention in the form of the unseen Angels of the Heavenly Choir summoned by the prayers of an adorable eight year-old orphan girl (charmingly played by Donna Corcoran) who idolizes Douglas. Filled with top-notch performances: Janet Leigh – seen here about a decade before her notorious shower scene in Psycho – as the novice baseball columnist initially outraged at Douglas' harsh methods; Keenan Wynn as the cynical and surly radio announcer with an ax to grind; Spring Byington as the baseball-savvy nun; and James Whitmore as the voice of an Angel who teaches Douglas kindness and shows him the error of his ways, converting him from a foul-mouthed, quick-tempered punch- thrower to a Shakespeare-quoting gentleman. Joe DiMaggio, Ty Cobb, and one-time minority Pirates owner Bing Crosby offer their take on the existence of angels in cameo appearances. Actual game footage of Pirates games – look for a homer from Ralph Kiner (wearing # 4) who led or tied for the league lead in round-trippers every year from '46 to '52 – is spliced in to enhance its authenticity. Poignant tale of faith, forgiveness, friendship and second chances with a tear-jerker finale involving a potential new home for Corcoran and a weary ex-pal (Bruce Bennett) of Douglas' taking the mound in a final shot at glory in the last year of his baseball career…and his life. An underrated and overlooked gem deserving of multiple annual cable TV showings. Remade in 1994 with Danny Glover and Tony Danza with glitzy special effects that add little to the story.

I was so excited years ago when I heard a remake of this movie was going to happen. When I saw the remake, I realized that special effects, no matter how impressive they might be, do not make a movie necessarily good.Paul Douglass and Janet Leigh do a great job in the original. One of my favorite character actors, King Donavan, has a small role as a reporter. The movie is corny in spots but it is fun and moves along well.My favorite scene is when Douglass announces who will pitch in the game against the Giants. It is a scene a friend and I have reenacted hundreds of times over the years.To paraphrase Douglass as manager Guffy McGovern, "you're getting a good movie".

I was taken by this movie the first time I ever saw it. That was so long ago, I can't even remember when. Paul Douglas as Guffy was superb. Angry, contrite at times, not quite sure what is happening with the angels, but in the end, he is willing to believe. The baseball scenes are pretty realistic. I enjoyed the shots of Forbes Field, as it was always one of my favorite places to watch a ball game. Donna Corcoran and Janet Leigh were both excellent playing their parts. However, the best performance (and most overlooked), was that of Keenan Wynne as the commentator. He played his part so perfectly that you forget this is only a movie. You really wanted to throttle him, the way he denigrated Guffy and the rest of the team. Excellent acting job on his part. James Whitmore did a great job as the voice of the angel, taking no "guff" from Guffy. I enjoyed the scene where Guffy lets his old and tired pitcher (Bruce Bennet) stay in the game, because Whitmore informs Guffy that "We are recruiting him (Bennet) next season." All in all, this was a terrific baseball movie. Yes it was predictable and at times a bit sappy. Having said that, the film was still well done and is certainly a fine movie for family entertainment.