Friday, August 31, 2012

The Pride Of The Yankees

The Pride Of The Yankees
Released Date: March 5, 1943
Director: Sam Wood
Actors: Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright, Babe Ruth, Walter Brennan, Dan Duryea, Elsa Janssen, Ludwig Stossel, Virginia Gilmore, and Bill Dickey



     "Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth!" Lou Gehrig said these words on Tuesday, July 4th, 1939 to millions of fans. It was to be his retirement speech, his farewell. He was loved by so many young boys across America. As a matter of fact, as seen in this film, a young boy at the beginning of Lou Gehrig's career was visited by this great athlete at the hospital. The boy had been severely injured and looked as if he may not walk again. The boy asked Lou Gehrig to hit three home runs in the game that night, Gehrig said he would try awful hard but that it was difficult, he could promise one, but three? He may have been able to hit a lot of home runs, and usually was able to hit at least one a game. Lou Gehrig asked the boy to do him a favor as well, to one day walk out of the hospital. Gehrig hit the three home runs, and boy did end up walking again. For the young boy was at the farewell speech that day and threw down his crutches to show Lou Gehrig that he was able to walk on his own two feet without any problems.

     Henry Louis 'Lou' Gehrig (Gary Cooper) was born a baseball player. Playing all through his childhood, his play buddies even called him "Iron Horse." This movie is based on the amazing Yankees baseball player. We see him begin his career, we watch his amazing mother as she supported his career choice. We watch as Lou Gehrig took a wife, Eleanor Twitchell Gehrig (Teresa Wright), and we watch as she struggles with knowing her husbands fate and trying to hide that fact. Babe Ruth, actually played Babe Ruth in this movie. Lou Gehrig was actually left handed and played that way, and Gary Cooper, who was not a fan of baseball, therefor did not really know how to play, was able to play left handed, even though he was right. This movie is very sweet. I cried while watching this movie, and felt that Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright and the rest of the cast and crew did an amazing job.

     Gary Cooper is actually in the baseball hall of fame along with Teresa Wright. The year Teresa Wright died (2005) she was honored at a baseball game when they showed all the players that died that year. She did a great performance.

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