A League of Their Own
No, that’s not Geena Davis aged up…
PRE-GAME ⚾️
I’d like to begin this first edition of Balls on Film by thanking everyone who has subscribed over the past week, and to everyone reading today. Starting anything new can feel just as daunting as it does exciting, and I appreciate every new subscriber, every share and every new view.
I’ve been wanting to start this project for years, but I always ended up telling myself that nobody would read it. I’d tell myself that nobody else cares about sports movies that much, and just put it off. I then toyed with the idea of doing it as a podcast, but let’s face it - everyone and their dog has a podcast these days, and we probably don’t need another. I also doubt that many people would want to listen to my thick Glaswegian accent talk about (mostly) American sports movies. Writing is always what I’ve enjoyed most, and how I’ve always liked to express myself creatively, so publishing here on Substack just felt like a natural fit.
They always say that the best way to succeed on a platform such as this is to find a niche. Well, if a Scottish guy reviewing mostly American sports movies isn’t a niche, then I don’t know what is!
I wanted to start off with A League of Their Own, as we’re now entering into the summer months, and it’s just such a perfect movie to watch at this time of year. Also, while the recent Beetlejuice 2 trailer left me feeling excited, it also left me feeling a little sad that Geena Davis isn’t returning. Watching the trailer led me to rewatch the original film, and then on to a bit of a Geena Davis binge, which included The Fly, The Long Kiss Goodnight, and then to A League of Their Own. It just felt right to kick off the newsletter with this one.
As you’ll hopefully see from this first edition, I don’t want this to just be a standard weekly movie review and nothing else. I want to have a little fun with the format, and for this to be a very relaxed, informal approach to sports movies. Every week, I’ll also take a quick halftime break to talk about any quick off-topic stuff too. I hope you enjoy it, and I welcome any feedback and movie discussion in the comments.
With that, it’s just about game-time. Welcome to Balls on Film!
FIRST HALF ⚾️
For those unfamiliar with the plot, ‘A League of Their Own’ takes place during World War II, and tells the story of the newly-formed All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which was created to keep baseball going during a time where male players were off fighting in the war.
The story begins with sisters Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis) and Kit Keller (Lori Petty), two farm workers who are recruited to play for the Rockford Peaches, one of the teams in the new league. Dottie very quickly becomes the team’s star player, but Kit struggles and a rivalry between them begins to brew. Former Major League star Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) is recruited - or rather talked into - coaching the team, after his career was cut short due to alcohol addiction. We follow the team’s journey through the league, and the slow transformation of the curmudgeon coach. Although the movie draws from a real moment in history, the story and characters are fictional and loosely inspired by actual events.
The film highlights the team’s challenges as female athletes in the 1940s, and having to face misogyny from the crowds as well as the people running the league itself, in addition to their relationship with a disinterested manager, who’s initially just there because he’s promised an easy pay check. It’s all tied together with a wraparound story that sees older Dottie (Lynn Cartwright) some 40 years later, as she attends an opening exhibition for the league at the Baseball Hall of Fame. This prompts the flashback to 1943, where the bulk of the story takes place. It’s an element of the film that’s divisive among viewers, but we’ll get to that in a little bit.
I was just six years old when ‘A League of Their Own’ was released in 1992, and it’s the first sports movie that I can remember watching, and subsequently, what also introduced me to baseball. I was much too young to understand a lot of the deeper themes in the film at the time, but even watching as a young kid, it still felt magical.
As a child, I fell in love with the film because it made me think of long, glorious summer days and being outside with my friends, and because it’s incredibly heartfelt and funny with an amazing cast of characters. I’ve seen it countless times since, and even in my 40s, all of those things remain true. But the focus on the conflict between traditional views of femininity and the wartime necessity for women to take on historically masculine roles adds a great deal of depth to the film, and elevates it above the standard sports movie formula. The players are chosen as much for their looks as they are for their talent, which is where the 1940s portion of the story begins. Ernie Capadino, the cynical talent scout brilliantly played by Jon Lovitz, dismisses one player purely because of her looks and it’s here where the camaraderie between the women quickly begins to grow.
