Other Titles • The Bad News Bears • Die Bären sind los (1976)
Synopses for The Bad News Bears (1976)
1.
This likable 1976 comedy gently skewers the whole post- Rocky mania for movies about losers who find their mettle or salvation or purpose in life in competitive sport. Walter Matthau stars as a drunk who becomes manager of a pathetic little-league baseball team. When he brings in a talented girl pitcher (Tatum O'Neal), the crew have an actual chance at winning some games and maybe a championship. But director Michael Ritchie (Downhill Racer) undercuts the romance of it all with the team's foul-mouthed tendencies and Matthau's own decadent spin on mentor-coachdom. Similarly to Ritchie's wicked comedy Smile --which lampooned the fervor surrounding beauty pageants--The Bad News Bears pokes fun at another American institution. --Tom Keogh
2.
One of director Michael Ritchie’s most universally recognized comedies, THE BAD NEWS BEARS is a film that continues to entertain audiences of all ages. The story concerns a hopeless Little League team that eventually scores big when it acquires a new coach, Morris Buttermaker (Walter Matthau), a grouchy, beer-guzzling pool cleaner who takes the position for some extra cash. When he realizes that his players are a bunch of talentless misfits, he signs up two secret weapons: Amanda Whurlitzer (Tatum O’Neal), the daughter of an ex-girlfriend who also happens to be an awesome pitcher, and Kelly Leak (Jackie Earle Haley), a motorcycle-riding punk who is inarguably the best player in the area. With their new lineup in place, the Bears breeze their way into the championship game, in which they must battle their rivals, the Yankees, in order to exact revenge and win the title.
Matthau’s Buttermaker is a gem of a character, tossing off cynical one-liners with a vehemence that is truly hysterical. Ritchie strikes further gold with his youthful cast, who all embody their characters with a comic realism that is both heartwarming and humorous, making THE BAD NEWS BEARS one of the finest sports comedies ever made.
3.
A classic comedy about growing up!
A major surprise as one of 1976's top-grossing films, The Bad News Bears is a movie about children that is refreshing, utterly believable, and quite cleverly funny. Walter Matthau is at his absolute best as the grumbling, beer-guzzling former minor-league pitcher who gets roped into coaching a band of half-pint misfits somewhat loosely called a team. With this bunch in uniform, it's impossible to get caught up in the suburban competitive spirit that drives other adults to extremes of parental discipline. So, instead, the Bears have a good time.
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