Pride of the Yankees (1942)

The Pride of the Yankees (1942) – Biopic of Yankee great Lou Gehrig, starting with baseball on the streets of New York to becoming one of the greatest baseball players of all time.

Directed by Sam Wood                                      Starring Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright

Baseball can be divided into two eras, the Reserve Clause era and the post-Reserve Clause era.  I think media about the game can be divided into two eras as well.  Before “Ball Four” and after “Ball Four”.  Jim Bouton’s honest and, at the time, controversial look at America’s favorite sport changed how we approached the game.

“The Pride of the Yankees” represents both of those earlier eras.  Lou Gehrig was one of the biggest stars in the game in a time when players had little to no influence on their careers.  Some folks view those days as “purer” than modern baseball, but I think that’s naive. Owners took great advantage of their employees, and the game had a dark underside that the media cooperated in hiding.  Movies like this one were intended to burnish not banish the haloes of our sports heroes.

At the same time, Lou Gehrig requires very little embroidery as a character.  Gehrig was, and remains, almost universally loved and respected.  He played hard, and through injury for the better part of fourteen years, without ever missing a game.  (It should be noted that there were several occasions when things were carefully arranged for Gehrig’s consecutive game streak to continue.  Once he was batted first, then was immediately taken out of the game.  Legend says at least one game was canceled “due to rain” despite clear skies, to ensure the streak continued).

The bottom line is that Gehrig loved the game.  It must also be recognized that he was arguably the greatest player of his generation.

Now we’re going to add some Hollywood magic.  Gary Cooper in one of his best roles.  Teresa Wright as his wife Eleanor is just as perfect.  The tragic end to his life, cut short by the disease that now carries his name.  Cooper and Wright make the relationship between ballplayer and wife funny and happy.  Cameos by some of Gehrig’s Yankee teammates as themselves (including Babe Ruth) adds to the fun for the baseball fan.  From the movie point of view, all of this sets you up for a heartbreaking ending.  The final shot of the movie is a classic.  Director Wood fought changing it to a cornier, “Hollywood” ending, and it was the right decision.  Decades later, the ending still brings people to tears.

All in all,

Why You Will Like It: A wonderfully funny, warm-hearted tribute to a giant from another age.

Rating – **** Recommended