50 Best Sports Movies Ever

5. The Natural

Year: 1984
Sport: Baseball
Starring: Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, Glenn Close, Kim Basinger, Wilford Brimley, Barbara Hershey
Director: Barry Levinson

Director Barry Levinson has brought a number of stupendous films to the silver screen, including Rain Man and Good Morning, Vietnam. After rising to fame with his 1982 hit Diner, it was in 1984 that Levinson solidified his Hollywood fame with The Natural.

Starring Robert Redford as Roy Hobbs and Robert Duvall as Max Mercy, The Natural is widely regarded as one of the greatest baseball and general sports films ever made.

The Natural is as heartbreaking a story as it is uplifting and inspiring. Redford’s Hobbs is a gifted young pitcher who was well on his way to achieving his dream by trying out for the Chicago Cubs, only to have that ripped away from him in one tragic moment.

Had he been given his fair shot as a pitcher, the general expectation was that he’d go on to become one of the true stars of the game. Even The Whammer, an professional slugger, had to give him credit on that front.

Hobbs eventually gets another shot as a 35-year-old rookie who has transitioned from pitching to playing right field.

As the title of the film indicates, Hobbs naturally thrives in an unexpected role. Despite the resistance of ownership to invest in a 35-year-old rookie, he emerges as an overwhelmingly powerful hitter who plays a key role for the New York Knights.

With a fascinating story, superb in-game action, and brilliant acting, The Natural received four Academy Award nominations: Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction for Set Decoration, and Best Original Score.

Next: 4. Hoosiers