recommended

Good concept, poorly executed.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Edward G. Robinson (John B. "Hans" Lobert), Vera-Ellen (Christy), Jeff Richards (Adam Polachuk), Richard Jaeckel (Bobby Bronson), William Campbell (Julie Davis), Carl Hubbell (himself), Paul Langton (Brian McLennan), Lalo Rios (Chuy Aguilar), Bill Crandall (Tippy Mitchell), Frank Ferguson (Wally Mitchell), Mario Siletti (Polachuk), John McKee (Dale Alexander), Robert Caldwell (Pomfret), Donald "Chippie" Hastings (Little Joe Polachuk), Al Campanis, Bob Trocolor, Tony Ravish (themselves), Bing Russell.Narrated by Paul Langton.Director: ROBERT ALDRICH. Screenplay: Herbert Baker. Story: John McNulty, Louis Morheim. Photography: William C. Mellor. Film editor: Ben Lewis. Art directors: Cedric Gibbons and Eddie Imazu. Set decorator: Edwin B. Willis. Make-up: Jack Dawn. Hair styles: Sydney Guilaroff. Music director: Alberto Colombo. Technical adviser: John B. "Hans" Lobert. Assistant director: Sid Sidman. Sound supervisor: Douglas Shearer. Producer: Matthew Rapf. Executive producer: Charles Schnee. Location scenes photographed at the New York Giants training farm in Melbourne, Florida.Copyright 13 July 1953 by Loew's Inc. A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Picture. No recorded New York opening. U.S. release: 21 August 1953. U.K. release (in a 53-minute version): January 1956. Australian release: 4 November 1953. 70 minutes. SYNOPSIS: Two weeks with young recruits in a big-league baseball training camp.COMMENT: Although not highly regarded by connoisseurs, director Aldrich's first cinema feature has a lot to recommend it, not least the excellent performance of Edward G. Robinson as real-life baseball pro, "Hans" Lobert. In fact, with the exception of glumly stolid Jeff Richards, all the players (including of course the lovely Vera-Ellen and the talented Richard Jaeckel) are lively and likable. Although constrained by a conventional plot, Aldrich's direction is never less than highly competent, occasionally even inventive. Most of the film (if not all of it) has been attractively lensed on actual training camp locations by William C. Mellor, and the screenplay manages to arouse a fair amount of interest in both the characters and their background even for those of us who don't take Big League seriously.

No wonder the beginning scenes shows Bobby Thompson's dramatic home run in 1951 to lead the Giants against the Dodgers.Vera-Ellen did not dance in this film, but rather played the niece of Edward G. Robinson, a Giant scout, evaluating prospective players for minor league contracts. Robinson gives a subdued, but still another good performance in this film.The guys arrive at training camp and begin a regimen of activities to prove their dexterity for the game.Jeff Richards is one of those players who Ellen shows an interest for outside of baseball. Working at the front office, the Ellen character strongly hints to Robinson that the office may be calling for his retirement. While this is never further discussed in the film, the end of the movie seems to explain what would occur.Truly a heartwarming tale of what prospective players have to go through. Certainly an inspiration for aspiring young stars, especially children.

As a young boy I was one of the kids playing sandlot baseball in the closing scenes of the movie. I've never found a copy of the movie and I understand it's privately owned and stored in a basement somewhere. I can only hope that someday it will be released to the public. If anyone knows more about it, I would appreciate any information.Watching the filming of the movie was an experience. A number of the local kids were hired for the sandlot scene. We each got paid $5 (I got my social security card with a California number because of that).I would also be interested in knowing what the other extras are doing these days.

Edward G. Robinson buoys this fairly routine but thoroughly enjoyable baseball tale. The story follows a handful of youngsters as they try out for the New York Giants, including a Pennsylvania third basemen who was supposed to be going to college, the son of a former major leaguer, and a hot shot pitcher. There's also one of those exotic Cubans to represent the multicultural appeal of baseball---all the other players are white! Real life players Carl Hubbell and Al Campanis appear in cameos. We all know who's going to make it and who's going to get the girl from the get go, but never mind--this is one of those movies that fits like a comfortable old shoe. If you like baseball, try to catch Big Leaguer!