Bull Durham (1988)

Director:

Ron Shelton

Writer (WGA):

Ron Shelton (written by)

Release Date:

15 June 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

A Major League Love Story in a Minor League Town

Plot:

A fan who has an affair with one minor-league baseball player each season meets an up-and-coming pitcher and the experienced catcher assigned to him.

Plot Keywords:

Pitcher | Baseball | Minor League Baseball | Grab Ass | Baseball Has Been

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 7 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Kevin Costner	...	Crash Davis
Susan Sarandon	...	Annie Savoy
Tim Robbins	...	Ebby Calvin 'Nuke' LaLoosh
Trey Wilson	...	Joe Riggins
Robert Wuhl	...	Larry Hockett
William O'Leary	...	Jimmy
David Neidorf	...	Bobby
Danny Gans	...	Deke
Tom Silardi	...	Tony
Lloyd T. Williams	...	Mickey McFee (as Lloyd Williams)
Rick Marzan	...	Jose
George Buck	...	Mr. Laloosh
Jenny Robertson	...	Millie
Gregory Avellone	...	Doc (as Greg Avelone)
Garland Bunting	...	Teddy Cullinane (as Carey 'Garland' Bunting)
Robert Dickman	...	Whitey Sherrard
Timothy Kirk	...	Ed
Don Davis	...	Scared batter
Stephen Ware	...	Umpire
Tobi Eshelman	...	Bat boy
C.K. Bibby	...	Mayor Mutt Clark
Henry G. Sanders	...	Sandy
Antoinette Forsyth	...	Ballpark announcer
Shirley Anne Ritter	...	Cocktail waitress
Pete Bock	...	Minister
Alan Mejia	...	Chu Chu
Max Patkin	...	Himself (The Clown Prince of Baseball)
Sid Akins	...	Core baseball player
Craig Brown	...	Core baseball player
Wes Currin	...	Core baseball player
Butch Davis	...	Core baseball player
Paul Devlin	...	Core baseball player
Jeff Greene	...	Core baseball player
Kelly Heath	...	Core baseball player
Mo Johnson	...	Core baseball player
Tim Kirk	...	Core baseball player
Todd Kopeznski	...	Core baseball player
John Lovingood	...	Core baseball player
Eddie Matthews	...	Core baseball player
Alan Paternoster	...	Core baseball player
Bill Robinson	...	Core baseball player
Dean Robinson	...	Core baseball player
Tom Schultz	...	Core baseball player
Sam Veraldi	...	Core baseball player
El Chico Williams	...	Core baseball player
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mark Jeffrey Miller	...	Grounds crewman (uncredited)
Rachel Singer	...	Fan (uncredited)

Directed by
Ron Shelton

Writing credits (WGA)
Ron Shelton		(written by)

Produced by
Mark Burg	....	producer
Charles Hirschhorn	....	associate producer
David V. Lester	....	executive producer
Thom Mount	....	producer

Original Music by
Michael Convertino

Cinematography by
Bobby Byrne

Film Editing by
Robert Leighton
Adam Weiss

Casting by
Bonnie Timmermann

Production Design by
Armin Ganz

Art Direction by
David Lubin

Set Decoration by
Kris Boxell

Costume Design by
Louise Frogley

Makeup Department
Leslie Ann Anderson	....	hair stylist (as Leslie Anne Anderson)
Cynthia Barr	....	makeup artist
Doreen Vantyne	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
David V. Lester	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Eugene Corr	....	second unit director
Gene Corr	....	second unit director
Ken Goch	....	first assistant director: second unit
Ric Kidney	....	first assistant director (as Richard J. Kidney)
Nina Kostroff-Noble	....	second assistant director (as Nina Kostroff)
Donald J. Lee Jr.	....	second second assistant director
Michael Samson	....	dga trainee

Art Department
Kristin Argue	....	drapery
Robert Beck	....	set dresser
David Brace	....	associate set decorator
Frances R. Brogden	....	art department assistant
James C. Brookshire	....	property assistant
Nino Candido	....	property master
Breon Dunigan	....	carpenter
Jay Fisher	....	set painter
Mark Geiger	....	carpenter
Jim Hill	....	construction coordinator
Bruce E. Kasson	....	assistant property master (as Bruce Kasson)
John A. Kelly	....	key scenic artist (as John Kelly)
Brick Mason	....	production illustrator
Kim McClees	....	set dresser (as Kim T. McClees)
Jeffrey L. McKay	....	carpenter
Thomas Michael Ryan	....	construction foreman
Ron Servicky	....	set dresser
'Polar Bear' Shaw	....	set dresser (as Polar Bear)
Theo Van Den Huevel	....	carpenter
Dwain Wilson	....	key set dresser (as Dwain F. Wilson)

