Angels In The Outfield

Thanks to TCM and a rainy Saturday afternoon, I was able to see the sweet film Angels In The Outfield. Take note, this is not the goofy 1994 remake with visible angels raising baseball players into the air to catch fly balls. This original film is more concerned with the main characters than the celestial beings.

"Guffy" McGovern (played by Paul Douglas) is the fouth-mouthed, bad-tempered coach of the Pittsburgh Pirates who are quickly on their way to being the last place team on the league. One day he suddenly hears a voice, the voice of angel. This angel informs Guffy that someone has been praying very hard for him and his team. All he has to do is reform his terrible ways and the Pirates will become more successful. Convinced by a "miracle" in the third inning the next day, Guffy does try hard to be a better man.

The film also features Janet Leigh as a woman reporter who has been assigned to cover the games from a female point of view, and Donna Corcoran as the little orphan girl who is the only one who can see the angels since she is one who initially prayed so hard for Guffy and the Pirates.

Like I said earlier, there is no ridiculous angels interfering with the baseball players. The team plays better by following hunches to go left instead of right or to anticipate a bunt. The sweet (but not saccharine) narrative is mostly about Guffy and the orphan girl and the happy life they both hope to have.