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The Babe
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Synopsis
John Goodman is cast as the Sultan of Swat, whose excesses -- especially drinking -- and private demons can (in this context) be excused in view of his genuine love of baseball. The facts never get in the way of a good story for screenwriter John Fusco; we're even offered the umpteenth rehash of "Little Johnny", the largely fanciful tale of the invalid boy who promises to get well if Babe hits him a homer (as in Pride of the Yankees, the cured Johnny makes return a appearance as grownup). The most amusing fabrication is the casting of narrow James Cromwell as the Babe's orphanage mentor Brother Mathias, who in real life weighed 300 pounds. Many of the characters are composites, notably Bruce Boxleitner's Jumpin' Joe Dugan. At least Ruth's two wives--Trini Alvarado as Helen, who suffers Babe's many peccadilloes and dies under strange circumstances, and Kelly McGillis as Claire, who keeps Babe on a very short leash-are depicted with a modicum of accuracy. The baseball sequences are well handled (though there could have been less slo-mo) while Elmer Bernstein's charmingly old-fashioned musical score is right in tune with the film's approach to its subject. The Babe is rated PG; had this been the whole truth and nothing but, and R rating would probably have been in order. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast

Trini Alvarado Helen Woodford-Ruth
Bruce Boxleitner Jumpin' Joe Dugan
Stephen Caffrey Johnny Sylvester, age 30
James Cromwell Brother Mathias
Peter Donat Harry Frazee
John Goodman George Herman "Babe" Ruth
Bernard Kates Colonel Jacob Ruppert
Kelly McGillis Claire Hodgeson-Ruth
Michael McGrady Lou Gehrig
J.C. Quinn Jack Dunn

Production Crew

Erica Hiller Associate Producer
Haskell Wexler Cinematographer
Jim Van Wyck Co-producer
Elmer Bernstein Composer (Music Score)
April Ferry Costume Designer
Arthur Hiller Director
Robert Jones Editor
Walter Coblenz Executive Producer
William Finnegan Executive Producer
John Fusco Producer
James D. Vance Production Designer
John Fusco Screenwriter
Lisa Satriano Second Assistant Director
Year: 1992
Runtime: 115
Country: USA
MPAA Rating: PG
for rude language, some sexual situations, and for a scene of pre-teen alcohol/tobacco consumption
Category: Feature

Genre
Drama

Color type
Deluxe color

Sound
Dolby

Produced by
Finnegan-Pinchuk Productions
Universal
Waterhouse

Release
April 17, 1992 (USA)
by Universal