Bull Durham (1988)

Star Rating: 2
Length of Film:  108 minutes
Director: Ron Shelton
Cast: Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Trey Wilson, Robert Wuhl, William O'Leary, David Neidorf, Danny Gans, Tom Silardi, Lloyd T. Williams,  Rick Marzan, George Buck, Jenny Robertson, Gregory Aveilone, & Garland Bunting
Oscar Nomination: Ron Shelton (screenplay)








This movie was a joke! It seemed like they wrapped the plot around this movie based off Walt Whitman's quote about baseball. "I see great things in baseball. It's our game-the American game. It will take our people out-of-doors, fill them with oxygen, give them a larger physical stoicism. Tend to relieve us from being a nervous, dyspeptic set. Repair these losses, and be a blessing to us." 

Tim Robbins was supposed to be the hot shot new pitcher, but they could've chosen someone a little more hotter. He had nothing going for him, physically, except for his height. They could've casted someone a little hotter for the role of Annie (Susan Surandon). I mean, she was 42 years old when she did the film.  The only castmate they got right was Kevin Costner. 

The plot line of the movie is a fan that chooses one minor league player of the Durham Bulls to have sex with and educate them (by tying them up and forcing them to listen to poetry).

"There's never been a ballplayer slept with me who didn't have the best year of his career. Making love is like hitting a baseball: you just gotta relax and concentrate. Besides, I'd never sleep with a player hitting under .250... not unless he had a lot of RBIs and was a great glove man up the middle. You see, there's a certain amount of life wisdom I give these boys. I can expand their minds. Sometimes when I've got a ballplayer alone, I'll just read Emily Dickinson or Walt Whitman to him, and the guys are so sweet, they always stay and listen. 'Course, a guy'll listen to anything if he thinks it's foreplay. I make them feel confident, and they make me feel safe, and pretty."

 



Annie chooses new comer Ebby Calvin LaLoosh as her new sex toy, even though in the back of her mind, she was interested in veteran Crash Davis (Kevin Costner).  She brought both of them to her house, set them down and told them what her plan was. Crash got up and as he was leaving, she asked: "What do you believe in, then?" He rattled off his list of beliefs:

Well, I believe in the soul, the cock, the pussy, the small of a woman's back, the hangin' curveball, high fiber, good Scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, over-rated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there oughta be a constitutional amendment outlawing AstroTurf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve. And I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days. Good-night.

His speech was followed by Annie's breathless response: "Oh, my!"

The team was on a winning streak, and he didn't know if having sex would break that streak, so he withheld sex, and it aggravated Annie.
 

Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: You're playing with my mind.
Annie Savoy: I'm *trying* to play with your body.
Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: I knew it, you're trying to seduce me!
Annie Savoy: Well of course I'm trying to seduce you, for God's sake, and I'm doing a damn poor job of it... Aren't I pretty?
Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: God, I think you're real cute.
Annie Savoy: Cute? Baby ducks are cute, I HATE cute! I want to be exotic, and mysterious!
Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: You are, you're exotic, and mysterious, and... cute... and... That's why I'd better leave.



 

Crash and Annie finally got together and had some pretty steamy sex scenes for 1988. Don't get too excited...I do have a new found respect for Kevin Costner. I'm gonna have to checkout some of the 80's movies because he was damn sexy!!!