61*

Director: Billy Crystal Billy Crystal

Overview

"Billy Crystal's loving tribute to the record-breaking Yankee season of 1961 comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original broadcast aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Closed-captioned English soundtracks are rendered in both Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital Surround, while a Spanish soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Stereo. English, Spanish, and French subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include biographies of the cast and crew, as well as Maris and Mantle, a making-of featurette, the original trailer, and a breakdown of the home runs hit by Maris and Mantle during that historical summer. Film and baseball enthusiasts should both find much to enjoy on this DVD release of 61*."

Product Details

Release Date:	09/11/2001
UPC:	0026359178221
Original Release:	2001
Rating:	NR
Source:	HBO HOME VIDEO
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[stereo, Dolby Digital]
Language:	English
Time:	2:09:00

Special Features

Animated menus; Chapter selections; Multiple language and subtitle selections; Cast and director bios; Making of "61*" featurette; Player bios and stats; 1961 home run list; Original trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Thomas Jane	Mickey Mantle
Barry Pepper	Roger Maris
Anthony Michael Hall	Whitey Ford
Jennifer Crystal Foley	Pat Maris
Paul Borghese	Yogi Berra
Bobby Hosea	Elston Howard
Domenick Lombardozzi	Moose Skowron
Bruce McGill	Ralph Houk
Bob Gunton	Dan Topping
Christopher McDonald	Mel Allen
Joe Grifasi	Phil Rizzuto
Richard Masur	Milt Kahn
Peter Jacobson	Artie Green
Donald Moffat	Ford Frick
Renee Taylor	Claire Ruth
Robert Joy	Bob Fishel
Michael Nouri	Joe DiMaggio
James Intveld	Sal Durante,Actor
Pat Crowley	Widow Pat Maris
Seymour Cassel	Sam Simon
Randall Godwin	Fan No. 1
Robert Costanzo	Toots Shor
Shiva Rose McDermott	Toots' Girl
Mitchell Edmonds	Hotel Manager
Scott Waara	Gus Mauch
Robert Hunter Jr.	Angry Fan
J.D. Cullum	Gabe Pressman
Dell Yount	Writer No. 1
Connor Trinneer	Writer No. 2
Chris Bauer	Bob Cerv
Henry B. Walthall	Actor
Dane Northcutt	Actor
Charles Esten	Actor
Scott Connell	Actor
Rebecca Klinger	Actor
Anthony Michael	Actor
Jennifer Foley	Pat Maris (1961)
Christopher Marquette	Actor
Conor O'Farrell	Actor
Marc Shaiman	Composer

Technical Credits

Hank Steinberg

Billy Crystal	Director,Executive Producer,Producer
Scott Blackwell	Special Effects
Robert F. Colesberry	Producer
Mali Finn	Casting
Lynn M. Gephart	Special Effects
Ross Greenburg	Executive Producer,Producer
Hank Steinberg	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Billy Crystal's 61* stands alongside Bang the Drum Slowly and Bull Durham as one of the few films that understands the day-to-day life of baseball players. The fully realized performances by Barry Pepper and Thomas Jane make this film compelling for people with no interest in baseball. They, along with screenwriter Hank Steinberg, do a marvelous job of presenting two very complex, very male personalities. Maris is an outwardly stoic average guy who approaches the game with unsmiling intensity; baseball is a job to him. This does not make him a popular man with the press or the fans, particularly when compared to the loudmouthed party boy Mickey Mantle. In their private lives, Maris is a happy, down-to-earth husband and father with a quick smile for his family, while Mantle is miserable. Assuming he will die young because his father and uncles did, Mickey lives hard and fast. His destructive behavior fuels a self-fulfilling prophecy. The two opposites bring out the best in each other, both on and off the field. Maris forces Mantle to take better care of himself, and Mantle becomes the only person Maris can turn to when the pressure of chasing Babe Ruth's record begins to damage his health, friendships, and marriage. Pepper invests Maris with a quiet dignity and a Midwestern attitude that makes him neither a foolish innocent, nor a scowling kill-joy (two stereotypes the character could have easily become). Jane makes Mantle charming and likable, but presents his inner pain in subtle, quietly powerful moments. Although the film loses narrative drive in its second half, the characters remain compelling throughout. Although it could have easily turned into a piece of mawkish sentimentality, 61*, thanks to strong writing, respectful direction, and outstanding performances, is an engaging character study with a firm sense of place and time.