THE MIGHTY DUCKS
US, 1991, 100 minutes, Colour.
Emelio Estevez, Joss Ackland, Lane Smith, Heidi Kling, Joshua Jackson, Elden Henson, Josef Sommer.
Directed by Stephen Herek.
The Mighty Ducks had great success at the box office, appealing to a family audience, especially an American family audience with its focus on ice hockey. It is one of those films, reminiscent of the Bad News Bears series, about sports underdogs who bond with their coach and make good.
Audiences also enjoy sports films. For ice hockey fans, there will be great entertainment value – but for those not familiar with the game, they will have difficulties with the rules, let alone seeing the puck being hit and sliding across the ice because it is so fast.
Emelio Estevez is the lawyer who was something of a champion when he was young but fell foul of the coach, Lane Smith, and has shunned hockey ever since he missed the goal in the championship match. He is now a smooth talking lawyer who, drinking and reacting to the police, finds himself temporarily out of his job and asked to coach the Ducks.
There is the usual ragbag of unlikely hockey players. The leader, sympathetic, is Charlie, played by a young Joshua Jackson before Dawson’s Creek. There is also the champion hitter, Fulton, played by Elden Henson. In the background is Josef Sommer as the head of the legal firm, Joss Ackland as the sympathetic Hans – who is also in the two sequels. And there is more than a touch of romance with Heidi Kling as Casey, Charlie’s mother.
The film is quite predictable, and that is what audiences want in this case. It is directed by Stephen Herek his credits include, in the 90s, The Three Musketeers as well as Mr Hollands Opus.
1. The popularity of this film in the 90s? Sport? Underdog team? Team spirit, triumph? Honesty and sport? The sequels?
2. The city, the world of the law and courts, of law firms and offices, of hockey teams, stadiums and dressing rooms? Ordinary apartments? The musical score?
3. The title, the nickname of the team, the emblems, jerseys, mockery of the ducks and cracking? The relationship of the team to the name of the manager of the Law firm, Ducksworth?
4. Gordon, the prologue, as a boy, Coach Reilly and urging him on, his mistake and failure? Leaving the sport?
5. Gordon, in the court, smart work, the prosecutor, the judge and his being caught on his judgements? Smooth talking? With the head of the firm? Out on the town, drinking, driving, the police, the many charges? In court, the judge the prosecutor and the touch of revenge? Community service? The head of the firm and his conditions?
6. Gordon, his comfortable life, his not liking kids? Going to meet the boys, the girl in the team? Their reactions? His doing the coaching, the clash with Charlie and his mother? Urging them to cheat? His apology, Charlie, to Casey?
7. The various games, the boys overhearing him talk about losers, their wrong interpretation, the reaction, walking out?
8. The issue of the boy in the Hawks, the boundary lines, Gordon and his legal attitude? The father, the coach, the boss and the discussions, Gordon standing his ground?
9. The discussions with Coach Reilly, memories of the past, the rivalry, the coach’s determination to win?
10. The issue Adam Banks, play with the Hawks, not welcome in the Ducks team, eventual acceptance, his injury in the final match, their concern?
11. The other members of the team, the girl, Gordon and his finding Fulton, Fulton’s skill in striking, part of the team, loyal to Gordon?
12. The training, Fulton learning to skate, the games, Fulton scoring?
13. The build-up to the final, audiences expecting the win, tension for the game, the various moves and manoeuvres, the girl pirouetting, the wing formation, Charlie and the final opportunity, the win?
14. Casey, concerned about her son, abrupt with Gordon, the apology, staying to dinner, Charlie and his affection, his mother’s warning Gordon, the happy ending and the prospects?
15. An entertaining sports film, children, underdogs, honesty in winning?
