The Natural stars Robert Redford as Roy Hobbs. He is a baseball phenomenon, who leads The New York Knights to the pennant. This is after years of being cellar dwellers. They are managed by Pop Fisher, (Wilford Brimley), who is hanging on to his job by a thread. Brimley gives his all as the manager, with no talent team. Robert Redford has the lead, but isn’t the best in his role. His character is nearly shoved aside for colorful characters, like Max Mercy, (Robert Duvall) and Gus Sands, (Darren McGavin). Duvall plays a sports reporter, who can’t remember the promising young star Roy Hobbs. McGavin is the sports gambler/fixer, who can’t stand losing. Darren McGavin was a year removed from playing The Old Man Parker, in A Christmas Story.
Robert Duvall as Max, organized a contest years ago, between the promising pitcher, Roy Hobbs and The Whammer, (Joe Don Baker). The Whammer, is an obvious film representation of Babe Ruth. Baker is good in his brief film appearance. His character is humiliated when he is struck out by Hobbs. The fame of Hobbs reaches a deranged fan, (Barbara Hershey). She goes to his hotel room, dressed in black. She shoots Hobbs, destroying his career.
It is fifteen years later, and suddenly Hobbs appears in The Knights’ locker room. Pop Fisher laughs at him, and his ability. He doesn’t want to let him play. He is forced to put him into the lineup, when tragedy strikes the team. It’s star, (Bump Bailey), (Michael Madsen), crashes into the outfield wall, suffering a fatal injury. This forces the manager, to put Roy Hobbs in the lineup. It also changes the team’s fortunes. Hobbs’ ability to hit home runs, makes a difference. His honest love of the game, and ability, make him a team leader.
Roy Hobbs is having a great season. Then he meets Memo Paris, (Kim Basinger. She is the companion of Gus. Hobbs begins a relationship with her. He focuses his attention on her. This causes him to have a slump, and the team goes on a losing streak. One day Hobbs sees a woman in the stands, and hits a monster home run. This breaks his slump, and the teams losing streak. The woman turns out to be his longtime girlfriend Iris, (Glenn Close). They lost touch, when Hobbs pursued baseball. The team is chasing the pennant, when Hobbs becomes ill. He is poisoned by Memo, on Gus’ orders. While in the hospital, the bullet, from several years earlier, is removed. Hobbs is sidelined, for a few days. He is advised by the doctors, that he shouldn’t play. He of course ignores the the medical professionals, and plays through the pain. He sees Iris in the stands, and that motivates him. Hobbs saves the day, for The Knights, launching a home run. This gives them the pennant, and saves Pops job.
The Natural has the feel good story. It could be the true story of The Brooklyn Dodgers. They were for many years, a bad team. They eventually won the 1955 World Series. The story is a composite of different baseball stories. It isn’t just the story that helps this film. It has imagery. Barry Levinson has shown a few compelling things. There is the shot of Roy Hobbs making his bat. He burns the name Wonderboy into it, as well as a lightning bolt. The bat, was made from a tree that was struck by lightning. There are also the scenes, of Hobbs playing catch with his father. There is the feel of the baseball locker room and the dugout. There is the sleazy side of sports-with the gambler-Gus and the Knights owner, The Judge. They both try to get Hobbs, to throw the game. The most powerful image is the morphed ending, from flying home run, to a ball landing in a baseball glove. This belongs to Hobbs son who is playing catch with his father.
Baseball movies can be hit or miss. This tale has characters and storyline, to engage the audience. It is a fanciful tale, but some of Tinseltown’s better movies are.