It’s this camaraderie and team spirit that really brings the wonderful cast of characters to life. It all feels very genuine and the supporting cast, including Rosie O’Donnell and Madonna (in a career-best performance) add vibrancy and plenty of humour to the story. It’s a nice contrast to the serious challenges that the players come up against, and to the more emotional beats of the plot. The team’s spirit and how it slowly warms Jimmy Dugan’s icy exterior, will never not be fun to watch.
Speaking of Dugan, we need to talk about Tom Hanks in this film. Geena Davis and Lori Petty are the stars of the show, but Tom Hanks truly delivers a masterful performance as the initially repulsive coach. With any other actor in the role, it would be tough to get behind Dugan. His attitude, actions and his utter nonchalance at expelling bodily fluids is utterly gross, but Tom Hanks carefully treads a line and somehow makes a complete asshole still likeable. I think it’s only something he could pull off. Even the iconic ‘There’s no crying in baseball!’ scene just wouldn’t have landed in the same way with anyone else playing that part.
Speaking of which, can we bring back Tom Hanks playing assholes? I know it’s tough not to root for him in any part he plays, but rewatching this left me wanting to see him play someone truly horrible.
The film’s framing device is extremely divisive among viewers, with some people calling it unnecessary - but for me, it’s where the film truly shines. It’s what elevates it from being great, to one of the best sports movies of all-time, in my opinion. I love the aesthetic differences between the 1980s and 1940s portions of the film, the sun-drenched pops of colour in the 40s and the more muted tones of the 80s, and how it drives home the glory days of the character’s careers. The epilogue, where these characters with whom the audience have been on such an incredible journey for the previous two hours, reunite and reminisce on their baseball days and the lives they've lived since, is very touching and beautifully crafted. It brings me to tears every single time.
Is the film perfect? No. There are elements of Kit’s story that I’d have liked more of. The movie’s final game, and the culmination of Dottie vs. Kit is thrilling and masterfully crafted by Penny Marshall - but I wanted to know more about Kit’s time with the other team, and maybe have gotten to know those characters even a little bit. Keep your eyes peeled for an almost blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Tea Leoni appearance during this game too!
Despite a few minor flaws, A League of Their Own holds up to this day, and remains one of the greatest sports movies of all time. You’ll laugh, cry, feel angry, punch the air with joy and never want to leave this wonderful cast of characters. What more could you ask for in a sports movie?
HALFTIME ☕️
Let’s take a quick break. Feel free to grab a coffee or some snacks for the second half.
I love to listen to music as I write, and I’d like to use this little halftime break each week to tell you about what I’ve been listening to, or if anything else has caught my attention throughout the week. This week, my ears have been flooded with the sounds of Ultra Q, a fairly new rock band that’s actually led by Jakob Armstrong, son of Green Day’s Billie Joe. My wife, who is a life-long fan of Green Day, put me on to them and I haven’t been able to stop listening to their latest release, ‘Empty Eddy’, ever since. Jakob Armstrong definitely sounds like his dad at points here, but that’s where the Green Day comparisons end. Check them out for yourself below.
Since we’re talking baseball movies this week, I’d also like to highlight a wonderful podcast that I’ve been listening to, or rather using to help me fall asleep. That’s not a diss at the podcast, but rather a compliment. The Northwoods Baseball Radio Network is a full-length, fake baseball game in podcast form. There is no yelling, no loud commercials, no sudden volume spikes. Just soothing, old-school radio commentary and relaxing ambient crowd noise. It’s perfect to fall asleep to, even for someone like myself, who always struggles. I can’t recommend it enough. Check it out where you get your podcasts or at SleepBaseball.com.
In addition to discussing the film in the comments, I’d love to know what you’re listening to and what other movies you’re watching. Let me know!
That about it does it for halftime. Let’s back to the baseball field.
