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The Grail, in this case, is a major league pennant for the
New York Knights and Sir Galahad is Roy Hobbs, a farmer's
son who may well be the best thing in baseball - ever.
Hobbs (Robert Redford) is a young lightning-fast pitcher
who loves playing catch with his dad and is off to join a
major league team.
Unfortunately for him he meets up with a psychotic woman
who shoots him and ends his chance of a life-long career in
the game.
Sixteen years on, Hobbs presents himself to the Knights and
is treated like an ageing rookie - in other words, shite -
but keeps on with his dream to play major league baseball.
At last given the chance, Hobbs' talent resurrects the team
and now the manager Pop Fisher (Wilford Brimley) may not have
to give up the ownership of the club to some mean and villainous
forces of darkness. The Judge (Robert Prosky) and Gus Sands
(Darren McGavin) are beautifully played, but are almost caricatures
of greed and dishonesty.
Throw into the mix a symbol of true love (Glenn Close) and
one of lust (Kim Basinger) and you have our Sir Roy torn between
good and evil.
Now, while The Natural may sound a little corny -
it isn't. True, you need to put your brain into fantasy mode,
but just let the images (which are terrific), story and characters
wash over you.
It is one of the best movies made involving baseball and
will give you a spiritual lift by the end of the tale.
Redford is Redford, and gives another very good performance.
Brimley is marvellous as the old baseball boss. Prosky and
McGavin are evil, in a corporate way. Robert Duvall is excellent
as the sports journalist Max Mercy.
The video transfer of The Natural is very good, but
not without the occasional slight lapse. Overall, however,
the colours are good and there are no major blemishes. Soundwise,
The Natural is a beauty, even if it is only in Dolby 4.0.
The Natural has been a favourite movie for a long
time and gets watched whenever there is a need for a bit of
fantasy. It is well worth considering for the home library.
Conclusion: Movie 90%, Extras 80%
Continued:
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