NOT JUST BASEBALL

Many of the best sports movies are set on the baseball diamond, but there are excellent films about other sports. Most of them are about that particular sport about like Forest Gump is about shrimping, but they make a fine basis for a good story. Here are my top five movies about “other sports.”

1. Chariots of Fire (1981). Deservedly won the Oscar.  Ben Cross and Ian Charleson are superb as Olympic runners.  It is about being the best, and about principles and priorities. It’s hard to imagine the princely Ben Cross, who died at 72,  as an Olympic-quality sprinter, but he was really good in this movie. Charleson portrays a devout Christian who refuses to compete on the sabbath. 

2. Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993). Please watch this movie. Nobody much did when it came out, and it is a fabulous film about a child prodigy chess player,  what to do with gifted children and how to let them be children.  Lawrence Fishburne is great as a park speed player; Max Pomeranc is wonderful as the kid and Joe Mantegna does a nice turn as his dad. 

3. Breaking Away (1979). Bicycle racing? Why not. The quirky humor and good characterizations make this a fine film.  The underdog against the world story is as old as the movies, but usually works anyway and certainly does here. Dennis Christopher (whatever happened to him?) is good as the young bike racer, smitten by the glamour of the Italian grand prix team. Paul Dooley gives a career performance as his father and Barbara Barrie is very good as his mom.

4. Hoop Dreams (1994). There was quite a controversy when this splendid movie not only wasn't nominated as Best Picture but didn't even get nominated as Best Documentary.  They wuz robbed.  This is about two inner-city kids who dream of making it big in the NBA.  But it's really about dreams and families and making the best of things.  It follows the two main characters from elementary school into college. It is over three hours long but you'll never notice. 

5. Raging Bull (1980). With Martin Scorcese directing and Robert DeNiro acting, this is arguably the best boxing movie ever made.  Not for the faint of heart, as the fight scenes are graphic.  The story is about what men do to women and each other and what happens when you used to be famous.  The movie is shot in black and white, and it’s hard to imagine otherwise. An Oscar for DeNiro, at the absolute top of his game. 

More winners about other sports next time. All of the movies in this column are available  for streaming. Google the title and click on “watch movie”. The first three are fine for all ages; the rest are for mature audiences.