Sound Department
David W. Alstadter	....	adr recordist (as Dave Alstadter)
David W. Alstadter	....	foley recordist (as Dave Alstadter)
Lorna Anderson	....	sound editor
Tim Ballou	....	cable person
Lon Bender	....	supervising sound designer (as Lon E. Bender)
Lon Bender	....	supervising sound editor (as Lon E. Bender)
Larry Boudry	....	sound recordist
Neal Burger	....	sound editor
Richard Burton	....	sound editor
Steven B. Cohen	....	sound recordist
Steve Cohen	....	adr recordist
Steve Cohen	....	foley recordist
Jeff Courtie	....	foley mixer
William Dotson	....	assistant sound editor (as William D. Dotson)
Kirk Francis	....	sound mixer
Stan Gilbert	....	adr editor
Robert W. Glass Jr.	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kevin Hearst	....	sound editor
Devon Heffley Curry	....	adr supervisor
Alan Holly	....	adr mixer
Paul Holzborn	....	foley artist
Larry Kemp	....	supervising sound editor
Lou Kleinman	....	sound editor
Bob Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Robert Minkler)
James Moriana	....	foley artist
Richard L. Morrison	....	foley mixer
Dan M. Rich	....	sound editor
Frank Smathers	....	adr editor
Mychal Smith	....	boom operator
Cathie Speakman	....	sound editor
Wylie Stateman	....	sound editor
David Terry	....	sound mixer: second unit
Robert Thirlwell	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Robert M. Thirlwell)
Scott Warner	....	assistant sound editor
Jeff Watts	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Jeff Hyde	....	special effects technician
Vern Hyde	....	special effects technician

Stunts
Webster Whinery	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Perry Adleman	....	second assistant camera
Eric Bartsch	....	grip
Christian H. Burton	....	first assistant camera: second unit (as Chris Burton)
Marg Chiaventone	....	lamp operator
Joe D'Alessandro	....	additional first assistant camera
Eric Engler	....	camera operator (as William Eric Engler)
John Ferguson	....	gaffer (as John C. Ferguson)
Robert Allan Guernsey	....	first assistant camera
Billy Hendricks	....	lamp operator (as William B. Hendricks)
Paul Henry	....	dolly grip
Robert Hillman	....	director of photography: second unit
Robert Hoelen	....	grip
Robert James	....	key grip
Eric Jones	....	grip (as Charles Eric Jones)
Scott Lieu	....	best boy
Richard Craig Meinardus	....	camera operator: second unit (as Dick Meinardus)
Charles Minsky	....	additional photographer
York Phelps	....	grip
Van Scarboro	....	video playback operator
Tommy Ray Sullivan	....	lamp operator
Monica Sweet	....	lamp operator
James Tomaro	....	best boy (as James R. Tomaro)
Joel Warren	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Susan Brogden	....	location casting assistant
Karen Standard	....	location casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robin Hill	....	costumer
Selma F. Hill	....	seamstress
Deborah Latham	....	costume supervisor
Lily Scott	....	costume assistant
Alonzo Wilson	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Celeste Beard	....	assistant editor
Phil Downey	....	color timer
Margaret Goodspeed	....	assistant editor
Steven Nevius	....	assistant editor (as Steve Nevius)
Marypat Plottner	....	synching editor
Lewis Schoenbrun	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Danny Bramson	....	music supervisor
Paul Brown	....	score mixer
Wayne Peet	....	musician: organ
Ellen Segal	....	music editor

Transportation Department
J. Wesley Adams	....	driver (as Wes Adams)
Karen Chalk	....	driver
C.M. Daniell Jr.	....	driver
Allan Hamilton	....	driver (as Allan D. Hamilton)
Wayne Jones	....	driver
Sonny Knight	....	driver
James J. Mulvaney	....	driver
Peyton Reed	....	driver (as Peyton T. Reed)
Jonathan A. Rosenfeld	....	transportation captain
John Schultz	....	driver
David Siegel	....	transportation coordinator
Brian Steagall	....	driver
O'Brian Tomalin	....	driver

