MAJOR LEAGUE: BACK TO THE MINORS

US, 1998, 100 minutes, Colour.
Scott Bakula, Corbin Bernsen, Dennis Hayesbert, Takaaki Ishibashi, Jensen Daggett, Walton Goggins, Ted Mc Ginley.
Directed by John Warren.

The title can be taken literally. While the screenplay, by the director, John Warren, takes up characters created by David S. Ward for his successful film, Major League, this film has very little to do with the original and its sequel.

It is a film for an American audience and for those who love baseball. It is also a variation on the coach who falls on hard times, is persuaded to go back to a minor team, coach them against unlikely odds, the taunts of rivals, his own self image, and then a final confrontational match which, of course, they win.

The characters are more or less as to be expected. Scott Bakula is seen playing but using a frozen ball and so is sent off the field. He is approached by a manager friend, played by Corbin Bernsen, to take over a team which seems to have little prospect but has a lot of talent. Much of the film is taken up with the coach, the variety of characters, multicultural, in the group, and the details of their training. There is a particular focus on a young player who has talent but needs training, played by Walton Goggins (who was to have a successful career as a character actor in many prominent films but was most effective as one of Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight).

There is a touch of romance with the coach and his girlfriend, played by Jensen Daggett.

There is some comedy with the commentators in the box and some broad comedy in the clash between the coach and a presumptuous and foolish rival played by Ted Mc Ginley.

The film is more or less a time-passer but is certainly geared to an American baseball-loving audience.