The Best of Times (film)

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The Best of Times

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Roger Spottiswoode
Produced by Gordon Carroll
Written by Ron Shelton
Starring Robin Williams
Kurt Russell
Pamela Reed
Holly Palance
Donald Moffat
M. Emmet Walsh
R.G. Armstrong
Music by Arthur B. Rubinstein
Cinematography Charles F. Wheeler
Editing by Garth Craven
Distributed by Universal Studios
Release date(s) January 31, 1986 (USA)
Running time 104 min.
Country Flag of the United States United States
Language English
Budget Unknown
Gross revenue $7,790,931 (USA)
IMDb profile

The Best of Times was released in the United States in 1986.

Contents

[edit] Overview

Robin Williams plays Jack Dundee, a thirty-something banker obsessed with a pivotal failure in his life: the moment he dropped a perfectly-thrown forward pass in an important high school football game. Since then, nothing seems to have gone right for Jack. The worst of it is that everyone continually reminds him that it was his clumsiness that lost Taft its one chance for glory by beating Bakersfield. Jack is married to the daughter of Bakersfield High's biggest supporter, a bank owner. Jack works at his father-in-law's bank and has to hear his put-downs of Jack's inability to catch a football, especially the one time that would have finally beat Bakersfield, and how Taft could never and will never beat Bakersfield.

Thirteen years later, Jack coerces Reno (Kurt Russell), star quarterback of the fateful game and now a financially struggling garage owner in debt to banker Jack, into helping him replay the game. He convinces supporters in both towns to restage the game and in the process revitalizes Taft and his and Reno's marriages. The game is replayed and at the critical moment Reno throws another perfect forward pass to Jack. He catches it, and Taft defeats Bakersfield.

This movie is based on an actual game between Bakersfield High and Taft High that occurred in 1976. Bakersfield is a perennial state football powerhouse with run-down facilities but great athletes, and small, cross-county oil town Taft, with the best athletic facilities in the county, struggles every year just to compete. In the 1980s, this bristling rivalry featured the football teams of Bakersfield College and Taft College playing in front of thousands of fans at Bakersfield's Memorial Stadium. Today, Taft High is still playing in small-school leagues and divisions. Bakersfield High is still a powerhouse, winning its record 34th section title in 2007.

Much of the film was shot in and around Taft. The football scenes took place at Pierce Junior College in the San Fernando Valley. The night game was filmed at Moorpark Memorial High School, in Moorpark, CA.

Music in the film - "Pomp and Circumstance Marches", by Edward Elgar; and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"' by Roberta Flack.

A silent character who watches the game (and who seems to appreciate the rain strategically) reveals his name in the closing scene.

[edit] Cast

  • Margaret Whitton as Darla
  • Donovan Scott as Eddie

At the time, Tracey and Kirk Cameron were co-starring in the sitcom Growing Pains.

[edit] Quotes from movie

  • Reno Hightower: Okay Jack, you tell the Caribou whatever you want, but I'm gonna tell you something. You're a low-life, black mailing, chicken-shit squid.
    Jack Dundee: Low-life, black mailing, chicken-shit squid? Welcome aboard Reno.
  • Reno Hightower: She's gonna leave me as soon as I fix her car.
    Jack Dundee: You gonna fix it?
    Reno Hightower: Hell no! I love her.
  • Jack Dundee: Elly, I have a new move for you.
    Elly Dundee: Oh? Show me.
    [Spins while undressing, naming the move]
    Elly Dundee: Sort of a white 'Pip', I love it.
  • Jack Dundee: Mr. Weasel's here.
  • Jack Dundee: You better watch it, Dr. Death! I'm pretty damn fast for a Caucasian.
  • Jack Dundee: Come and get me sucka!
  • Jack Dundee: You're right, Reno. You're not a quarterback anymore, you're a van specialist. I never should have expected a van specialist to lift a town out of lethargy.
  • Reno: Nice catch my ass! That's what you're supposed to do when the ball hits you in the hands.
  • Reno: C'mere, Jack. Half these people here tonight came to see you catch the ball. The other half came to watch you drop it. I was going to throw it to you just to show you up, but no, I wanna win, I'm callin' somebody else's number.
    Jack: Reno, I can get open.
    Reno: Damnit Jack, you drop that ball again and your LIFE is over.

[edit] References

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[edit] External links