The Film Community doesn’t talk enough about Penny Marshall’s Directorial work

The scene with the girl who couldn't read to see if her name was on the list is so heartbreaking. I was sad it was cut from the KZfaq edit. 😢

A couple of years ago, I staffed a community Halloween event for work. All these kids came out in their costumes. There was one girl, maybe 11-12 years old, dressed like a Rockford Peach baseball player. I squealed with delight and gushed over her costume. Her mom said I made her day because she loves the movie and was a bit bummed that most people (at the event) didn't get her costume.

“And how about Marla Hooch🧍🏽‍♀️….. what a hitter!”😂😂😂

The ending sequence when they're all older never fails to turn me into a big mushy mess, especially when the kid tells her his mom passed away. Having lost my own mom, and remembering how she loved this movie, it really gets to me.

Madonna's character was an amalgam of various real players, including Audrey Kissel, who taught the Sunday School I was in as a little kid. We found out about it when she said she was going to the Baseball Hall of Fame and we all thought she was just gonna go visit on vacation.

There’s a very short but powerful scene I wish you had included. It’s when the ball goes outside the fence and a black woman walking by picks it up and throws it practically across the field. No words are spoken but it hits home that while these white women were going through their own struggle to be accepted, black Americans were still much further behind. This movie takes place a few years before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball.

This was Tom Hanks' favorite movie he was ever in. He got to spend the shoot with his family the whole time which meant a lot to him

My MIL worked at a munitions factory right before WW2. She was a star ballplayer on her high school team and the factory poached her for their team before she even graduated, letting her work part time to make it legit. She was on the factory's baseball team when the war started but she married my FIL before he shipped out, got pregnant, and quit the ball team. But she kept making bullets for the rest of the war. Right before she died, she and I were alone watching the Women's College World Series. She suddenly started recounting all her baseball stories to me. "I hit a home run nearly every time I got to bat. I was good." I'm so glad we had that moment.

I'm a 6ft 4 inch ex-Rugby player from England, and this is one of my favourite films of all time. The piece in the Hall of Fame, when the grown " Stilwell " tells Dottie that he felt he had to be there for his mother who always said " those were the best days of my life ", reduces me to tears every time !! A young Tea Leoni also appears, as one of the Racine Belles ...

Jon Lovitz is absolute comedy gold in this.

The Madonna realization at the credits killed me lmao

Oh and remember the horrid bruise on the back of one of the ‘Peaches’ early in the season? Absolutely zero makeup or special effects. 100% genuine.

That super gnarly bruise they showed was a real injury the actress got while filming.

I really liked how Gina Davis was able to portray Dottie as just an effortless and chill badass. Nothing could really phase her and she had an amazing level of confidence.

31:13 - The casting of the older versions of the characters was SPOT. ON. Every one is so well-cast to resemble their younger selves, you can tell immediately. And of course the dialogue helps you to put the pieces together so well, too. If they had tried to do aging makeup on the original actresses, the magic would not have been nearly the same. I'm a makeup artist, and have tremendous respect for my fellow artists, but realistic age makeup is one of THE most difficult things we do, and with a cast that broad and the budget of this film, the makeups would not have had the chance to shine like they ought to, so casting older actresses was key. Height, build, hair color, face, attitude: all so perfect.

Marla's drunk singing was comedy.

Penny Marshall was a great director and really knew how to make good, solid, heart-warming films. This is one of my all-time favorite films. Especially all the cameos and easter eggs if you're an old TV buff...like the cameos from the actors from Laverne and Shirley (Carmine Ragusso for the serviceman dancing with Madonna, Squiggy as the radio announcer, etc.)

No crying in baseball, but plenty of crying in this Natalie reaction 😭😭😭

Yes! One of the greatest baseball movies ever made, along side Field of Dreams! This film doesn’t get enough praise these days, it’s so good and based on true events and real people.

I had the pleasure of taking care of one of the real ball players in my ER about 15 years ago. She was my patient 3 times over the course of a year and 3 times my doctors had told her family that she was going to die. The third time the daughter came up and asked me (an RN) if I really thought she was going to die this time. I knew the previous 2 times she had called in family from all over the country to say goodbye. I said "I don't know" and couldn't help but smile a little. We actually both laughed a little bit about it.

It might be strange, but IMO Geena Davis catching the ball barehanded at 8:39 and shifting into that "was that supposed to intimidate me?" stance is crazy hot.

The Betty Spaghetti scene is always a great heart crusher scene that slowly sneaks up on you.

13:50 Before the internet, before TV (and when radio only worked two hours a day) people had time to learn how to play an instrument and/or dance really well. In the 1940's, there were a lot of excellent dancers. Learning an instrument was a side hustle.

