A funny, gentle and honestly sentimental movie that is easily one of the best of the year in any category, and very possibly the best movie about sport ever made in this country.
Bang the Drum Slowly (1973)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted: 22
Fresh: 20
Rotten:2
Average Rating: 7.6/10
Consensus: Bang the Drum Slowly is a touching melodrama that explores the inner workings of a baseball club and its players’ personalities with remarkable depth.
Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Robert De Niro stars as Bruce Pearson, a baseball player stricken with Hodgkin's disease. During his illness, he befriends the team's star pitcher Henry Wiggin (Michael Moriarty), who not only... Robert De Niro stars as Bruce Pearson, a baseball player stricken with Hodgkin's disease. During his illness, he befriends the team's star pitcher Henry Wiggin (Michael Moriarty), who not only helps Bruce hide his illness from the materialist owners, but also emotionally supports his dying friend. Moriarty and DeNiro's performances, as well as coach Vincent Gardenia's, are the high points of this tearjerker based on Mark Harris's 1950's novel. Academy Award Nominations: Best Supporting Actor--Vincent Gardenia. [More]
Starring: Robert De Niro, Michael Moriarty, Vincent Gardenia, Phil Foster
Starring: Robert De Niro, Michael Moriarty, Vincent Gardenia, Phil Foster, Ann Wedgeworth, Selma Diamond, Barbara Babcock
Director: John Hancock
Director: John Hancock
Screenwriter: Mark Harris
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Reviews for Bang the Drum Slowly
It was first filmed for television, where it seems best suited as a 'disease of the week' movie.
It's a good film, avoiding all the obvious goop and the 'big game' cliché at the climax.
Finally, a baseball melodrama with a full count of emotional impact. Hancock's narrative delivers the right pitch of intensity
A great baseball movie and a touching buddy film with De Niro showing the talent that has made him one of our best actors. Moriarity gives a fine performance as his star-pitcher friend.
You don't have to understand baseball to appreciate this one, which is probably just as well.
It is one of those rare instances in which close adaptation of a good book has resulted in possibly an even better movie.
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