Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews

Matrixiole Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

Invaderbank The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Roman Sampson One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

BasicLogic Use your calculator and figure out when Gary Cooper played the Lou Gherig role in this 1942 film. Mr. Cooper was born in 1901, so when he played this role, he was already an over 40 years old middle aged guy, yet according to what we have seen in this film and BIOS of Gherig, he indeed attended Columbia University. So he would be a very young man as most of us normally graduated from high school at 18 and then enter the university for advanced education. But what we saw in the movie, an already over 40's guy, Gary Cooper, played a college student who should and would be under 22. So the supposed to be still a very young Ghrig played by Cooper appeared on the screen to serve the food for those Columbia students, what we saw was an 40-year old guy! And well, in order to allow the middle aged Cooper not showing too old among those Columbia undergraduates, those young students were also played by a bunch of over 30 or around 40s guys, just for the purpose not to make Cooper's middle aged face became so apparently old like a sore thumb! Gee, what a joke!When Cooper entered the kitchen of the university, the female actor who played Ghrig's mother, after 10 years when her son broke the store's window, she looked exactly the same as 10 years ago when the movie started. Gee, what a lousy arrangement we got here again. According to Ghrig's BIOS, "...A native of New York City and attendee of Columbia University, Gehrig signed with the Yankees in 1923.....Lou Gehrig died at his home on June 2, 1941 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)" So according to Ghrig's death year and the release of this particular film about him, we inevitably realized that Samuel Goldwyn Company just took the opportunity to shoot a picture about a guy just died, on the surface, the movie was paying tribute to the great late Ghrig, but under and behind the facade, the Jewish movie company just used the rare opportunity to cash in, and indeed, not only the box office successful, but also won a lot of Oscars. But to me, this film was just opportunist wet dream played by a bunch of wrong cast of the wrong ages. By all means, do not be so easily to be touched and fooled. When you watched those movies churned out around that period, we often saw some very old guys, especially Gary Cooper, Randolph Scott, John Wayne and lot of other older faces, played much much younger characters and young lovers, but the wrinkles on their faces just screamed off the silver screen, they were just a bunch eye-sore old Romeos forced to play those young roles by those movie companies in Hollywood. You have to lower your reasoning to accept those roles played by these old bunch. I can't give any star of this film, because I really don't like really old guys to play those characters who should be 20 years younger.

LeonLouisRicci Everyone Loved Lou Gehrig, the Deservedly Famous Yankee First Baseman that was Cut Down in His Prime by a Devastating, Debilitating Disease, and This is a Fitting and Loving Tribute to a Great Baseball Player Who was Something Even More Difficult and Rare, a Great Man.So, Yes it's a Love Story, but it Wasn't Made "For the Love of the Game". It Showcases His Loving Devotion to His Wife as well as His Powerful Ability to Hit a Ball with a Wallop. Even Yankee Haters Cannot Hate Lou. He Did His Job with Pride and No Prejudice, Obeyed the Rules, Unlike His Teammate Babe Ruth (played in the Film by The Babe Himself), Not Just the Rules of Baseball but the Rules of Life.Gary Cooper, it is Well Documented, Couldn't Hit the Broadside of a Barn and Was a Terrible Athlete, but Manages to Make Up for it by with an Endearing Performance. The Movie has Added Bona Fides Like a Matching Great Role by Teresa Wright as Lou's Wife and a Memorable Walter Brennan as Gehrig's Sport's Writer Friend.A Few Real-Life Yankees Show Up for an Interesting Inclusion as Does the Real-Life Yankee Stadium. Overall, a Great Sports Movie and an Excellent Entertainment. This Should be Shown to All Yankee Haters to Detox the Dissenters with Lou Gehrig's Brand of Persuasion. Sincerity, Honesty, Humility, Ability, and a Hero that Really is One. Not Just to Baseball Fans but a Hero for Human Beings Everywhere Anytime.

richard-1787 Last night I watched "The Stratton Story," also directed by Sam Wood, and tonight "The Pride of the Yankees." To me, there is no comparison. "Pride" falls short of "Stratton." Some of that is a matter of personal taste. For me, James Stewart was one of the greatest Hollywood actors. In "Stratton" I see him develop his character a piece at a time. I never get a sense of who Gehrig is in this movie, but then, Gary Cooper has never made an impression on me.I'm no great fan of June Allyson, but she does a decent job in "Stratton," and there is real chemistry between her and Stewart. You truly believe that they are a couple in love. Theresa Wright's short success has always mystified me, and I find no chemistry between her and Cooper - who has never seemed to have any chemistry to me.This movie also runs too long. Until Gehrig finally falls ill, near the very end of a 2+ hour movie, there is no real tension. It is just one success after the next. At one point, for example, there is a suggestion that there is a rivalry between Babe Ruth and Gehrig, but that goes nowhere. To me, this a a poor, loose script.Cooper does a fine job with Gehrig's speech before the microphone when he is honored in Yankee Field. It would be hard not to be moved by that speech, no matter who read it, but Cooper does a fine job.Other than that, I didn't get much out of this movie, and very much prefer Wood's later effort, "The Stratton Story."

coonyp I watched this movie again last night with my son who has become quite a baseball fan. It had been maybe 40 years since I had seen it so I could enjoy it all over again.How terrific that Babe Ruth was cast as himself! Perhaps the greatest player of all time had a larger than life persona and this movie captures him as he was for generations to come. Gary Cooper is without a doubt an iconic actor and perfect for the title role.There is plenty of gratuitous patriotism written into the screenplay which is not surprising since it was a wartime film. A subtle aspect of this nationalism is the portrayal of an immigrant family's gradual immersion into American culture.The screenplay and the direction is overall is excellent for a bio movie. The viewer gets a good idea of who Lou Gehrig is as a person. The presumably accurate love story is quite joyful.Now to my gripe about not just this movie but just about every sports subject Hollywood takes on. As a lifelong sports and cinema fan, I am constantly amazed at how poorly the two have meshed. This movie is a prime example. It gives the viewer virtually no appreciation of Gehrig the player. What were his particular skills and weaknesses? What were his notable achievements (other than the consecutive game record)? Moreover, even a casual sports fan appreciates the recurrent drama of game situations which matches or exceeds the dramatic tension of the best films. Yet for whatever reason, the obvious techniques for translating some of this to film are never used. How about at least two or three scenes recreating a tense moment in a crucial game where the hero delivers a key hit or play and capturing the joy of the fans and teammates? The use of a radio broadcast can set the stage. The closest this movie comes is recreating the home runs Gehrig promised to a crippled child. Sure that tugs at the heart strings but it is not necessarily important from a sports perspective.