Pride of the Yankees, original story by Paul Gallico - 9 out of 10

Pride of the Yankees, original story by Paul Gallico
9 out of 10


Inspiring, motivating and beautiful, Pride of the Yankees is included on The New York Times' Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made list.

It is the story of Lou Gehrig, one of the legendary baseball players.
Even for those of us who are not American and do not live in one of the other countries that care much about this sport, this film is marvelous.

Because the hero is not just a member of team playing something incomprehensible and not interesting in the least for those mentioned above.
Lou Gehrig is the paradigm of the serious, modest, hard working, talented, amusing, generous role model.

Furthermore he is portrayed by another legend, Gary Cooper who is splendid in this role that seems to represent the actor as well.
Surprisingly, the other iconic figure that played with Gehrig, Babe Ruth is played by...himself.

In the beginning, when they first played together, Ruth had been already consecrated as one of the stars of the game, perhaps the Number One player.
The team mates play a trick on the rookie Gehrig, who is made to take two bites of the hat of Babe Ruth.

When the latter sees that, he explodes and wants to destroy the green, new player.
For all his life, the hero has had an interesting, very close relationship with Mom Gehrig, his 'best girl'.

Psychoanalysts would make much of this closeness, which could have changed the life of this athlete.
Mom Gehrig wanted her son to become someone in America, get an education and become an engineer.

But even as a child, Lou had an amazing strike and his parents had to pay for quite a few windows, smashed by balls sent rocketing from his baseball bat.
Nevertheless, when he is chosen by the Yankees, Lou and his father hide the fact from Mom, who would indeed be disappointed when she learns her son would not be an engineer.

Devoted and kind, the new player paid for the treatment in a special facility for his mother, who was impressed with the services, but was told that they are covered, nobody has to pay for it.
The hero and Babe Ruth visit a crippled child and Ruth declares he would score a home run for the boy.

When pressed by the child, Lou Gehrig agrees to promise he would score two!
He had to in a way, because he just had made a speech to the patient, explaining that if you set your mind and decide to do something, you will do it...

A version of the famous Yes We Can.

Indeed, Lou Gehrig has been inspirational for the boy and many others.
They would meet later and the boy would show how he can walk now.

When he promised the two home runs, which he would deliver, Gehrig had made the boy promise something in his turn.
The patient had to declare he would walk on his own feet out of the hospital...

'Words Create Worlds'