It's been 32 years since we first heard Tom Hanks utter the phrase, "There's no crying in baseball!" And with those five little words, audiences everywhere fell in love with the 1992 movie A League of Their Own. The comedy/drama paid homage to the real-life women who joined the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, created during WWII as a way to get baseball fans back in the stands while men were fighting the war. Starring Geena Davis (Beetlejuice), Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump), and Lori Petty (Point Break), the film went on to become a box-office success in 1992.
For those who have never seen the film, here is a recap: In a small town in Oregon, farm girls Dottie Hinson (Davis) and Kit Keller (Petty) are sisters who compete with each other, even over the little things. With so many young men overseas, the MLB team owners are afraid that professional baseball will be shut down for the duration of the war. However, well-known candy manufacturer Walter Harvey (Gary Marshall; Never Been Kissed) contrived the idea to create a professional baseball league for women, both to keep the sport alive and to make some money. Dottie is recruited by a scout for this new league but refuses to go unless her sister is hired too. Dottie, Kit, and the rest of the ladies in the league begin a journey that opens up a whole new world, far beyond that of the baseball diamond. Meanwhile, leading the team is Jimmy Dugan (Hanks), a washed-up, alcoholic, former baseball star who is angry and embarrassed to be the coach of a girl's team.
Part of what makes this movie work is the wonderful cast led by Oscar winner Hanks and the talented Davis, who was not director Penny Marshall (Big)'s first choice to portray Dottie but who did a great job in the lead role. The rest of the ensemble included Petty, Madonna (Desperately Seeking Susan), and Rosie O'Donnell (The Flintstones). The chemistry of the whole cast is part of what makes the film so special.
This new 4K release offers an upgraded video presentation to Dolby Vision, and the quality difference is small but noticeable. The film is bright and clean, offering the viewer a palette of varying color hues and beautifully detailed elements. Black tones are deep and rich with gradient shading throughout. This is by far the best video presentation we have seen of this movie.
The Dolby True HD audio is excellent as well. The soundtrack and ambient noise have a lot of depth, especially the baseball crowd noise at the games. The dialogue is crisp, and the audio mix is well done for the most part. Housed on the Blu-ray Disc, the extras are all ported over from previously released editions. They include Audio Commentary featuring Penny Marshall, Lori Petty, Tracy Reiner, and Megan Cavanagh, A League of Their Own TV Series: Three of the six-episode series ("Dottie's Back," "Shortstop," and "Marathon"), Nine Memorable Innings, The Enduring Legacy of A League of Their Own, Music Video, and Deleted Scenes.
The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League existed for eleven years from 1943-1954, and the movie, while fictional, does depict the type of life these women led while playing. Marshall also infused the film with heart and humor while still letting the athleticism shine through the story, and the cast was very well chosen.
A League of Their Own not only shines a glowing light on the women who played in the league but also serves as a beacon for any girl who loves playing sports. If you don't already own a copy of this film, you should, and this is a great opportunity to own it in the highest quality picture resolution currently offered for sale.
Grade: A-
