It’s spring time… That means its the beginning of Baseball Season. Just in time for the MLB ramp up, The Revamp is back! This month Olivia is taking on one of the vaunted Classics; The Natural.
It is the magical time of the year, dear readers of The Revamp. That’s right, the boys of summer are back: Major League Baseball has begun!
For those who know me well, when the first week of April strolls in, it is not April Fools Day that comes to mind. Instead, it is a sign that nights spent on the back porch with my family, listening to the radio broadcast the score from the corner of Carnegie and Ontario, while the sun sets in the sky are nearing. Regardless of what team is coming from the boombox, there are millions of fans who enjoy the same kind of evening.
This month’s column will reflect the ‘reason for the season’, as we take another look at Barry Levinson’s 1984 The Natural, starring Robert Redford and Glenn Close. When an unknown comes out of nowhere and becomes a divine and legendary, talented player, our protagonist finds his worth and talent is not in his bat, but in his heart.
Although the film had a safe 7.5 on IMDb, it was met with mixed and unfavorable reviews from critics. Roger Ebert wrote, “Why did a perfectly good story, filled with interesting people, have to be made into one man’s ascension to the godlike, especially when no effort is made to give that ascension meaning?”
Side Note: To add to Ebert’s comment, this contributor found the film’s subtext was about how men are valued for their sexual performance, and scoring the game-winning run at home plate.
So how could one successfully sell this film nearly thirty-five years later? With a touch of divine intervention, in addition to a good eye on the part of the casting director and studio, here are some suggestions to take this ‘so-so’ film and make it a grand slam.
Or at least a solid line drive to left.
Original Cast and Crew
The Crew
Director: Barry Levinson was on quite a lucky spree in the 1980s and 1990s for both film critics and film junkies alike. After Natural, he went on to direct the Academy Award-winning Rain Man in 1988, where he won an Oscar for Best Director. A few years later he pleased the ‘popcorn flick’ crew with his 1992 cult film Toys starring Robin Williams. Needless to say, Levinson enjoys variety in his work and his life.
Writer: Roger Towne and Phil Dusenberry brought Bernard Malamud’s novel to life when they adapted the screenplay for The Natural. While neither men had anything quite like Natural under their belts since Towne went on to write In the Company of Spies (1999) and The Recruit (2003) and In the Company of Spies (1999). As for Dusenberry, his 1972 Hail was his only other notable film.
Composer: There are not many who grew up in the 80s or 90s who did not hum one of Randy Newman’s melodies or songs. From the Toy Story series (1995-2010) to James and the Giant Peach (1996) and beyond, his only other comparison would be John Williams and Danny Elfman. His score in Natural is nothing short of a classic Newman score; simple, catchy, and full of instrumental glee.
Cinematographer: Caleb Deschanel’s camera work was one of the more enjoyable elements of The Natural, and it is a skill that has served several of his films since. Using his eye for lighting and attention to details for each time period he works with and in, he went on to be the DP for the 2000 film, The Patriot, and the controversial 2004 film The Passion of the Christ.
The Cast
Robert Redford is not only an iconic name for his various acting roles (which range from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) to Pete’s Dragon (2016)) but for his various roles behind the camera as a director and a producer as well. For over a decade he has also had a role with The Sundance Film Festival, which he has been quite proud of. While Roy Hobbs is not his most notable character, it is certainly one that used Redford’s looks and “All American Boy” charm to its advantage.
Glenn Close’s role as Iris Gaines was good, like several of her roles over the thirty plus year career she has had in Hollywood. However, most my age and a little older and younger would agree that her iconic role as Cruella De Ville in the 101 Dalmatians (1996) franchise, her voice as Tarzan’s adopted mother, Kala, in Tarzan (1999), and her recent role in the Oscar-nominated film The Wife (2017) all surpass Gaines.
Whether your introduction to Robert Duvall was Max Mercy in The Natural, his earlier role as Tom Hagen in the The Godfather (1972), or his later role as ‘Gus’ McCrae in Lonesome Dove (1989), his diverse but equally solid range of characters (both lead and secondary) have left an impact not only on audiences and the box office, but on other actors and crew. While he is a bit of a questionable character in The Natural, he is still one of Duvall’s many loveable roles.
