Released originally in the busy spring of 1989 Major League stood out as a classic sports comedy film. Performing well at the box office it spawned a less successful sequel but the original is still considered one of the best baseball movies made.
The Film
Featuring an all-star cast Major League is a story about underdogs and what spirit can accomplish if you want something bad enough. The story begins with the wife, Rachel Phelps (Margaret Whitton), of the newly deceased Cleveland Indians owner taking over running the struggling team. Her goal is not to rebuild and become stronger but instead to make a team that will place last giving her an option to move the franchise to Miami.
She proceeds to make a list of has-beens, never-beens and unknowns (‘this guy is dead’ is a classic quote from the movie). The major faces in the movie are all damaged players; Jake Taylor (Tom Berenger) is a format great catcher with bad knees and many regrets. Ricky Vaughn (Charlie Sheen) is an ex-convict with a blistering fastball but no control. Roger Dorn (Corbin Bernsen) is a highly paid under-achieving player that refuses to commit to the team. Pedro Cerrano (Dennis Haysbert) is a power hitter whose voodoo background cannot help him hit breaking balls. Willie Mays-Hayes (Wesley Snipes) sneaks into spring training and has talent but is extremely raw. Finally the manager Lou Brown (James Gammon) has never proved he can coach a winning baseball team.
The season starts of just as Phelps wanted with the Indians losing nearly every game and the city losing faith in them. Unbelievably the team actually starts to pull together and win some games. Frustrated Phelps decides to demoralize the team and takes away all their luxuries and perks. While frustrating this does not have the effect she desired, instead the team discovers her tactics and becomes more determined then ever to win.
The movie is the classic story of the underdog heroes but it is done in such an effortless, fun, and realistic way that you cannot help but cheer along. As the players develop we see Vaughn learn to swallow his pride in order to become a better player. Dorn learns that he cannot let the team down; Hayes learns his trade and plays to his strengths. The on-field leader of the team, Taylor, tries to recover a lost love, Lynn Wells (Renne Russo) while attempting to have one last great year.
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