The Pride of the Yankees (1942)

While football may be the new favorite sport of most people, my family remains firmly in the baseball camp.  Yes, we do love college football, but when it comes to professional sports, baseball---especially Boston Red Sox baseball---is where it's at in our house.  For that reason, we gravitate to baseball films, and my favorite, bar none, is 1942's The Pride of the Yankees.  Starring Gary Cooper and Teresa Wright, this 5-star film tells the story of baseball great Lou Gehrig, who as probably everyone knows, was struck down with ALS---the disease which now bears his name---in the prime of life.

The movie begins when Lou is about ten, and it chronicles his early baseball years, his hazing by the team, his courtship of Eleanor, his "Iron Horse" years, the beginning of his descent into the world of ALS, and ultimately, his "Luckiest Man" speech.  While the film has many comical moments, at its core, it remains the story of a man afflicted with a devastating illness. 

As my regular blog readers know, I am a mega-huge Coop fan. It's rare that I don't like one of his movies, rare that I don't like the character he is portraying. But this film is just about my absolute favorite. The Pride of the Yankees is my third favorite Cooper film, behind only Mr. Deeds Goes to Town and Ten North Frederick.

Coop and Teresa Wright, who would be paired together again two years later in Casanova Brown, have terrific chemistry in this movie.

Both Cooper and Wright were nominated for Academy Awards for their performances here. Neither won; however, Teresa was also nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category that same year, for her role in Mrs. Miniver, and she did win that Oscar.  In all, The Pride of the Yankees received 11 Academy Award nominations, coming away with the win in the Best Film Editing category.

In my mind, The Pride of the Yankees is not only the best baseball film of all-time, but it is a delightful breath of fresh air. In this day of scandalous baseball, with its obscene salaries and rampant steroid use, we need to be reminded of what a "true baseball hero" Lou Gehrig was. He was an honorable man both on and off the field. Instead of whining about the devastating hand he had been dealt, he exhibited strength and courage in the face of great adversity. Our world needs more men like him. I think this film ought to be required viewing for today's professional athletes (along with 1950's The Jackie Robinson Story).

Besides Cooper and Wright, the film also features Walter Brennan and Dan Duryea.  And the legendary Babe Ruth takes to the screen too, playing himself.  In my Red Sox-lovin' household, a watching of this film provides my one and only allowed opportunity to look positively on a man wearing the Yankee pinstripes.

A definite must-see, The Pride of the Yankees is out on DVD, so it should be very easy to track down.  Do keep the tissues handy, as you're sure to need them.

Happy viewing!!

The Cowboy and the Lady (4 stars)

The Cowboy and the Lady, from 1938, is a sweet little romantic comedy starring my beloved Gary Cooper as the cowboy

and Merle Oberon as the lady.

Among others, Harry Davenport, Patsy Kelly, and Walter Brennan, who co-starred with Coop in at least half a dozen films, take on supporting roles here.  It's a very predictable movie...and somewhat corny...but it's totally cute.  Coop fans will definitely enjoy it.

Merle Oberon plays Mary Smith, the daughter of Judge Horace Smith, who happens to have his political aspirations on the Supreme Court. In order to keep his political ambitions alive, Mr. Smith must keep scandal away at all costs, so his daughter barely leaves the house lest she do something which would embarrass him.  One evening, though, Mary goes out, and after a newspaper article about a ruckus at a club is linked with Mary's name, Judge Smith decides that he will send his daughter down to their Palm Beach home for a period of time.

While in Palm Beach, Mary convinces her two maids to allow her to tag along on a date with them.  She ends up meeting rodeo rider Stretch Willoughby (Coop) and very quickly falls for him.  Only problem, she doesn't tell him she is a wealthy socialite...she lets him believe she is a ladies' maid and that she works to support her drunken father and four younger sisters.  After learning that Stretch doesn't think highly of the "snobby" upper class, she is afraid that revealing her true identity will drive him away from her...so she keeps up the pretense.

When Stretch departs for the rodeo's next stop in Galveston, Mary goes to the ship to talk with him.  She ends up being on board when the ship departs, and in typical whirlwind romance fashion, the two decide to have the captain marry them.  Stretch tells Mary that after the Galveston event, he will quit the rodeo and they will go to his ranch in Montana where he expects they will live happily ever after.

Of course, things don't go quite as planned.  Mary's father phones that he is coming down to Palm Beach and bringing with him the man whose support he is seeking.  Therefore, he needs Mary to play hostess at a dinner party...but Mary is in Galveston and on her way to Montana, so how can she do that?

Will Stretch find out Mary's true identity?  Will his opinion of the upper class change?  Will Mary's father get the nomination he seeks?  Will Mary and Stretch live happily ever after?  These are the questions which will play out in the remainder of this film.



The Cowboy and the Lady is corny and totally predictable, but it's adorable...AND it's Gary Cooper!!!  As in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Meet John Doe, and Ball of Fire, Coop's character is a rather sensitive, unworldly man---a man who expects people to be sincere, to be exactly what they appear to be.  It always happens, though, that the gal he falls for is not what she appears to be, and his heart gets broken---for a time.  While I'm not super-familiar with Merle Oberon, I found her to be sweet and lovely in this role; I couldn't help rooting for her to find happiness with Coop.  No, this film isn't the greatest movie ever made, but it is sweet and loads of fun.  And for Coop fans, it will greatly satisfy...he's as handsome and adorable as ever.  The supporting cast is fantastic, with Harry Davenport being particularly delightful.   The acting of everyone involved is solid---they all quite bring their characters to life beautifully  The film is out on DVD, so it should be pretty easy to track down a copy.  It is also available through Net Flix instant viewing.

Happy viewing!!