The Natural

They just don't make them like this anymore. It's not a sports movie; it's the last gasp of the Jeffersonian ethos in American culture. It's also the last gasp of a certain kind of filmmaking. The setup is quietly dazzling with its relaxed pace, elegant presentation, and complete self-assuredness of direction. The delights of a slow pan past the assembled team during the national anthem, the manager and batting coach playing "name that tune" in the dugout, and a magical, nightclub set piece between Redford and McGavin more than make up for some shoddy storytelling towards the end. (The mystery of the Redford character's past is never quite cleared up.) It is impossible to imagine anyone improving upon this material, despite its flaws. I can see how it might be cloying to some, but to me it was pure pleasure.