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The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg (1999)
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Reviews Counted:44
Fresh:42
Rotten:2
Average Rating:7.4/10
Consensus: The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg is an affectionate, often very funny portrait of a baseball pioneer.
Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins
Genre: Education/General Interest
Synopsis: Following the career of Jewish baseball star Hank Greenberg from his beginnings in the Bronx to his success in the Texas minor leagues to his signing to the Detroit Tigers in the 1930s, this... Following the career of Jewish baseball star Hank Greenberg from his beginnings in the Bronx to his success in the Texas minor leagues to his signing to the Detroit Tigers in the 1930s, this documentary recounts the inspirational tale of an American hero. Including nearly 50 interviews with Greenberg himself, his family, other players, celebrities, fans, and public figures, the film uses older film clips and excerpts from Hollywood movies popular in Greenberg's day, accompanied by a spirited soundtrack of songs from the 20s and 30s. [More]
Starring: Hank Greenberg, Alan Dershowitz, Michael Moriarty, Walter Matthau
Starring: Hank Greenberg, Alan Dershowitz, Michael Moriarty, Walter Matthau, Bob Feller, Mandy Patinkin
Director: Aviva Kempner
Director: Aviva Kempner
Reviews for The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg
Emphasizes the positive moments in his career, and the film is loose-limbed and ingratiating—much like Greenberg himself, who appears in interviews throughout his career.
A fine, straightforward tribute to a sports giant who faced blatant prejudice and paved away for the likes Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron and other minorities...
Sharing its subject's virtues, it is a lovely addition to the annals of the Greatest Generation.
Kempner's movie is not for baseball fanatics only. 'Greenberg' paints a vivid portrait of America in the first half of the century...
An excellent example of the kind of sound, conventional documentary that's consistently interesting and informative, even if it never tries anything new.
It seems too much to ask a movie to entertain, inform and inspire. For it to also work as sports story, social history and biography is a home run with men on base.
I'm from Detroit myself and I used to go see Tiger games as a kid, and I really enjoyed this fascinating documentary.
Kempner is content not to question his heroism, which is usually a suspicious practice for a documentary, but a myth as powerful and sustaining as Greenberg's is better left unpunctured.
Despite its limitations, this very conventional documentary is a satisfying study of a man who faced immense challenges with courage and integrity.
It is the quintessential version of the story of the classic mythic hero, one who begins as underdog without a chance, and faces insurmountable challenges and hurdles to become a champion, doing it all with grace, grit and style.
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