Review #389: The Babe.
Cast
John Goodman (Babe Ruth), Kelly McGillis (Claire Hodgson Ruth), Trini Alvarado (Helen Woodford Ruth), Bruce Boxleitner (Jumpin' Joe Dugan), Peter Donat (Harry Frazee), James Cromwell (Brother Mathias), J. C. Quinn (Jack Dunn), Joe Ragno (Miller Huggins), Richard Tyson (Guy Bush), Ralph Marrero (Ping Bodie), Bob Swan (George Herman Ruth Sr.), and Bernard Kates (Colonel Jacob Ruppert) Directed by Arthur Hiller.
Review
This film is loosely based off the life of George "Babe" Ruth, and when I say loosely, I mean really loosely. While John Goodman sounds like a good choice for Babe Ruth, he doesn't give Ruth much likability. Ruth comes off more as a unlikable belligerent player then someone to root for. The baseball scenes are alright, even if half of it is just baseballs going off the wall. The accuracy...is not even close. Ruth wasn't just a home run hitter, for the first few years of his career, he was a pitcher, which in the film is barely even mentioned. This film probably has more myths included than actual facts, and combined with the general lack of enjoyability / laughs from John Goodman (who can be funny), who seems weighed down from the script, which in effect drags the character. The rest of the actors are overshadowed, which I suppose makes sense given the title being "The Babe", but a little bit more memorability would have helped. Overall, this film is plagued by inaccuracies so easy to find that there are sites dedicated to pointing those out, the acting is mediocre save for Goodman who tries his best, and the nail in the film's coffin is the general lack of fun. The film could be fun for some, but sometimes it's a little awkward and sometimes mean spirited. It's a disappointment that this fizzles, presumably into obscurity. Rather than being a home run, it's a strikeout.
Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.
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