The Natural

The Natural

Baseball, America’s past time is captured in the film based upon the book The Natural by Bernard Malamud. Director Barry Levinson used transitions back in time during the opening scenes of the film showing Roy Hobbs (played by Robert Redford) playing catch with his dad all memories we shared as young men.

Levinson used film transitions to their fullest during a scene were Pop Fisher (played by Wilford Brimley) is sending Roy Hobbs to class B ball. During the scene Hobbs walks into a dark tunnel as Pop yells for Roy to stop. They are now both inside the “dark” tunnel; this scene lends itself to an earlier conversation between Hobbs and assistant manager Red Blow (played by Richard Farnsworth). Blow said, Pops ran into a dark period last session selling 10% to the Judge. The scene takes place in a dark tunnel, when Pops offers to allow Hobbs to take batting practice with the light framing his face. This certainly isn’t the only time Levinson uses this technique with light.

The use of slow motion during the film is within several scenes showing Hobbs make contact with a pitch, the ball driving out of the field ricocheting into the rafters. The use of slow motion adds drama to the scenes, whether it be a scene that is securely placed in the viewers mind or forever cemented in the movies lore. Another method of Levinson was to use the flashback in color vs. black and white. Bump Bailey’s funeral was an example of how he transitioned from black and white to the live action with color.

Sound plays an important part within any movie, Levinson effective increased the dialog in the scene between Hobbs and Memo Paris (played by Kim Bassinger). The music is smooth almost soothing, with waves splashing about. As the scene progresses Memo presses herself against Hobbs, the music transitions to a sultry almost sleazy tune for the scene. Music simply adds another dimension to movies, yet most people miss their purpose.

Dramatic effect inside any film sets a scene a part from so many others. When Iris Gaines (played by Glenn Close) stood during the at bat by Hobbs in Chicago, it held the scene for what seemed an eternity. Hobbs drives the ball into the outfield clock, as Hobbs crosses home plate he strains to look into the stands searching for Iris. Levinson hit his own homerun with this scene, Roy found his way back to the person he was prior to Memo setting the direction for the rest of the movie.

I felt that director Levinson theme was a boy who lost his way, found his way into the majors then becoming lost again. The scene with Glenn Close showed the depth of storyline inside Roy Hobbs. Two Thumbs up.