One on One (1977)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Lamont Johnson

Writers:

Robby Benson (writer) &
Jerry Segal (writer)

Release Date:

17 February 1978 (Finland)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Tagline:

"You're not big enough. You're not sharp enough. You'll never make it." Did you ever want to make them eat their words? Now there's a movie that does it for you. One on One is the story of a kid nobody believed in except himself. Discover One on One. The story of a winner.

Plot:

Henry Steele is a basketball phenom at his small town high school, but when he matriculates to a big city university on a scholarship...

Plot Keywords:

Coach | College | Small Town | Basketball | Boyfriend Girlfriend Relationship

Cast

Robby Benson	...	Henry Steele
Annette O'Toole	...	Janet Hays
G.D. Spradlin	...	Coach Moreland Smith
Gail Strickland	...	B.J. Rudolph
Melanie Griffith	...	The Hitchhiker
James G. Richardson	...	Malcolm
Hector Morales	...	Gonzales
Cory Faucher	...	Tom
Doug Sullivan	...	Young Henry Steele
Richard Jury	...	Father Steele (as Rich Jury)
Liz Jury	...	Mother Steele
Richard Jamison	...	High School Coach
George Walls	...	Wheeler
Harlan Knudson	...	Simon Bell
Lamont Johnson	...	Barry Brunz

Also Known As:

Catch a Falling Star (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Finland:S | Norway:12 (video rating) | Norway:12 (original rating) | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Ault, Colorado, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Henry's hair length fluctuates between shots.

Quotes:

Henry Steele: All the way up with a red hot poker. I can play anywhere now.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cotton Candy (1978) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Hustle

Fine film - because of some aspects, in spite of others

G. D. Spradlin is a splendid actor. Between his role as the coach here, and in the same role in the great football flick, "North Dallas Forty" - he has undoubtedly won, hands-down, the prize for the best portrayal of the quintessential "total horse's-ass coach." As others have pointed-out, it is illogical that he would recruit Henry (Robby Benson) as heavily as he did, then not know who he was when he reports on campus. Also, he knew Henry was a small-school, small-in-stature, fast-break player, whose talents were speed, ball handling and shooting - and yet, he is non-plussed when this doesn't seem to fit with his slower, ball control, "big-team" offensive philosophy.

The gratuities furnished Henry (automobile, do-nothing job, alum booster buying his game tickets for exorbitant amount) are beyond the scope even the most "liberal" programs would furnish - at least in terms of their obviousness, with little intent to provide some sense of legitimacy to them. And the coach's decision regarding Henry's scholarship, and his measures to try to drive him off the team, are over-the-top, even for the heavy-handed character portrayed (and even bearing in mind that big-time college athletic programs are not as altruistic as the schools like to portray).

But these contrivances are also what make the movie more interesting, and sometimes characterizations which are exaggerated help as much as they hinder the plot - and they do so here. I remember seeing Burt Reynolds with Johnny Carson on a show, discussing a movie in which Benson had appeared with him. He laughed about winning bets from others when Benson was able to do 100 sit-ups in about a minute. With some of the performances in sports movies, where the principals can be made to look like they can perform only by using trick photography or stunt doubles - it is a pleasure to watch Benson, who obviously is physically capable, and knows how to handle, pass and shoot a basketball. Annette O'Toole is engaging in the female lead, and together they make an attractive, appealing young couple.