SECOND HALF ⚾️
Okay, let’s have some fun in this second half with some awards.
BEST SCENE 🏆
The obvious choice here is Coach’s Dugan’s infamous ‘There’s no crying in baseball’ moment as the best scene in the film, but while that may be the best line in the film, I have to give this award to the Hall of Fame scene at the end. I challenge anyone not to watch Stilwell deliver the “…always said it was the best time she ever had in her whole life” line, and not be moved to tears.
BEST LINE 🏆
There are so many memorable lines in the film, but I can’t not give it to Jimmy Dugan’s “There’s no crying in baseball” rant. It’s a rather unsympathetic moment, sure, but it’s an iconic line that will live on forever.
MVP AWARD 🏆
I can’t not give this to Geena Davis as Dottie. I love the journey that her character goes on, and how the rivalry and build-up to everything that takes place between her and Kit, is handled. While Hanks’ grumpy portrayal and the aforementioned line is what most people tend to remember, Davis steals just about every scene, and her character journey converges perfectly with that of older Dottie in the wraparound story. It all brings to life one of the best characters in sports movie history.
IMDB TRIVIA HIGHLIGHT 🏆
During the infamous Tom Hanks urinal scene, apparently even he didn’t know how long the ‘peeing’ would go on for. Penny Marshall was in a bathroom stall with a hose and bucket making the sound effects for the scene, and just…kept going. It actually makes the reactions from the various characters around him even more entertaining when you know that.
BEST LETTERBOXD REVIEW 🏆
I always leave this movie feeling warm and fuzzy inside, but I may never look at it in quite the same way again after this take from Branson Reese. Thanks a lot, Branson.
BEST AMAZON REVIEW 🏆
Even the schmaltz can’t hinder this one reviewer’s love for Madonna.
When I read this review, it left me wondering if this person bumped the rating by a star or two, simply because it included the Madonna video? I had no idea that the DVD was the only way to see this video, but if anyone is curious, it’s now on YouTube for everyone to enjoy:
SOCIAL MEDIA AWARD 🏆
This one goes to Ranch Devereaux over on Twitter/X:
I’ve seen this movie more times than I can remember, and I’m ashamed to admit that only recently did I learn that this was NOT Geena Davis aged-up. Looking at the comments under this tweet though, it seems like I wasn’t the only one. Right there with you, Ranch.
POST-GAME ⚾️
That just about brings things to a close for this week, folks.
I hope you enjoyed this first edition of Balls on Film. Going forward, my aim is to continue to tweak and improve the format, and take on board any feedback that you may have. I would also love to read your thoughts on the film in the comments. Tell me about your favourite scene, your favourite character, something funny or interesting related to the movie that you’ve come across online - anything at all. I can’t wait to discuss it all with you! 😊
Next week, I’ll be heading stateside to New York City to enjoy a 40th birthday gift from my wife. I turned 40 back in April, and she got us tickets to the upcoming New York Yankees-Los Angeles Dodgers series at Yankee Stadium, as well as a week’s stay in the Big Apple. I’ve been looking forward to it ever since, and I can’t wait to head over there. I absolutely love going to baseball games, and I’m ready for a break after a pretty tough start to the year. I was recently diagnosed with skin cancer, and have been recovering from surgery over the last few weeks. That’s a story for another time, but I am most definitely in need of a break! Don’t worry, though - the newsletter will still go out as normal next Friday.
With the NBA Finals coming up, I thought it would only be right to turn to basketball for our next film. I hope you’ll join me next week where I’ll be revisiting the 1992 classic, White Men Can’t Jump. If you’re able to watch it too, I’d love to discuss it with you all right here next week.
Until then - have a fantastic week, and thank you again for your support.
~ James
This is a fantastic tribute to one of my all-time favorite movies! The scene that always gets me is the one-handed catch in the stands... a few seconds on screen without words, but SO MUCH is being said in those moments. Way to knock it out of the park on your first at-bat!
Great piece James! And happy birthday! 🧡