SATURDAY'S HERO

US, 1951, 111 minutes, Black and white.
John Derek, Donna Reed, Sidney Blackmer, Alexander Knox, Aldo Ray.
Directed by David Miller.

Saturday’s Hero is a little-known film about college sports, echoing the atmosphere of sports in the late 40s and early 1950s. Because of its low-key background and it’s cast, it was not as popular and as widely seen as some other films about sports in later decades including North Dallas 40, All the Right Noises, Everybody’s All- American.

A very young John Derek portrays a college kid from the wrong side of the tracks who receives a scholarship, boosts the success of the college team but is subject to blackmail. The film also stars Donna Reed.

The film is interesting insofar as the issues of sport, scholarships, academic achievement, pressure on sports players were just as prevalent but not to the surface as they were and are in succeeding decades. Well worth looking at especially in the light of contemporary aspects of sport.

Director David Miller had a mixed career making a variety of films like Billy the Kid in the early 1940s, Love Happy with the Marx Brothers at the end of the 40s, Sudden Fear with Joan Crawford at the beginning of the 50s and then a number of more successful films like Happy Anniversary, Midnight Lace, Back Street and the excellent western, Lonely Are the Brave.

1. Is this a good drama? Sports film? Piece of Americana and its attitudes in the fifties?

2. The film and film-making in the fifties, black and white photography, college and town atmosphere, the presentation of sport?

3. The significance of the title? Its reality and its irony? The film's presentation of heroism and of disillusionment? How accurate was its presentation of this kind of heroism and how incisive was its critique?

4. The ordinary opening and the presentation of suburban sport? People's expectations of sports heroes and the pressures to succeed? How did the film build its presentation of heroism and disillusionment on this ordinary basis?

5. How attractive a character was Steve? An earnest young man, his skill in sport, his loyalty to his father, to his brother, to his agent? The prospect of success? The realism with which he made his choices? His hopes in the challenge of going to Jackson? His earnestness about study and sport? A man of integrity? Was he doomed to failure? Were his ideals of heroism too good and impractical?

6. The film's presentation of the college and its atmosphere and tradition? Entry, class significance, long tradition? The Coach and his attitudes to sport? The contrast with the English professor and his cynical criticism? The role of benefactors in supporting students? Their pressures and hold on students? The criteria for success?

7. Steve’s entry into this world and his competence in his relationship with his friends? The characterization of the various friends, their studies, dilemmas, moral crises, physical injuries? The success in the sports games? Success and practice for sport vs study potential? The importance of Steve’s discussion with the professor and his change of attitude? His attempts at humiliation turning to attempts at helping and coaching? The effect on Steve of this experience?

8. The importance of the encounter with McCabe? What kind of man was McCabe? His tradition, business, ruthless disregard of people's feelings, his interest in and his dismissing of Steve? His using of him? His using of the agent? His attitude towards Melissa and running her life? Was he in any way a sympathetic character? What did he symbolise and represent in terms of American power?

9. Steve’s attraction to Melissa? Her arrogant style, her dependence on McCabe?, the explanation of her background and her wanting to succeed? Her change in attitude towards Steve? Her falling in love and yet her erratic behaviour and her hurting him? The difficulty of her making her decisions to support Steve and leave McCabe? How well and convincingly were these confrontations visualized?

10. The peak of success and yet the precarious nature of success? The importance of physical injury? The selfishness of the people who forced Steve to go on? The blackmail to make him play? The experience and the disillusionment? The coincidence of the death of his father? His brother's attack, his agent's disillusionment, Melissa’s support?

11. How well drawn were the final confrontations of Steve with himself, with his agent, his brother, Melissa, and especially with McCabe? Could audiences identify with the values represented by Steve?

12. The film ended in optimism and realism after disillusionment. Was it realistic? The moral values preached by the film?