No stranger to the role of a femme fatale, Kim Basinger’s role as the sultry and troubled Memo Paris prepared and served her well in later roles such as 1989’s Batman, and her 1997 role in L.A. Confidential. While Basinger has not been the top billing name in a while, her looks and seductive and sharp dialogue continue to arouse the attention of filmgoers, both old and new.
As a Cleveland native, it is not unusual for Darren McGavin’s face to grace the television each and every December, due to his iconic role as Ralphie’s father in the 1983 classic, A Christmas Story. While that role is delightfully rugged, it is far different from the role of Gus Sands, and later his role in the 1995 film Billy Madison. Cunning, mischievous, and greedy, Sands is not only a textbook con man, but he is also as dangerous and sleazy as Ralphie’s dad was thrifty.
THE REVAMP
The Crew
Director
Bennett Miller
Given the audience’s and critic’s reaction to Miller’s baseball-themed Moneyball (2011), as well as his 2005 film Capote and his other sports-related film Foxcatcher (2014), the particular dramatic and yet heartfelt comedic taste he brings to his films could be an interesting addition to The Natural, which was far more melodramatic and bordered on a male equivalent of the ‘chick-flick’. It would be a tad heavier and ‘darker’ than the original, but that edge could give the film a new sense of substance.
Writer(s)
Steven Zallian and Aaron Sorkin
If Miller wanted to rewrite the script, it would be wise for him to bring on the co-writers of Moneyball, Steven Zaillian (Schindler’s List (1993)), and Aaron Sorkin (A Few Good Men (1992) and The West Wing (1999-2006)). Both men could add to that ‘sense of substance’ that was missed in the original Natural. They would give the plot and dialogue a natural sense of credibility, ensuring that the film could potentially earn an award or two.
Cinematographer
Wally Pfister
Continuing on the back of Moneyball’s success, Wally Pfister (The Prestige (2006), The Dark Knight (2008) and Inception (2010)) would give the film a new and refreshing look that while is not as bright and warming as the previous rendition of the film, would still look sharp and crisp. If he wanted to reflect some of Deschanel’s camera work from the original, it would not be too much of a stretch for him to attempt to blend Deschanel’s with his own style.
Composer
Randy Newman
Since we are still lucky to have Randy Newman active in the industry, it would be intriguing to bring him back and see what he could do to update the score to match Miller’s team’s visual and tonal style. It could lead to a clash, but it could also be a rewarding emotional experience.
The Cast
Roy Hobbs:
Although he is not ‘An All American Boy’ Henry Cavill’s physique and Superman good looks could be the appeal that will get audiences to see a film about a fair paced sport like baseball, compared to the more action-packed superhero films (example: Man of Steel (2013)) he is associated with. Given his experience with The Tudors (2007-2010), a time period piece will not be a stretch for him either.
Iris Gaines:
There is a warm glow that comes from the various roles, troubled or joyful, of Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine (2010) and Fosse/Verdon (2019)). She reflects the gentleness of Close but has a softness of her own that would serve the role of Iris well. It would be reassuring to know that such a character could be left to Williams and her good hands.
Max Mercy:
While it was a bit of a tie between pranksters John Leguizamo (To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (1995) and John Leguizamo’s Latin History for Morons (2018)) or Michael Weatherly (NCIS (2003-16)), I would vouch for Leguizamo for the mischievous, modern-day Mercy. It would also, fortunately/unfortunately, add to the lack of diversity in the original film. Although Leguizamo should not be cast for his race, his talent speaks far louder than his skin tone and therefore would prove to be a smart match.
Memo Paris:
A modern day, brilliant, talented, and charming bombshell, Christina Hendricks (Mad Men (2007-15) and Drive (2011)) would be a good choice for the femme fatale that is Memo Paris. Not only because of her body and looks (much like Basinger) but for the emotional toll that Memo goes through during the film, when she must choose between her goals and what is ethically right. Hendricks can play that conflict strongly and has done so in several performances.
Gus Sands:
Michael Shannon (Take Shelter (2011) and The Shape of Water (2017)) is spectacular at playing someone who is troubled and does not mind who shares the troubling experience with him. While his intensity would be stronger than McGavin’s, it would add another layer to Sands, who is cunning, wicked, and greedy.