I've always felt Madonna's performance in this is highly underrated. I feel this is her second best performance after Dick Tracy.

8:39 I always liked this little detail: Dottie, a veteran catcher didn’t even blink and caught the ball barehanded. Marla, a seasoned position player and hitter, went glove ready and reacted like a typical baseballer would. And Kit, being a rookie pitcher whose job on the mound does not include much fielding, do what most pitchers did and duck out of the way!

I actually was thinking to myself "Does Nat even realize that is Madonna?" during the Swing Dancing Comment. It felt so good to see her realize it during the credits.

16:12 "I Love Mae.Mae's Hilarious" Mae's played by Madonna Also, Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell actually became friends while filming this movie, both having come similar backgrounds while growing up

I have the privelege of living about 5 miiles away for League Stadium, which was host to the home field for the Peaches. It's neat to every year visit the nostalgia of this film. They have kept it virtually the exact same for fans of the film that want to come and visit.

Dottie caught that ball, throne by Doris, because it wasn’t as fast as Kit throws. Kit dove because she’s a pitcher, and Martha is an all around player and is always ready for a line drive. such a tiny and perfect detail in this perfect movie. ❤

Marla Hooch is a baseball legend.

One of my favourite throwaway lines in all of cinema - "Well if you're in the area, and you must be in the area, this isn't a very powerful radio station" 😂😂😂 so dumb and so real, but gets me every time 😂😂😂

Tom Hanks is legendary. Love Geena Davis! Love sport movies that also incorporate a lot of history. It brings to light what people were going through at the time. Thank you for this one. It is in my top 10 for sports movies

Tom Hanks said that this was the most fun he ever had filming a movie as he got to eat what he wanted,drink beer and play baseball in a small town all summer with a wonderful team of people. Such a underrated movie one of my favourites.

I can't believe you skipped over all the Stilwell scenes. The one where he's an adult talking about his mom is so touching. :-(

I'll recommend a great Tom Hanks movie that not enough people react to - That Thing You Do! And it has music! Yay! 😄

Sooo not sure if you've ever watched Laverne & Shirley spin-off of Happy Days TV show. Penny Marshal directed this movie and her daughter played Betty Spaghetti. Her brother Gary Marshal was Mr Harvey who produced Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley. The game announcer is the late David Lander who was also a mainstay of Laverne & Shirley. Wonderful group that I was fortunate to met before their passing RIP Gary, Penny, and David!!! The girl that couldn't read is Ann Cusack another acting sister of John and Joan Cusack.

Natalie's reaction to realizing May was Madonna was _GOLD!_ people often wonder if Dottie dropped the ball intentionally, but that's not really the point. she didn't just hand Kit a victory, which would've soured it; she made her earn it, so she could be proud of it, and finally become her own person

Penny Marshall is the director. Her brother Garry Marshall plays the owner. Her daughter plays Betty. They stated Dottie didn't lose intentionally by dropping the ball. As you said, she was tired and feeling falling down the stairs catching the ball in the dugout. Apparently, most of the actresses enjoyed staying in the house they filmed in out in nowhere, bonding. Madonna, not so much. Madonna's closing song, "This Used to be My Playground," is one of my favorites by her. This is a great film.

Back in Madonna's and less angry Rosie O'Donnell's acting days. There's No Crying In Baseball. Iconic line just like You're Killing Me Smalls

love this movie I also love the A League of Their Own series (2022) it’s not a sequel or reboot but it references this movie, and the story is more layered and deeper

90% of the signs coached give mean nothing. They’ll either have their team focus on say the 3rd or 4th sign, or use an indicator like “the next thing I do after I touch my left ear lobe is what I actually want you to do.”

The older versions are the actual Peaches. Tom Hanks character was actual HOFer Jimmy Foxx but his family wouldn't let them use his name.

This movie is a true classic. It has everything from comedy to tragedy to suspense. It's just like baseball. And I have seen that wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame. That entire city is amazing and such a small town, as well. Worth a visit. Just don't go in the middle of summer. Oh, and one of my favorite Geena Davis movies is The Long Kiss Goodnight.

I love little Rosie and Madonna in this So crazy seeing them in their prime

Baseball is the best sport to make movies around. Edit: and thank you for correcting yourself regarding the final play at home. It almost makes your dislike of the game tolerable. almost. *evil sideways glare*

"This Used to be My Playground", the main theme song of this film, was recorded by Madonna. It's such a poignant and beautiful song that goes perfectly with this movie.

Madonna was a heartthrob in this movie! Great classic film!

Nice reaction Natalie. My daughter was a ball player and played all the way thru college. This is one of 'our movies'. Something we watch together many many times so I have a very sentimental place in my heart for this one.

