61* (2001) (TV)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Billy Crystal

Writer (WGA):

Hank Steinberg (written by)

Release Date:

28 April 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Sport

Tagline:

Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. Why did America have room in its heart for only one hero?

Plot:

Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle race to break Babe Ruth's single-season home run record.

Plot Keywords:

Sports Writer | Babe Ruth | Baseball | Friendship | St. Louis Gateway Arch

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 20 nominations

Cast

Barry Pepper	...	Roger Maris
Thomas Jane	...	Mickey Mantle
Anthony Michael Hall	...	Whitey Ford
Richard Masur	...	Milt Kahn
Bruce McGill	...	Ralph Houk
Chris Bauer	...	Bob Cerv
Jennifer Crystal	...	Pat Maris ('61) (as Jennifer Crystal Foley)
Christopher McDonald	...	Mel Allen
Bob Gunton	...	Dan Topping
Donald Moffat	...	Ford Frick
Joe Grifasi	...	Phil Rizzuto
Peter Jacobson	...	Artie Green
Seymour Cassel	...	Sam Simon
Robert Joy	...	Bob Fitschel
Michael Nouri	...	Joe DiMaggio

Also Known As:

61 (USA) (alternative title)
Home Run Race (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | USA:TV-MA

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

61* Productions Inc.

Trivia:

Because there was no accurate documentation of it, no one knew what the precise color of the Yankee Stadium seats were in 1961. When faced with this dilemma, Production Designer Rusty Smith was told that Billy Crystal had an old bleacher seat from Yankee Stadium. Though the seat was completely painted blue, Smith found one small chip of green on the seat that proved to be the true Yankee Stadium green.

Goofs:

Continuity: After the commissioner's decision to make separate records for the 162-game season, Maris is answering questions while playing catch. When he stops to talk to the reporter (clearly breaking from playing catch), he had just thrown the ball to his partner. When he's done talking, he immediately throws the ball again to his partner, though he never received it during his break.

Quotes:

Bob Sheppard: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Yankee Stadium.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Punisher (2004)

Soundtrack:

Put On A Happy Face

An absolute home run

Billy Crystal hits it out of the park with 61*. Brilliantly cast, beautifully shot and at times brutally honest in its storytelling, 61* is an absolute gem.

Any baseball fan well knows the story of the great home run chase of 1961. Here, Crystal peels back the curtain and brings us up close and personal with the men who made that season so memorable. In Barry Pepper, who plays Roger Maris, and Thomas Jane, as Mickey Mantle, Crystal found two actors absolutely perfect for their respective roles. The way Pepper and Jane perfectly captured the essence of these real-life heroes goes far beyond the eerie physical resemblances the actors have to the men they portray. Maris was a quiet, serious, introspective family man. And during this particular season it could be said he was a downright tortured man as well. Pepper captures all of this wonderfully. Mantle on he other hand was an outgoing, energetic, fun-loving superstar who took full advantage of all the perks his stardom brought him. And Jane does a fine job bringing this out and really lets you see the wear and tear Mantle's lifestyle had on him as his body began to break down. It would have been easy to gloss over some of the less appealing aspects of Mantle's personality. It also would have been dishonest and Crystal is to be applauded for showing it how it really was. Mantle was a larger than life hero but he certainly had his faults and this film brings them out. Some may find the pervasive profanity and crude sexual humor in the film to be a bit over the top but an honest retelling of the story requires acknowledging the way these ballplayers really were.

61* is not just a movie about baseball, it is at its heart a movie about Roger Maris and the key relationships in his life. Maris and Mantle, Maris and his wife, Maris and the oppressive press...these relationships are all explored as we learn much more about Roger Maris the man than Roger Maris the baseball player. Maris had to overcome a great deal to accomplish what he did and this film does a brilliant job of bringing us along on his magical ride.