THE WINNING TEAM
US, 1952, 92 minutes, Black and white.
Ronald Reagan, Doris Day, Frank Lovejoy, Russ Tamblyn.
Directed by Lewis Seiler.
The Winning Team is an enjoyable sports story, a piece of Americana, 1950 style. It has the formula for the story of significant sports characters, so popular in the 40s and 50s. The film is about baseball pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander and his career between 1911 and the late 20s. The film is a star vehicle for Ronald Reagan - and is interesting in retrospect in view of his own career. He is a rather quiet screen personality. The film is also a star vehicle for Doris Day who was at the beginning of her career at Warner Bros. and appeared in a number of musicals as well as dramas (including Storm Warning, also with Reagan). The supporting cast is led by Frank Lovejoy. The film goes according to formula: the background of the sportsman, relationships, his love for the sport, opportunity, success, failure, rehabilitation. The film is a tribute as well as a memoir and a look at the significance of baseball for Americans.
1. Entertaining sports story? The formula for this kind of sports story - a piece of Americana, 1950?
2. Warner Bros. production values, black and white photography, the period? Baseball footage? The atmosphere of World War I and its aftermath? Musical score? The stars?
3. The title, Grover Cleveland Alexander and his teams? His relationship with Aimee and his dependence on her for success?
4. The American perspective on sports stars? The rags to riches story? Downfall and rehabilitation? The American dream?
5. Ronald Reagan as Alexander: at work on the telephones, love for the game, play and success, relationship with Aimee, the plan for the farm, standing her up, her getting him to promise that he wouldn't play? His going to play? The tension? His double vision? The marriage, working on the farm? Getting his vision again? Playing, Aimee's support? Success, World War I, his service, the return, injuries? His collapse? Introduced to drink? Concealing from everyone his ailment? Collapse, Aimee leaving him? The media turning against him? His helping Hornsby with his game, the doctor appealing to Aimee and her appeal to Hornsby? Playing again, success, the World Series? The final match? His reliance on Aimee's presence, her absence, her reappearing - the winning team? The film as a tribute to Alexander?
6. Aimee, Doris Day's strong style? Her father and his suspicions? The plan for the farm, anger with Alexander? The marriage, supporting him? Success, at the matches, with the other wives? Supporting her husband, the press interviews? The War? The return? Her disappointment, decision to leave? The doctor and the information, her return? The rehabilitation and the final success?
7. Hornsby, as a rookie, helped by Alexander? In management, giving him the opportunity, success? Moral support?
8. Aimee's father and suspicions? The Nebraska families, country way of life? Alexander's own family, the many children? The marriage ceremony and the photos? The sense of family?
9. The baseball players, their ethos, friendships and rivalries, style? Spring training, the match, the series? The fans - and the thousands at the matches? The media, fall in support, gaining support again?
10. This film among the many portraying American sports and heroes?
