Rags to riches sports films - recommendations please

[Kurt Nogood]

Best Shot is great film, small town school basketball team challenge for state championship, Gene Hackman is the coach.

Seems to be called Hoosiers on IMDb.

 

[FatSuperman]

Brilliant thanks all. Seen lots of those but there are a few I should see again as they were ace. Never seen Cinderella Man, Escape to Victory or The Hurricane.

 

[Billy in Bristol]

Rags to riches is an interesting genre, but in terms of underdog stories of different variations go with this lot...hopefully no spoilers

Bull Durham - Ron Shelton's brilliant biographical account of minor league baseball...someone gets the girl, someone gets rich.

Tin Cup - a golfing story from Ron Shelton sees his old mate Kevin Costner try out for the US Open to get the girl and of course the winner of the US Open becomes rich.

Field of Dreams - struggling farmer hears voices and builds a baseball field...someone gets rich! BTW the quote is 'If you build it, HE will come' .

We Are Marshall - Matthew McConaughy's first proper acting job as a University football coach who rebuilds a community after a plane crash kills the gridiron college team. I suspect lots of lawyers got rich.

The Rookie - High School teacher Denis Quaid has a go at resurrecting the baseball career he lost to injury 15 years previously...

Moneyball was an interesting shout, as they really went from rags to improved rags.

Best sports film ever:

The Natural!

 

[Taybha]

Next Goal Wins , a brilliant true story of American Samoa's world cup qualification journey in 2011 , lovely film .

here is the trailer


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[matt]

Best Shot is great film, small town school basketball team challenge for state championship, Gene Hackman is the coach.

Seems to be called Hoosiers on IMDb.

It was called Hoosiers in the US, and Best Shot over here.

Good film. Can't believe it was THIRTY odd years ago

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

'dodgeball'- it's a true story as well

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

...and more seriously I loved 'the fighter' and 'the warrior'....plus not strictly sport but along those lines, 'the wrestler'

 

[FatSuperman]

Great stuff Billy, lots on there I've not seen. I was after underdog stories actually, I just termed it wrong.

Next Goal Wins - ah yes, a mate has been telling me to watch that for a while!

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Space Jam

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

United Passions

 

[Worthingite]

Anyone remember "Blackball" with Paul Kaye?!?!

 

[MattBackHome]

Also I rewatched Bloodsport recently and it's just fantastic.

I know it's not rags to riches, and it's not technically a sport either. But it is a film.

 

[AmexRuislip]

The Shawsank Redemption

 

[Stat Brother]

I absolutely promise this isn't a 'you would say that' type situation, [MENTION=33965]FatSuperman[/MENTION].

But if you genuinely want decent rags to riches / underdogs triumph sports film this little shown gem has everything ramped up to 11:-




Oh and 1066 has just reminded me.
This, in cinematic terms, is as close as you'll get to a true story and how the actual events unfolded.

 

[Miximate]

National Velvet all day long for me !

 

[1066familyman]

I absolutely promise this isn't a 'you would say that' type situation, [MENTION=33965]FatSuperman[/MENTION].

But if you genuinely want decent rags to riches / underdogs triumph sports film this little shown gem has everything ramped up to 11:-

Beat me to it SB. Cracking book and even the film does the story justice too. 100% recommend the OP watching this one.

 

[chaileyjem]

Another vote for "Next Goal Wins"

and "I Believe in Miracles" which is a terrific documentary on the bottom of Div 2 to Title/European Cup years of Clough/Taylor and Nottm Forest.

this football film list has some good rarities/plays apart from the obvious (Gregorys Girl, Escape to Victory etc)
http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/lists/10-great-football-films

 

[Geestar]

Happy Gilmore

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Great stuff Billy, lots on there I've not seen. I was after underdog stories actually, I just termed it wrong.

Next Goal Wins - ah yes, a mate has been telling me to watch that for a while!

Rush ?

Not a rags to riches story, but that of the merciless 1970s rivalry between Formula One rivals James Hunt and Niki Lauda and well worth a watch.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1979320/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

 

[Brownstuff]

Hi all,

As per the title, can anyone recommend some decent rags to riches / underdogs triumph sports films? I watched 'Wildcats' at the weekend, a favourite from my youth and it's got me in the mood for sports films

Tried to watch 'Goal' on YouTube last night but ended up watching 'fail' compilations for an hour and a half.

Dave

PS: Wildcats has not aged particularly well. A bit like Goldie Hawn I guess.

Please watch Seve even if you don't like golf