Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford) is a young ballplayer who on a train trip strikes out The Whammer on 3 pitches. When he gets involved with Harriet Bird (Barbara Hershey),she shoots him sidelining his career. Years later in 1939, Roy Hobbs re-enters the major leagues as an old rookie in the New York Knights. He's been hired by the owner The Judge (Robert Prosky). The Judge and the coach Pop Fisher (Wilford Brimley) have a bet. Pop could get back some of his shares of the team if he could win this year. So he assumes Hobbs is nothing more than The Judge sabotaging his year and refuses to let him play. When he finally relents, Hobbs literally knocks the cover off of the ball with his bat Wonderboy. Max Mercy (Robert Duvall) is a newspaper man who keeps hounding Hobbs for his life story. Memo Paris (Kim Basinger) is Pop's niece and bad luck who is in cahoots with bookie Gus Sands. Iris Gaines (Glenn Close) is his salvation from the past.

I don't really like his introduction. It would probably make more sense to have a young lookalike to do those scenes. At first blush, the passing of years may not be as appreciated by the audience. It may be a good idea to use the younger version as simple flashbacks. Redford just don't look different enough in those two different time frames. That aside, Barry Levinson does know how to shoot a beautiful movie. The movie does have its slower spots, but it fits the mystical feel of the story. This movie runs like a fantasy.

One thing is for sure. There is that iconic home run scene. Sometimes a scene or an image can stand for something bigger. For that alone, I have added one point to my vote.

Before I get into the review, I want to relate a little story about when I first saw this film. My girlfriend (now my gorgeous wife) and I set in front of some elderly folks who seemed to be having a hard time keeping up with the film. Repeatedly, we kept hearing them asking each other what had just happened. However, near the end of the film, I had a big laugh. When Roy (Robert Redford) hit the huge home run and the film went into slow-motion with sparks flying everywhere, we sat--marveling at the predictable but wonderful finale. When it was all over, we heard one of the folks behind us say "Did he hit the ball?!"---well, I guess you had to be there.

This is an amazingly loving tale--told with amazing care to get the look and feel of 1939 just right. It also showed an amazing reverence for baseball--not just real baseball, but the mythical and metaphorical game. The cinematography was amazingly beautiful and helped set the wonderful mood. And, the acting was terrific. The film is simply among the best sports films ever. But unlike some other great sports films (like "Raging Bull"),this one never attempts to be realistic and presents an amazingly idealized and nostalgic version of the game. Well worth your time and nearly deserving a 10.

Bernard Malamud's novel about baseball and lost opportunities in life was written in 1952 but finally got to the big screen in 1984. Robert Redford is our protagonist Roy Hobbs who missed his big opportunity to have a career following a shooting incident. 16 years later at an age when players are retiring he gets signed as a rookie for the New York Knights (Giants) and becomes a Joe Hardy like sensation.

Like Joe Hardy there's some deviltry at work in the form of Robert Prosky the team owner in league with Arnold Rothstein like bookmaker Darren McGavin who want to bet against the fast rising Knights powered by Redford.

The film has a real baseball feel to it and Malamud dipped into baseball lore to come up with his characters. Joe Don Baker as The Whammer is a not too veiled portrayal of Babe Ruth. Michael Madsen who crashes into the outfield wall and fractures a skull is based on Dodger outfielder Pete Reiser who ended his career though not fatally with too many encounters with Ebbets Field's outfield wall. Hobbs himself as we see him practicing in the Iowa cornfield is Bob Feller no doubt.

The Natural is impeccably cast besides those mentioned there is Robert Duvall the sportswriter who both eventually remember where he saw Redford before and who smells a rat in the pennant race. His character is based on legendary sportswriter Hugh Fullerton who discovered the Black Sox scandal. Wilford Brimley is the crusty old manager of the Knights and Richard Farnsworth his coach.

For a change women in this baseball movie got some roles of substance. Barbara Hershey is brief but memorable as a deranged baseball groupie who shoots Redford in the abdomen, said incident based on the shooting of Phillies first baseman Eddie Waitkus. Kim Basinger plays another baseball groupie, a temptress to lead Redford astray. And Glenn Close got a Supporting Actress nomination as his faithful girlfriend.

The Natural got other nominations for Best Music Score, Art Direction, and Cinematography.

Redford looked pretty good on the field, a lot better than Gary Cooper for instance playing Lou Gehrig. The Natural takes its place among the great films about baseball.