The Natural (1984)

7.4PG134 minDirector: Barry Levinson

1984 US sports drama film by Barry Levinson

The Natural is a 1984 American sports drama film based on Bernard Malamud's 1952 novel of the same name, directed by Barry Levinson, and starring Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, Glenn Close, Kim Basinger, Wilford Brimley, Barbara Hershey, Robert Prosky and Richard Farnsworth. Like the novel, the film recounts the experiences of Roy Hobbs, a man with great "natural" baseball talent, spanning his long but interrupted career in the sport. In direct contrast to the novel, the film ends on a positive tone. It was the first film produced by Tri-Star Pictures.

The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actress (Close), and for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress (Basinger). Many of the baseball scenes were filmed in 1983 at War Memorial Stadium in Buffalo, New York, built in 1937 and demolished in 1988. All-High Stadium, also in Buffalo, stood in for Chicago's Wrigley Field in a key scene.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is The Natural about?
The Natural (1984) — An unknown middle-aged batter named Roy Hobbs with a mysterious past appears out of nowhere to take a losing 1930s baseball team to the top of the league in this magical sports fantasy. With the aid of a bat cut from a lightning struck tree, Hobbs lives the fame he should have ha
Is The Natural based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is The Natural scary?
Content rating: PG. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.
What is The Natural (1984) about? Plot, synopsis and ending explained — Screencodex