Claysaba Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

Jonah Abbott There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Hitchcoc When Author, played by one of my favorite actors, Michael Moriarty, finds out that Bruce (played amazingly by Robert DeNiro), his catcher on the fictitious New York Mammoths Major League Baseball treat has terminal cancer, he sets about trying to make his last year on earth as normal as possible. It is hard because Bruce is not too bright and a below average catcher. Author and Bruce decide that no one is to know about the situation. Author is a star pitcher, and negotiates a new contract with Bruce as part of the details. This is the setup. What is wonderful about this film is the incredible relationship between Moriarty and DeNiro, two disparate people. When the reality of death rears its head, all the selfishness and avarice go out the window. If one can keep his or her eyes dry as this progresses I'd be amazed. One of the best baseball (and human) films ever made. Still it is quiet and restrained.

djhbooklover I saw this when it was released in 1973. I did not know anything about DeNiro, Moriarty, or Mark Harris but I am a lifetime baseball lover and fan as is my wife. We were accompanied by a couple who also loved this production and none of had ever heard a word about it. It captures the feeling of baseball from the opening jogging scene throughout despite the fact that is not really about baseball as much as it's about dying. I also played baseball from age 12 to 18 and went to numerous games. I agree with all the favorable reviews and many of the disparaging ones as technical points are often well taken. Mark Harris wrote four books about baseball and Henry Wiggens; The Southpaw, this one, A Ticket for a Seamstitch, It Looked Like Forever as well as a collection of essays one of which I may have read as it is about his life long love of baseball and the making of the movie. Each of his books tells a story about humanity with baseball as an underlying theme. The essay on the movie mentions that it was partially financed by a reader who loved the story, none of the stars were baseball experienced but worked very hard to be convincing and I believe they captured the essence of the book preserving the humor and the Ring Lardner flavor.

Desertman84 Bang the Drum Slowly is a film adaptation of the novel of the same title by Mark Harris. It features Robert De Niro and Michael Moriarty together with Vincent Gardenia,Phil Foster,Heather MacRae,Ann Wedgeworth and Tom Ligon.It is directed by John D. Hancock.The screenplay centers on professional baseball player Bruce Pearson and his team mate Henry Wiggen, who supported Bruce to the bitter end after learning that the young catcher was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease and would soon die. When hayseed Pearson first joined the team, he and Wiggen, the team's red-hot pitcher were oil and water. The other team members were none to thrilled to have Pearson on their team. Wiggen changes his attitude when he learns of Pearson's illness, and when the other team members find out, they too become more helpful until the inevitably teary ending. The film is a touching melodrama that explores the inner workings of a baseball club and its players' personalities with remarkable depth.It is sentimental and predictable, but it's also very well acted by it talented cast.Finally,it is good to see a young Robert De Niro showing the talent that has made him one of our best actors.

knucklebreather "Bang the Drum Slowly" is among the best baseball movies. For my money, it might be the very best. Its story is simple - Henry Wiggen, the intelligent and savvy ace pitcher of the New York Mammoths, learns that his best friend on the team, simpleminded, kindhearted catcher Bruce Pearson, has terminal cancer and a year to live. A baseball season to live.This is a story about friendship and about being a decent human being. It's about how, as Bruce laments, there's just no sense to his death. The movie is built around a baseball season, and it's certainly a baseball movie, but it's a rare sports movie where the human drama isn't clichéd and predictable but actually makes the film. The baseball elements are well-done, to be sure, the teammate's show a realistic mix of cockiness and genuine concern for a teammate, and the plot involving the manager's spirited investigation of Bruce's off-season activities, not yet knowing he was at a cancer hospital, is funny and realistic at the same time. However, the reason to watch this is the simple but powerful human drama - the baseball season can't help but take a back seat to that.Aside from the stellar story, this movie is memorable for the acting. Of course, Robert Deniro gives an excellent performance in a role that's quite different than what he'd become known for. But Deniro as the kindhearted, simpleminded Pearson really shows off his range. As overlooked as the film itself is Michael Moriarty's top-shelf performance as Wiggen. While Moriarty evidently has less range (he plays Wiggen much as he would play Ben Stone in Law & Order two decades later, right down to calling everyone "sir") Moriarty's intelligent, noble and soul-searching demeanor is naturally perfect for the role. And I can't forget to mention Vincent Gardenia as manager Dutch Schnell. Playing any other character, Gardenia's work here would have been absurd, but his zany acting is totally appropriate for a famous baseball manager, a line of work where flamboyant, over-the-top behavior is essentially a job requirement, regardless of what era of baseball you're talking about.While I don't know if we could ever definitively determine a "best" baseball movie, because a lot of it comes down to personal taste. But for me, "Bang the Drum Slowly" is everything I want in a baseball movie. I think any fan of the game owes it to themselves to check this film out if they have the chance.