IMDb > The Natural (1984)
The Natural
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The Natural (1984) More at IMDbPro »

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The Natural (1984) -- An average baseball player comes out of seemingly nowhere to become a legendary player with almost divine talent.
The Natural (1984) -- An average baseball player comes out of seemingly nowhere to become a legendary player with almost divine talent.
The Natural (1984) -- Moviesbox.us - Trailer (Flash)
The Natural (1984) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)
The Natural (1984) -- AllTrailers.net - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.4/10   15,986 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 6% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Barry Levinson
Writers:
Bernard Malamud (novel)
Roger Towne (writer) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for The Natural on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
11 May 1984 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Sport more
Tagline:
The best there was! more
Plot:
An average baseball player comes out of seemingly nowhere to become a legendary player with almost divine talent. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 1 win & 4 nominations more
User Comments:
It's for all time; a baseball mythos more (132 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Robert Redford ... Roy Hobbs

Glenn Close ... Iris Gaines

Kim Basinger ... Memo Paris
Wilford Brimley ... Pop Fisher

Barbara Hershey ... Harriet Bird
Robert Prosky ... The Judge

Richard Farnsworth ... Red Blow
Joe Don Baker ... The Whammer

John Finnegan ... Sam Simpson

Alan Fudge ... Ed Hobbs
Paul Sullivan Jr. ... Young Roy
Rachel Hall ... Young Iris

Robert Rich III ... Ted Hobbs

Michael Madsen ... Bartholomew 'Bump' Bailey

Jon Van Ness ... John Olsen
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Additional Details

Runtime:
134 min | USA:144 min (Director's Cut)
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Newspaper copy on screen doesn't match the accompanying headlines about Roy Hobbs and The New York Knights. The text actually contains stories about bass fishing, a religious service, and a fan of the New York Giants. more
Goofs:
Continuity: In the game where he breaks the clock, Hobbs comes to bat in the top of the first inning. The scoreboard lists Chicago has already having a base hit, even though they are the home team and would not have batted yet. more
Quotes:
Roy Hobbs: I coulda been better. I coulda broke every record in the book.
Iris Gaines: And then?
Roy Hobbs: And then? And then when I walked down the street people would've looked and they would've said there goes Roy Hobbs, the best there ever was in this game.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "The Jeffersons: The Unnatural (#11.10)" (1985) more
Soundtrack:
STAR SPANGLED BANNER more

FAQ

Is this based on a book?
What was up with the woman shooting Roy? Why did she do that?
How does the film differ from the novel?
more
25 out of 27 people found the following comment useful.
It's for all time; a baseball mythos, 23 March 2006
9/10
Author: Hitchcoc from United States

Whenever "The Natural" is on TV, I stop what I'm doing and watch it. I don't know why, exactly. I have been a baseball fan since I was a little kid and love the tradition. There is no other sport that has as much history. It's because one can isolate moments in time. Situations develop. Every announcer says things like, "Bottom of the third, men on first and third, Turley on the mound, Simpson is up, he's two for four today. The wind is blowing out to right field, etc." We can make words visual. In this wonderful movie, a man wants a piece of that tradition. He makes a horrible mistake along the way to the big leagues, and now is given one last chance. This is mythical. This is not realistic. To criticize it on the basis of its credibility is unfair. Even to compare it to the book is unfair. They are totally different. What one does with a camera should not be compared to the printed page. Malamud did his thing and now Barry Levinson is doing his. The cinematography is without peer. It is magical all the way through. The lighting as Glenn Close stands up in the stands is mesmerizing. This is more Greek myth than baseball story, but it is a baseball story, with the Ruth like gods and the day-to-day players. Roy Hobbs is like all of us in some ways and we love him for his endurance, patience, and drive. Redford brings him to life with that rugged face moving away from lost youth. It's a fine film.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Natural (1984)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Walking around with Iris (favorite scene) gbromberg
Why such a low score? LetItBe117
Actual MLB Player who this is similar too... AfraidofVirginiaWoolf
Roy Hobbs inadvertantly saved the Whammer's life.... dgs516
Knocking the Cover Off the Ball Inning moconnor269
Does Max ever remember Hobbs ? 4friedchickensandacoke
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