Marla's dad was also Johnathan Kent in the 90's Superman show

This movie still makes me tear up in 2 places. Once when Dottie drops the ball and you hear the announcer say “Hinson Dropped the ball!” And then Kit is excited jumping up at the crowd yelling “thank you”! And when you realize how many people have passed at the HOF 🥹

omg, this is one of my favorite movies of all time! Penny Marshall movies are so overlooked.

This movie is so quotable. Amazing screenplay.

The train station used in this movie is in a train museum in Lincoln illinois, I actually got to visit it during a civil war re enactment I participated in. You can even ride the older trains there.

I'm always taken aback when Natalie is unfamiliar with a movie or performer that seems so iconic to me because of its impact on my youth. Not that it's wrong for her to have different cultural touchstones - it's just that I tend to forget that she is much younger than me and being reminded makes me feel like an old lady 😆

Jimmy Dugan, Tom Hanks’ role, has more of a reclamation arc, going from fall-down drunk to functioning manager. In one of the last scenes he mentioned he was offered another managerial role in AAA, which he turned down to remain with Rockford.

The short-lived A League of Their Own series [2022, Prime] was actually quite good and worth reacting to.

I grew up in Rockford, Illinois (home of the Peaches) but I didn't know a thing about them until this movie came out. It's an amazing story and I'm so glad it got told.

This is one of my all-time favourites. I've watched it countless times, and it still manages to make me cry.

I watched this all the time as a young boy. When I was 11, I went to an auction and the only thing I wanted was a framed and autographed League of Their Own poster and audio disc. My uncle made sure I didn't lose. Watching it again as an adult hit SO different and was even better than I remembered. Easily one of the greatest films of all time.

This is one of my top ten fav orite movies. It's so good!!!!

I am not a baseball fan, but my three favorite sports movies are "A League Of Their Own", "Eight Men Out", and "The Bad News Bears" (the original 1976 version.

One of my favorite alumni from my university played! She wasn't in the earliest seasons but she would leave school early for spring training. Right before the pandemic we unveiled an archive collection of her things at our library during homecoming. We lost her during covid. I think of her every time I watch this movie.

That no crying in baseball bit is iconic. As someone who played through college baseball, it's used all the time on a baseball field. Some base all movies I recommend are, for the love of the game, 61*, major league is classic… just to name a few.

Some of it Filmed at the beloved Wrigley Field of the legendary Chicago Cubs.

Did you notice Téa Leoni on the Racine team she's only in 1 shot , and a few years later she'd get a decent role in Bad Boys.

Hey Natalie, here's a few Fun Facts for you: Penny Marshall, the director of this movie, was a huge Baseball fan and the actress who played the character referred to as "Betty Spaghetti" was Penny Marshall's daughter. The injuries you'd see some of these actresses having in the movie weren't makeup effects, They're actual injuries. Penny Marshall's brother, Garry Marshall, also appears in this movie. The actresses who played the older Kit and Dottie, their dialogue was replaced by Geena Davis' and Lori Petty's voices to indicate that they were the older versions of the characters played by Davis and Petty

I read somewhere that they actually did hold an authentic training camp for all the actresses. And while the lead actresses were obviously set. The extras all had to earn their spots on the various teams based on their performance at camp.

This movie is one of my top 10 of all time. God, it’s so freaking good! So glad you finally saw it!

Just in time for baseball season, this is one of the absolute best sports movies ever!

Just found your channel about 4 days ago and i cant stop watching. Every reaction is pure gold. You can tell you love watching movies. Everyone says i like movies but you can tell the people that really get into the film they are watching. Cant wait to watch Everyone of your videos. ❤

One of those gems of a movie that few people rave about, yet it's impossible to not watch it if you catch it on TV somewhere. Such a good time - same tier as Major League and Mighty Ducks, and that's saying something.

"I think the real crime is they didn't have appropriate sports bras" was comedy Gold (see what I did there?) considering what was coming with the skirts.

This is one of my all-time favourite movies. I hope you loved it!

A lot of the baseball scenes were shot at Bosse Field in Evansville,Indiana. A field that is still utilized.

This was an important role for Tom Hanks at this point in his career. Everything turned around for him after this.

Loved this movie and was surprised by the acting of some of the cast.

I grew up in Rockford, IL (sadly, I have also returned). It's about 1.5 hours west of Chicago. The field the Peaches played on is still there. It either is being or has been restored and upgraded.

Lmao Every time You say, "To Be Fair", the whole schtick from the series *Letterkenny* pops into my head.😊 Sometimes I even say it out loud 😁😁😁

Good to see you celebrating Baseball season!

As a kid I always liked the comedy in this flick. But, as an adult, damn the serious moments are heavy but so good. Penny Marshall is a great filmmaker.

