Product: A League of Their Own (Widescreen Edition) [VHS] (1992)
Rating: 3.0
Yes, you go girls. Or whatever.
As entertainment, this movie works. Geena Davis, especially, makes it worth watching. (Hanks, too, I guess, although I seem to be one of the few people who think he's a bit overrated).As history and as a message movie -- it fails. For starters, in the first year of the AAGPBL, they played softball, not baseball.Some of the actors were convincing as ballplayers; others were not. In the latter category was Lori Petty. When she pitched, she would grunt and throw out her right leg to make it look as if she were really throwing a fireball in there. But if you watch the ball instead of her, it's clear that her "fast ball" is going about 20 mph.But my main complaint is in the "message"; which, I guess, is that women can do anything men can do. Sure. But Penny Marshall undermined that concept with the fact that, in the movie, the league only became popular after a sexy shot of "Dottie Hinson" catching a foul while doing a split was published in Life magazine, and after the team members started rewarding men who caught foul balls with a kiss. So the true message seems to be: Men will watch womens' sports if the participants are good-looking, and if there are no mens' sporting events to watch. That pretty much sums up today's LPGA tour. So here's the key: Stop looking for a "you go girls" message. Enjoy a moderately charming and funny film. And you'll be okay.