Mad-Eyes - Madonna movies - A League Of Their Own

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN

Production - Cast - Trivia - Soundtrack - Release - Synopsis - Rating - Awards - Pictures

A League Of Their Own

"Hi, my name's Mae, and that's more than a name, that's an attitude!"

Production

Directed by: Penny Marshall
Written by: Kim Wilson & Kelly Candaele (story); Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel (screenplay)
Produced by: Elliot Abbott, Ronnie D. Clemmer, Robert Greenhut, Joseph Hartwick, Amy Lemisch, Penny Marshall & Bill Pace
Production company: Columbia Pictures
Location: Cooperstown, NY; LA, CA; Evansville, IN; Henderson, KE; Huntingburg, IN; Chicago, IL (US)
Date of filming: July 1991
Budget: $ 40 million

Cast

Tom Hanks
Geena Davis
Madonna
Lori Petty
Jon Lovitz
David Strathairn
Garry Marshall
Bill Pullman
Megan Cavanagh
Rosie O'Donnell
Tracy Reiner
Bitty Schram
Don S. Davis
Renée Coleman
Ann Cusack
Eddie Jones
Freddie Simpson
Anne Ramsay
Robin Knight
Patti Pelton
Kelli Simpkins
Neezer Tarleton
Connie Pounds-Taylor
Kathleen Marshall
Sharon Szmidt
Pauline Brailsford
Justin Scheller
Alan Wilder

Jimmy Dugan
Dottie Hinson
Mae 'All-The-Way-Mae' Mordabito
Kit Keller
Ernie Capadino
Ira Lowenstein
Walter Harvey
Bob Hinson
Marla Hooch
Doris Murphy
Betty 'Betty Spaghetti' Horn
Evelyn Gardner
Racine Coach Charlie Collins
Alice Gaspers
Shirley Baker
Dave Hooch
Ellen Sue Gotlander
Helen Haley
'Beans' Babbitt
Marbleann Wilkenson
Beverly Dixon
Neezer Dalton
Connie Calhoun
'Mumbles' Brockman
Vivian Ernst
Miss Cuthbert
Stilwell Gardner
Nelson

Trivia

Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell, best pals on the set Mae and Doris, became real-life best friends. It was O'Donnell who shot the cover of the Drowned World Tour video, 9 years after this movie.

Soundtrack

Original Music by: Hans Zimmer, Carole King, Madonna & Billy Joel
Even though Madonna sang the theme song This Used To Be My Playground, this track didn't appear on the soundtrack.

Carole King - Now and Forever
Manhattan Transfer - Choo Choo Ch'Boogie
James Taylor - It's Only a Paper Moon
Billy Joel - In a Sentimental Mood
Art Garfunkel - Two Sleepy People
James Taylor - I Didn't Know What Time It Was
Manhattan Transfer - On the Sunny Side of the Street
Doc's Rhythm Cats - Flying Home
Hans Zimmer - Life Goes On
Hans Zimmer - Final Game
Doc's Rhythm Cats - All American Girls Professional Baseball League Song

Release

Released as: A League Of Their Own
Released in theatres: July 1st, 1992 (US)
Released on DVD: Sept. 9th, 1997 (US & Europe); April 20th, 2004 (Special Edition, US)
Runtime: 128 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Drama
MPAA rating: PG
Box office: $ 107.5 million (US)

Synopsis

While all the American men are fighting against the nazis in WW II, the American baseball league decides to keep the professional league running with women teams. Dottie (Geena Davis) and Kit (Lori Petty) are among the women, who are discovered by a scout and given a chance to escape their dull life as a housewife. The Chicago Peaches soon learn that they're not taken very serious, not even by their coach Jimmy (Tom Hanks). Until they show the men they sure know how to play ball. Not only do the women get respect and success, they also learn about teamplay and friendship.

Rating

This is one of the few Madonna movies that was a box office success, and it deserved to be. The plot, based on the true story of the first American Girl Baseball League, is original, funny and touching. With big names like Hanks and Davis, it's no wonder that there's some great acting too. Madonna does it a pretty good job as well, playing the role of Mae, a former dancer and a born men hunter. The character fits Madonna very well and has a striking resemblance with other movie roles, like Susan (Desperately Seeking Susan) and even Evita. Best part of the role was her dancing in a bar; Madonna is still a dancer in the first place. 8/10

Awards

1993 ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards: award for 'Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures' (Madonna - This Used To Be My Playground)
1993 American Comedy Award: award for 'Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture' (Tom Hanks)
1993 Artios Awards: award for 'Best Casting for Feature Film, Drama' (Ellen Lewis & Amanda Mackey Johnson)
1993 Golden Globes: nomination for 'Best Original Song - Motion Picture' (Madonna - This Used To Be My Playground)
1993 Golden Globes: nomination for 'Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical' (Geena Davis)
1993 MTV Movie Awards: nomination for 'Best Breakthrough Performance' (Rosie O'Donnell)
1993 MTV Movie Awards: nomination for 'Best Female Performance' (Geena Davis)
1993 MTV Movie Awards: nomination for 'Best Kiss' (Pauline Brailsford & Tom Hanks)

Pictures