Director: HARMON JONES. Screenwriter: Herman J. Mankiewicz, based on a story by Guy Trosper. Film editor: Robert Simpson. Cinematographer: Leo Tover. Music director: Lionel Newman. Music composed by Arthur Lange. Art directors: Lyle Wheeler, Addison Hehr. Special photographic effects: Fred Sersen. Set decorators: Thomas Little, Stuart Reiss. Music orchestrations: Edward B. Powell. Wardrobe director: Charles Le Maire. Costumes designed by Travilla. Make-up: Ben Nye. Sound recording: Bernard Freericks, Harry M. Leonard. Western Electric Sound System. Producer: Jules Schermer.
Copyright 11 April 1952 by 20th Century Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Rivoli: 2 May 1952. U.S. release: April 1952. U.K. release: 20 October 1952. Australian release: 11 July 1952. 93 minutes. Cut to 81 minutes in the U.K.
SYNOPSIS: A biographical comedy about the career of swaggering Dizzy Dean, the Ozark hillbilly whose baseball skill and picturesque vernacular lead to his becoming famous as a pitcher for the St Louis Cardinals and as a sports broadcaster. — Copyright summary.
COMMENT: Dreary baseball biopic. With a little effort, something vital could have been made of the life and times of Dizzy Dean, but given this promising material, the scriptwriter and the director have produced a film signally lacking in excitement.
In this case, would you believe that the direction is even duller than the script! Only the agreeable playing of both Dan Dailey and the lovely Joanne Dru saves the film from achieving complete monotony. Production values are minor league, and they don't help either!
Maybe avid baseball fans will get something out of this movie. I'll admit I'm definitely not a fan. For me, I'd rate it close to zero, but I've given it a three. It's just possible, I suppose, that really keen fans of baseball, Dailey and/or Dru, will get something out of this boring and totally enervating "The Pride of St. Louis".
Copyright 11 April 1952 by 20th Century Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Rivoli: 2 May 1952. U.S. release: April 1952. U.K. release: 20 October 1952. Australian release: 11 July 1952. 93 minutes. Cut to 81 minutes in the U.K.
SYNOPSIS: A biographical comedy about the career of swaggering Dizzy Dean, the Ozark hillbilly whose baseball skill and picturesque vernacular lead to his becoming famous as a pitcher for the St Louis Cardinals and as a sports broadcaster. — Copyright summary.
COMMENT: Dreary baseball biopic. With a little effort, something vital could have been made of the life and times of Dizzy Dean, but given this promising material, the scriptwriter and the director have produced a film signally lacking in excitement.
In this case, would you believe that the direction is even duller than the script! Only the agreeable playing of both Dan Dailey and the lovely Joanne Dru saves the film from achieving complete monotony. Production values are minor league, and they don't help either!
Maybe avid baseball fans will get something out of this movie. I'll admit I'm definitely not a fan. For me, I'd rate it close to zero, but I've given it a three. It's just possible, I suppose, that really keen fans of baseball, Dailey and/or Dru, will get something out of this boring and totally enervating "The Pride of St. Louis".