Monday, February 26, 2024

Classic Movie Flashback 'The Natural' 1984 with Robert Redford

THE NATURAL distributed by TRI-STAR pictures (1984). Movie star Robert Redford was reaching middle age when he pulled off a miracle as the aging baseball rookie Roy Hobbs.

The production budget climbed to $28 million. It reached $48 million at the U.S. box office (Movie ticket price $3.36). Robert Redford was still a box office draw.

It is the 1910's. The story surrounds Roy Hobbs (Redford) who is an upcoming baseball player at 19 yrs. A female fan shoots him with a gun. She then commits suicide. The bullet remains inside of his stomach. After 20 years. Roy decides to get back into baseball at middle age. During a game. He hits a baseball so hard that the cover is knocked completely off. He becomes a sensation. As he grabs a winning streak. The bullet inside is going to kill him if he doesn't stop playing ball. Age isn't an issue anymore, but his life's choices are outside the game. He chooses baseball to do or die. 

"The Natural" grabbed 4 Oscar nominations including best actress in a supporting role (Glenn Close), Cinematography (Caleb Deschanel), Art Direction (Mel Bourne, Angelo P. Graham, Bruce Weintraub) and Music (Randy Newman). 

It would later go onto become a smash hit with VHS home rentals. Good Grief. My brothers rented this movie too many times.

Tri-Star Pictures 1984.

"The Natural" 1984. From left, Robert Redford, Richard Farnsworth and Wilfred Brimley.

Below is the original 1984 Movie Trailer.

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