The story of the Maris/Mantle home run chase of 1961 is steeped in baseball lore, from the Babe to the asterisk and everything in between. While director Billy Crystal doesn't unearth any new information or angles with "61*"-nor does he try-he does a good job of capturing the drama of that entire season and its meaningfulness in the baseball lexicon.
For a basic plot summary, "61*" tells the story of the 1961 baseball season, where Roger Maris (Barry Pepper) and Mickey Mantle (Thomas Jane) both challenged the decades-old single-season home run record that had been standing for decades (Babe Ruth's 60 homers in 1927). The film mainly focuses on the struggles of Maris, the North Dakota country boy who felt enormously pressured by the press, the fans, and perhaps even the specter of Ruth himself. While Mantle was everyone's darling and seemed the one destined to break records, it was ultimately Maris who was thrust into the spotlight he always so desperately avoided.
I think the main thing to keep in mind about "61*" is that it is very much a sentimental portrait of the events, players, and times. I'm sure a more nuanced, angled film on the topic could be made, but that wasn't Crystal's intention from the get-go. This is the type of movie that could have been filmed in gauzy tones and swelling scores (the latter of which occur frequently, come to think of it). It is Crystal basically telling this baseball story that is legendary to him, especially as a Yankees fan at heart. It practically drips with pizazz, mythos, and melodrama.
Of course, this isn't exactly a bad approach at the end of the day. It certainly leans into the clichés/legends, but it also gets enough of the story right to be considered accurate. The framing device of the McGwire/Sosa 1998 home run chase is a brilliant filmmaking stroke, albeit one that has not aged well after the steroid allegations of the years following it.
The acting also really stands out. Pepper is convincing as the tortured Maris, while Jane often steals the show as the enigmatic and legendary Mantle. The rest of the cast is also filled out by a who's who list of actors that'll make you say "I've seen him/her somewhere before!". In other words, many great character actors pepper the roll.
Overall, "61*" is a solid baseball tale made by an accomplished filmmaker (Crystal) who is also a legitimate baseball fan and thus can come off as authentic. It is over-dramatic and sentimental almost to a fault, but it gets the information it wants to convey across in an interesting and entertaining fashion. Depending on your ability to let the "ghosts of history" wash over you, "61*" may even garner a higher ranking.
For a basic plot summary, "61*" tells the story of the 1961 baseball season, where Roger Maris (Barry Pepper) and Mickey Mantle (Thomas Jane) both challenged the decades-old single-season home run record that had been standing for decades (Babe Ruth's 60 homers in 1927). The film mainly focuses on the struggles of Maris, the North Dakota country boy who felt enormously pressured by the press, the fans, and perhaps even the specter of Ruth himself. While Mantle was everyone's darling and seemed the one destined to break records, it was ultimately Maris who was thrust into the spotlight he always so desperately avoided.
I think the main thing to keep in mind about "61*" is that it is very much a sentimental portrait of the events, players, and times. I'm sure a more nuanced, angled film on the topic could be made, but that wasn't Crystal's intention from the get-go. This is the type of movie that could have been filmed in gauzy tones and swelling scores (the latter of which occur frequently, come to think of it). It is Crystal basically telling this baseball story that is legendary to him, especially as a Yankees fan at heart. It practically drips with pizazz, mythos, and melodrama.
Of course, this isn't exactly a bad approach at the end of the day. It certainly leans into the clichés/legends, but it also gets enough of the story right to be considered accurate. The framing device of the McGwire/Sosa 1998 home run chase is a brilliant filmmaking stroke, albeit one that has not aged well after the steroid allegations of the years following it.
The acting also really stands out. Pepper is convincing as the tortured Maris, while Jane often steals the show as the enigmatic and legendary Mantle. The rest of the cast is also filled out by a who's who list of actors that'll make you say "I've seen him/her somewhere before!". In other words, many great character actors pepper the roll.
Overall, "61*" is a solid baseball tale made by an accomplished filmmaker (Crystal) who is also a legitimate baseball fan and thus can come off as authentic. It is over-dramatic and sentimental almost to a fault, but it gets the information it wants to convey across in an interesting and entertaining fashion. Depending on your ability to let the "ghosts of history" wash over you, "61*" may even garner a higher ranking.