The Pride of the Yankees (1942)

THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES (1942) Two stars
A “Yeah right!” movie, why that’s THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES.

We all know what “Yeah right!” movies are, right, because, yes, they make us say “Yeah right!” It could be any plot element, a plot twist, a casting decision, et cetera.

Watching THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES again, it left me saying “Yeah right!” more than anything I’ve seen since, oh, perhaps, CRASH (2005).

We’ll start with a defining “Yeah right!” scene.

Of course, I know, THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES is the cinematic equivalent of those books we read in elementary school about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. You might remember the larger-than-life stories about George and his cherry tree and Honest Abe wrestling.

THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES does that with a bat and a glove.

Our Gehrig tall tale starts with a hospital room filled with reporters. Yankee slugger Babe Ruth (Babe Ruth) promises a boy named Billy that he will hit a home run to center field … against St. Louis in the 1926 World Series.

Why, not to be outdone, our hero Lou Gehrig (Gary Cooper) comes over to visit Billy on his own and promises the boy two home runs … in the same game, yes, the same game that Ruth’s supposed to hit a homer. What a lucky boy!

Ruth and Gehrig both get their homers out of the way in the first inning.

Well, Gehrig needs his second homer and it’s not going to be easy.

Sports writers Sam Blake (Walter Brennan) and Hank Hanneman (Dan Duryea) spend the movie bantering back-and-forth with Blake always supporting and Hanneman always doubting Gehrig. Blake and Hanneman bet on whether or not Gehrig will hit a second homer. They keep raising their stakes as the game moves on and Gehrig accumulates strikeouts. I should probably mention that Blake witnessed Gehrig making his promise.

All roads lead us to the ninth inning and why that dirty St. Louis pitcher, he’s gonna intentionally walk Gehrig.

Of course, a promise is a promise, though, and Gehrig finds a way to fulfill it in the absolute most dramatic fashion.

Later in the film, near the end of his life, Gehrig’s visited by an older Billy on Lou Gehrig Day. Billy tells Gehrig that his shining example and two homers that day inspired Billy’s full recovery.

As the reporter said in THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE, “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”

Opening credits: “This is the story of a hero of the peaceful paths of everyday life.

“It is the story of a gentle young man who, in the full flower of his great fame, was a lesson in simplicity and modesty to the youth of America.

“He faced death with that same valor and fortitude that has been displayed by thousands of young Americans on far-flung fields of battle. He left behind him a memory of courage and devotion that will ever be an inspiration to all men.

“This is the story of Lou Gehrig.”

Signed by famous writer Damon Runyon (1880-1946). Far out.

Yes, THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES — made shortly after Gehrig’s death in 1941 at the age of 37 — lays it on thick right from the start.

Gehrig remains one of the greatest baseball players — his 2,130 consecutive games played streak stood as record until Cal Ripken, Jr., passed it on Sept. 6, 1995.

Great baseball players do not guarantee great movies — Babe Ruth, for example, received THE BABE RUTH STORY (1948) and THE BABE (1992), both even worse than THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES.

In a certain mood, THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES might be a moving experience.

Otherwise, it might be a “Yeah right!” movie for the ages.