Other crew
Lawrence J. Banks	....	assistant: Mr. Mount
Kippi Bell	....	assistant: Mr. Berg
Jeff Block	....	assistant: Bonnie Timmermann (as Jeffrey Block)
Pete Bock	....	baseball consultant
Laura Brown	....	craft service
David Cook	....	production assistant
Steven Crandell	....	production assistant
Allen Custard	....	location manager
Stewart Dixon	....	production assistant
Steve Edwards	....	production assistant
William Ted Fowler	....	craft service
Sabine French	....	production secretary
Anita L. Giordano	....	caterer
Anita V. Giordano	....	caterer
Carmen Giordano	....	caterer
Karen Golden	....	script supervisor
Sam Goldrich	....	production consultant
Cynthia Greenhill	....	assistant: Mr. Costner
Michael E. Hernandez	....	caterer
David Linck	....	unit publicist
Grady Little	....	baseball trainer
Barbara Lucey	....	financial representative
Carrie Morrow	....	post-production auditor
Leonard A. Oakland	....	assistant: Mr. Shelton
Deborah Parker	....	production assistant
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Suzanne Ryan	....	assistant: Bonnie Timmermann
Beth Semans	....	assistant location manager
Jon Shapiro	....	photo researcher
Janice F. Sperling	....	production coordinator
Ricki L. Stein	....	production auditor
John Teitloff	....	craft service
Anne Wilson	....	assistant production auditor (as Anne Moosman)

Thanks
Paula Abdul	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• The Mount Company

Distributors

• Orion Pictures Corporation (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1988) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1991) (USA) (TV)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (199?) (Australia) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Flashstar (199?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1989) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Orion Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia-Hoyts Home Video (19??) (Australia) (VHS)
• Sandrew Film & Teater (1998) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Cinema Research

Other Companies

• Capitol Records  soundtrack
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Compact Sound Services  sound re-recording
• Inter Video  24 frame video services
• Kona Cutting  negative cutting
• Sportsrobe  costumes

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | Argentina:16 | Singapore:M18 | New Zealand:M | Netherlands:6 | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | UK:15 (original rating) | UK:18 (video rating) (1990) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:11 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Spain:13 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia)

Filming Locations:

Arlington, Texas, USA

Company:

The Mount Company

Trivia:

At the end of the film, during footage of a rain out, Larry is seen in the dugout reading a book called Mayan Wisdom Made Easy.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the beginning of the first game, when the Bulls go back to the dugout, you can see the shadow of the camera on one of the players on the far left.

Quotes:

Skip: Don't take this the wrong way Millie, but if I catch you in here again I'll ban you from the ballpark.
Millie: You can't ban me from the ballpark because my daddy donated the scoreboard.
Skip: What do we need a scoreboard for? We haven't scored any runs all season.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Golden Girls: Where's Charlie? (#7.5)" (1991)

Soundtrack:

BORN TO BE BAD

The movie about the love of Baseball

Crash Davis loves baseball more than it loves him. He believes in the game. He deserves to be in the show, but he isn't and never will be. But still he plays on, dutifully and to a certain extent, joyfully. Better to play crappy A-ball than sell shoes.

That for me is the central theme of this film. It is all summed up when Crash tells Nuke, the wild young star pitcher "You don't respect yourself. That's your problem. You don't respect the game. That's my problem."

Take a player that passionate, and a youngster that annoying, add in a sexy yet maternal fan and you have great comedy. Bull Durham works scene after scene, because the film never forgets that baseball is what binds all the characters together.

Tim Robbins is nothing short of brilliant and Nuke Laloosh, the rising star youngster who walks 18 batters and strikes out 18 batters in his first minor league appearance - both league records. But Nuke is caught up in his fat contract, his Porsche, and his endless parade of women. Baseball is a sideline. Eventually, Crash's mentoring begins to pay off until he finally realizes that winning is "like, you know, better than losing!"

The love triangle between Annie (Susan Sarandon), Crash and Nuke is wonderful and funny, but it mainly provides us with set up for the baseball scenes, like when Sarandon convinces Nuke to wear women's underwear while he pitches. Or my favourite scene, when Annie and Crash take batting practise together, Annie dressed like she is ready for a wedding, but determined to correct Crash's swing. Crash is determined to take Annie home. They flirt and practice batting in one of the best prolonged foreplay scenes ever filmed.

The ending is satisfying but the real depth of this film is harmony that the game brings to the characters. **** out of ****.