The ending "drop the ball" conspriacy has always been a fun thing to theorize. Honestly either scenario feels right: purposefully dropping the ball for Kit OR finally getting defeated by her sister. The beginning scene with her grandkids was a bit of foreshadowing in that she told the younger one to "kill em". Was a nice little touch.

A League of Their Own is one of my top 10 films! So glad you got to see it. And I could tell you didn't recognize Madonna (no comments on her acting,) or even Rosie O'Donnell for that matter! This is jam packed with great actors and directed by Penny Marshall whom we all got to know in Laverne and Shirley ( a spin off from Happy Days I believe). Great reaction and great film! ( in the end at Cooperstown many of the women playing were the actual members of the Professional Baseball League from the 1940's)

Thanks for the great reaction!! It was a tear jerker for me too when I first saw it, but, then, I’m a movie blubberer. The late Penny Marahall directed the film. My favorite films she directed include Big (1988) and Awakenings (1990). Big is another classic Tom Hanks movie and Awakenings is one of Robin Williams’s finest roles ever. Needless to say, both should earn a reaction.

This was a damn good movie. I'm glad you got to watch it finally.

Great movie, thanks for reacting to it. I live in Evansville, Indiana where much of this was filmed. Bosse Field was used for Racine's ballpark and is the third oldest ballpark still in use behind Fenway and Wrigley. They put out a call for extras for the championship game scene so I took my son and one of his friends and we spent the day being a part of it. They kept the Racine Bells signs and other things from the movie so it's a great reminder when you go to watch a baseball game. Madonna didn't make any local friends when she said some very negative things about the area.

I've always loved this film, I own a copy of it, I think that it's an often overlooked film, it's a great story about sisterhood and dealing with prejudice with a backdrop of wartime.

Lynn Swann, hall of fame wide receiver from the Pittsburgh Steelers was also in ballerina classes

Can I request two movies that I love Little Women (1994 or 2019 version, or both lol) And then Steel Magnolias 1989 Such good movies, that are bond to make you laugh and cry My fav movie is Little Women (don’t make me pick which version lol) And my mom’s favorite movie is Steel Magnolias ❤

One bit that doesn't get talked about enough is right after Betty gets the telegram. Dotty was certain it was coming to her, and the movie definitely played up some developing chemistry between her and Jimmy, further pushing the idea of her husband dying, and her and Jimmy getting together. So they hit the note dead note with the telegram, and then Dotty breaking down by herself. She feels horrific for multiple reasons, biggest of which is that sense of relief when she didn't get the telegram, and that thought she was absolutely sure that he was dead, it all sort of jumbles up.

this movie is on my top 10 favorite films of all time and has a special place in my heart

Speaking of movies about sisters, I think MARVIN'S ROOM (1996) is a perfect fit for you. Stars Diane Keaton and Meryl Streep as sisters who reconnect after being estranged for years. It also has Robert De Niro (who produced the film) in a cameo appearance and Leonardo DiCaprio (in one of his pre-TITANIC roles) playing Meryl Streep's son in the movie.

A few AAPBL facts for you @Natalie Gold that I'm not sure your Paetreons may have brought up. They did have "bloomers" as part of their uniforms. The first two seasons of the league was fast pitch softball. The AAPBL didn't only have revenue problems, Mr Harvey was going to pull his financial backing for the league. And speaking of Harvey, they used Harvey in place of Wrigley, Even at war time, there were plenty of ballplayers to keep the leagues going, even the minor leagues. The parent clubs might have shut down some of their minor league affiliates(the minors had more levels back then) if WW II had been going badly enough. The women playing at Cooperstown were the actual members of the AAPBL. Like Bull Durham, all of the actresses had to try out for the movie. Betty was played by Penny Marshall's daughter. Teà Leone and Janet Jones also appeared.

What a fun, fun film this was. I didn't know anything about this period of American history, either. And Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell stole every scene they were in. I was amazed at how well they did.

Major comfort movie for me as a kid that played softball. This movie was on replay to the point where my grandpa still pokes fun about it to this day.

I’m kind of surprised that you haven’t seen this before, I know you haven’t seen a lot of movies, but I still feel like this is one that would’ve made its way to you at a younger age

Yes!!!! One of my all time favorites. PLEASE watch Field of Dreams next!!!

As a kid I had 3 movies on VHS that we watched over and over again. This was one of them and it was always a fun watch.

Penny Marshall, the Director, remembered her old ‘Laverne & Shirley’ cast. The radio guy played ‘Squiggy’ and in the bar scene where they’re dancing and Marla is singing, the actor who played ‘Carmen “the big Ragu” Raguso’ also appears.

I suggest the Tom Hanks movie "The Money Pit" (1986).