7 Things You Didn’t Know About Robert Redford’s ‘The Natural’
Plenty of sports movies look great; lots of them even sound great (never underestimate the value of the perfect soundtrack). However, the true classics that tend to stand the test of time are the ones that make you feel something. If even the toughest, most hardened sports fan gets a tear in his or her eye by the time credits are rolling, you’ve probably just watched an all-time classic. On this day in 1984, The Natural premiered in theaters and instantly began its journey towards making that list.
Directed by Barry Levinson, the film stars Robert Redford as Roy Hobbs, a gifted baseball player with extraordinary natural talent. With an excellent cast that also includes Robert Duvall, Glenn Close, Kim Basinger, Wilford Brimley, Barbara Hershey, Robert Prosky, and Richard Farnsworth, the story follows Hobbs as he navigates the victories and tragedies of his tumultuous baseball career.
With this classic movie celebrating its 41st anniversary today, here are some facts you may not know about The Natural!
1 It Was Based on a 30 Year-Old Novel (Which Was Based on a True Story)
Believe it or not, The Natural was adapted from a 1952 novel of the same name. Written by Bernard Malamud, the book was loosely based on the shooting incident and subsequent comeback of Philadelphia Phillies player Eddie Waitkus. While maintaining many of the same elements, the film takes even more liberties with the source material, shifting the story to create a better cinematic experience and altering the ending to be more uplifting for moviegoers.
2 There Was a Real-Life Inspiration for Roy Hobbs
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While the aforementioned Eddie Waitkus’ real-life challenges inspired the novel and film’s plot, the character of Roy Hobbs was largely modeled after Boston Red Sox icon Ted Williams, of whom Redford was a huge fan. Certain similarities between the fictional character and the real-life legend — such as that both were outfielders, and both hit home runs in their last career at-bats — made the correlation, dare we say, a “natural.” Redford modeled his on-camera swing after Williams, and Hobbs even wore number 9 on his jersey – just like his baseball hero.
3 Robert Redford was Timeless
TriStar/courtesy Everett Collection, NATL 061, Photo by: Everett Collection (22152)
The Natural depicted Will Hobbs during two distinct periods in his journey, first at 19 years old, and then fast-forwarding sixteen years to focus on his life at 35. Amazingly, Robert Redford was actually 47 years old at the time the movie was shot – a true testament to his youthful energy and athletic prowess that allowed him to flawlessly pull off the role.
4 Glenn Close: Heaven-Sent
Glenn Close played Hobbs’ girlfriend Iris Gaines, whom he dates as a teen and reconnects with later in life, only to discover that he is the father of her teenage son. With visual symbolism being such an important part of this film, Close’s initial appearance at the ballpark was carefully planned to give her the look of a guardian angel. They even waited for a clear day to shoot the all-important scene, timing the shot so that the setting sun would shine through her translucent hat at the perfect angle, making it appear as if she was wearing a halo around her head.
5 A Famous Quote Came From Real Life
The Natural is full of memorable lines that stand the test of time, and many of them came from the mouths of real people whom the film’s writers, producers and stars were inspired by. For instance, one of Roy Hobbs most famous quotes about what it takes to be a great ballplayer— “You have to have a lot of little boy in you” — was actually first said by Brooklyn Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella.
6 A Curious Omission
Among The Natural‘s top-notch cast was veteran actor Darren McGavin, who played bookmaker Gus Sands. Strangely, McGavin was never properly credited in the film, which castmate Robert Prosky speculated as being a result of joining the production late. Sharing his thoughts in the movie’s DVD commentary, he believed that McGavin would have received a lesser billing than he deserved, so he chose to remain completed unbilled instead, which probably drew him more attention than he would have received if properly credited.
7 Talk About Late Delivery
Roy Hobbs’ smashing of the scoreboard clock with a towering home run echoes a legendary real-life blast by Bama Rowell of the Boston Braves, who famously launched a ball off the Ebbets Field clock on May 30th, 1946, showering outfielder Dixie Walker with broken glass. The hit was supposed to earn Rowell a Bulova watch—promised to anyone who struck the scoreboard—but in a twist worthy of fiction, the timepiece didn’t arrive until 1987, over four decades after the moment that stopped the clock.
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May 2024
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