Hooray for Hoosiers ****

Rating: 10/10 (3 June 2013)

A truly wonderful basketball film with Gene Hackman arriving at a small Indiana town in 1951 to coach a high school basketball team. Hackman's arrival meets with contempt by the town's people as he attempts to instill his brand of discipline to a young team. Of course, when it's discovered why he left New York, it doesn't help his cause as well.
The set decorations best depict Indiana during this period. Conservative as always, the people respect human values, but will they be tolerant of this newcomer?
Barbara Hershey, as the acting principal of the school, is a difficult character to fathom. With pride for her school, yet an unhappiness but willingness to remain at the home town, her character needed more development, but is more than sufficient as depicted.
This is definitely a story of redemption, commitment, and small town values in the 1950s. Dennis Hopper has some scene stealing moments as a town drunkard, who with a son on the team, eventually finds his way. Hopper was nominated for a well deserved best supporting actor Oscar for this 1986 film.