You can count the number of memorable basketball movies on one hand. Thankfully, for every piece of dredge like "The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh," we get something like "Hoosiers." ESPN ranked it as the #1 sports movie of all time, and it's tough to argue that call.
Coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) has been away from the game for nearly a decade. Brought into a die-hard small town focused squarely on basketball, he takes over the reigns of a small team, changing coaching styles the town has used for years. Facing numerous hurdles, including an alcoholic assistant coach, Dale turns the team into a winner as they make a run for the state championship.
This is one of those ageless movies, likely one you see when you're younger and never forget. It's a requirement for any sports fan and it's a guideline to other directors on how to make films like this work. In fact, it seems like many directors have done just that, copying the style that now seems clichéd and worn out.
Gene Hackman isn't the most versatile actor in the world, but he fits right in here as the heart of the team. Barbara Hershey seems wasted as a love interest, though the deleted scenes on this new DVD offers up scenes that make her role worthwhile. Dennis Hopper completes the trio as the drunken assistant coach and father, probably one of his best non-villain performances.
The late Jerry Goldsmith makes one of the most important appearances in the film, and he never appears on screen. This is pretty much one of the most inspirational film soundtracks of all time. It should rank right up there with "Rocky."
Most importantly though, "Hoosiers" is a story of true heart and what it can accomplish. Anyone who has ever picked up a ball and taken a shot can likely relate to the characters, the town, and their will. That's what the film gets across so well and it's also the reason it has become a classic. (***** out of *****)
Article comments
1 - Michelle
I am a native of Milan, IN and am responding to the comment...finding game film from 1954 can't be an easy task...Actually, we grew up on it. This was the first state championship to be broadcast on TV. The original reel-to-reel was converted to VHS when that was possible. I have had a VHS copy for years. Finding this game would have been relatively easy. That's how important this one is to Hoosier Basketball and the REAL March Madness.