The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Robert Redford

Writers (WGA):

Steven Pressfield (novel)
Jeremy Leven (screenplay)

Release Date:

3 November 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

Some Things Can't Be Learned. They Must Be Remembered.

Plot:

A down-and-out golfer attempts to recover his game and his life with help from a mystical caddy.

Plot Keywords:

Golf | Game | Golfer | Caddy | Golf Course

Awards:

2 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Will Smith	...	Bagger Vance
Matt Damon	...	Rannulph Junuh
Charlize Theron	...	Adele Invergordon
Bruce McGill	...	Walter Hagen
Joel Gretsch	...	Bobby Jones
J. Michael Moncrief	...	Hardy Greaves
Lane Smith	...	Grantland Rice
Peter Gerety	...	Neskaloosa
Michael O'Neill	...	O.B. Keeler
Thomas Jay Ryan	...	Spec Hammond
Trip Hamilton	...	Frank Greaves
Dermot Crowley	...	Dougal McDermott
Harve Presnell	...	John Invergordon
Danny Nelson	...	McManus
Bob Penny	...	Laidlaw

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content.

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX | SDDS | DTS-ES

Certification:

Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | USA:PG-13 (certificate #37600) | South Korea:12 | Netherlands:6 (re-rating) | Canada:PG | Italy:T | Argentina:Atp | Brazil:Livre | Chile:TE | Finland:K-7 | France:U | Germany:6 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/6 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Beaufort, South Carolina, USA

Company:

Allied Filmmakers

Trivia:

Brad Pitt was offered the role of Junuh but turned down.

Goofs:

Continuity: On the first hole of the three man contest, Junuh hits his shot in the sand. The camera shows the ball sitting on top of the sand. When Junuh goes to hit the ball out of the sand, it is very clearly buried in the sand.

Quotes:

Bagger Vance: Yep... Inside each and every one of us is one true authentic swing... Somethin' we was born with... Somethin' that's ours and ours alone... Somethin' that can't be taught to ya or learned... Somethin' that got to be remembered... Over time the world can, rob us of that swing... It get buried inside us under all our wouldas and couldas and shouldas... Some folk even forget what their swing was like...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "South Park: Here Comes the Neighborhood (#5.12)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Mood Indigo

Another Excellent Fantasy-Sports Film

I usually like fantasy movies and I really enjoy sports films. Combine the two well - like "Field Of Dreams" and like this movie - and I am sure to rate this extremely high. I've seen it three times and enjoyed it immensely each time.

It reminded me a bit, too, of "The Natural," but instead of baseball, this one features golf and real-life legends Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen playing the local guy, "Rannulph Junuh" (Matt Damon). Like "The Natural," this is beautifully photographed, has a wonderful feel-good ending, a variety of characters, a beautiful lead woman and good acting.

The no-name child actor in here, J. Michael Moncrief, who plays "Hardy Greaves," narrates the film as an older man looking back on this story. The kid is a fine actor, too, and I really enjoyed his Georgia accent. Charlize Theron is the beauty, playing "Adele Invergordon," a woman who organizes this famous golf match between the greatest amateur player of the world, the best professional and "Junuh," who is the focus of this story. Theron's known for her dramatic roles but she exhibits a nice comedy touch in here.

Damon does his normal fine job of acting and Will Smith, as the angelic caddie "Bagger Vance," is uncharacteristically low-key, which I found nice to see. Bruce Magill did a good as Hagen and Joel Gretsch, likewise, for Jones. Magill is obviously the best real-life golfer here among these actors. Damon had to learn the game from scratch, and did a fine job with his swing.

The only part of this film that went a little overboard - but it's the fantasy part of the story - was the New Age-type preaching by "Bagger." However, some of his speeches were simply golf visualization, which has always been taught as a means to concentrate better on one's shot-making. I didn't think hearing the Lord's name in vain a half dozen times was necessary in here, either, but what are you gonna do? Other than those things, this is great film and I one I throughly appreciate every time I see it.