HBO (now Max) has been producing its own feature-length films since 1982, averaging 10-15 releases each year. Most of these films have little to no marketing behind them, nor are they distributed by a major studio or star A-list actors. With very few exceptions, these films go mostly unseen. However, there have been exceptions. These include The Normal Heart, Bad Education, Live from Baghdad, and Behind The Candelabra. Perhaps HBO’s most celebrated and widely received original movie is the Billy Crystal-directed (Forget Paris, Mr. Saturday Night) 61*, chronicling the 1961 single-season home run chase between New York Yankees teammates Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle.
Babe Ruth set the single-season record for those unfamiliar with the story in 1927, knocking 60 home runs over the fence. If the chase sounds familiar, but the names aren’t recognizable, this record was chased again in 1998 between St. Louis Cardinal slugger Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs. Crystal, who uncharacteristically dropped his comedic acting chops for this true story drama, references the McGwire/Sosa duel in the film’s first scene and then again at the end.
I did not see 61* when it was first released, as I did not have a subscription to HBO. I fell into the movie by chance while watching my chronicle of sports films I hadn’t seen before. While disappointed by many, including Bull Durham, Pride of the Yankees, and The Natural (most because of the reverence attached to each), I found 61* to be a compelling watch and one that I felt more than adequately encompassed films of that era.
You’ll notice in the film’s title the * next to 61. This is because Ruth hit his 60 home runs in 154 games. Ironically, the season was extended to 162 games in 1961. As Ruth was such a beloved legend of the game (one still considered by many today as the greatest baseball player ever), many were rooting heavily against the renowned record being broken by a lesser player, particularly relatively unknown Maris. The outrage was intensified with the additional eight games, especially if one of the two Yankee outfielders couldn’t break the record in 154 games, pressuring Major League Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick (Donald Moffat – Clear and Present Danger, Class Action) to announce that, if any player topped Ruth’s mark), two records would be recognized, with any player topping 61 home runs in a 162-game season would have an * next to the record, to preserve history.
61* struggled at times with the movie it wanted to be. Crystal certainly had vision and purpose. However, the film felt like a PG movie for the first 20-30 minutes before transitioning into something more mature, with almost an R-rated by the end. I preferred the heavier tone the film transitioned to, though the continuity issues were evident and, sometimes, distracting.
Barry Pepper (True Grit, The Green Mile) gives a career-defining performance in his first opportunity to star as a lead actor. Pepper portrays Maris as a hardworking midwesterner overwhelmed by the New York City machine following his trade from Kansas City Athletics following his MVP season. With his low-key personality and nearly nonexistent social skills, Maris lacked the pop, allure, and mystique of a traditional Yankee superstar and, thus, wasn’t openly embraced by either the New York fanbase or the media. The newspapers were more interested in Mantle (Thomas Jane – The Mist, Dark Country), who fit the mold of a superstar on the field while living a tabloid-material lifestyle off of it).
Mantle was a fan favorite and a newspaper’s cash cow, while Maris remained an outsider, badmouthed by the media and booed by the fans. MLB Commissioner Ford Frick (Donald Moffat) and Ruth’s widow (Renee Taylor) did not want to see either player breaking Babe Ruth’s home run record, though, if the inevitable were to happen, Frick did prefer it be Mantle, as he did play the part of a Yankee legend.
61* chronicles the whole season, allowing Crystal to see his characters progress. In a more rushed environment, the relationship-building between Maris, Mantle, and teammate Bob Serv (Flags of Our Fathers, NBC’s Third Watch). We see roommates Maris and Serv help Mantle curb his self-destructive behavior by helping minimize the distractions and inviting him to move in with them.
Despite what the newspapers hoped and somewhat ironic, especially when you think of the competitiveness of sports today, there was no animosity between Maris and Mantle. Despite having different personalities, they faced the same record, media scrutiny, and outside pressures. The two men found comfort in each other while becoming the other’s number one fan. The natural dynamic between Pepper and Jayne was the film’s strength.
61* succeeds both as a biopic and a sports movie. Crystal directs a beautiful story that pays equal homage to the story’s authenticity as it does to 1960s baseball. The supporting cast elevates the film’s two leads. Pepper is especially spectacular during the film’s second half as he deals with the personal turmoil the chase has on his physical and mental state.
Plot 8/10
Character Development 8.5/10
Character Chemistry 8.75/10
Acting 8.50/10
Screenplay 7.75/10
Directing 8.5/10
Cinematography 9/10
Sound 9.5/10
Hook and Reel 8.75/10
Universal Relevance 8.25/10
85.5%
B
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