Take Me out to the Ball Game

Take Me out to the Ball Game

 Cast: Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
, Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly
, Esther Williams
Esther Williams
, Betty Garrett
Betty Garrett
, Edward Arnold
Edward Arnold
Take Me out to the Ball Game

Take Me out to the Ball Game

 Cast: Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
, Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly
, Esther Williams
Esther Williams
, Betty Garrett
Betty Garrett
, Edward Arnold
Edward Arnold

DVD (Full Frame)

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Overview

So baseball pictures never make money, eh? Try telling that to MGM, which raked in a box office gross of $4 million on their 1949 baseball musical Take Me Out to the Ball Game. Set in 1906, the film concerns the adventures and misadventures of The Wolves, a champion ball club. The team's success is contingent upon the double-play combination of "O'Brien to Ryan to Goldberg." But while Goldberg (Jules Munshin) lives to play baseball, O'Brien (Gene Kelly) and Ryan (Frank Sinatra) would rather pursue their off-season vaudeville career. Both erstwhile song-and-dance men decide to stick around on the baseball diamond when they mutually fall in love with the Wolves' new owner, the lovely K.C. Higgins (Esther Williams). Though O'Brien wins K.C. for himself, Ryan is compensated with the aggressively affectionate Shirley Delwyn (Betty Garrett). Gambler Joe Lorgan (Edward Arnold), who has bet heavily against the Wolves in an upcoming Big Game, woos O'Brien away from the team with promises of a big role in an upcoming musical comedy. Having let down K.C. and the rest of the team, O'Brien vows to redeem himself by playing in the crucial game. Lorgan gets wind of this, and orders his henchmen to do away with O'Brien. Hoping to shield his buddy from harm, Ryan beans O'Brien with a pitched ball, thereby incapacitating the prodigal player. The crooks are vanquished, and K.C. forgives O'Brien. But upon learning that Ryan had knocked him out, O'Brien charges onto the diamond, thirsting for revenge. Believe it or not, this action results in no fewer than two winning home runs! We offer you this detailed synopsis because it's likely that you'll be too entertained by the film's musical numbers to pay any attention to the story. Outside of the title number and Gene Kelly's solo "The Hat My Father Wore on St. Patrick's Day," the picture's best songs are contributed by Betty Comden, Adolf Green and Roger Edens. Take Me Out to the Ball Game is so delightful as it stands that one can only wonder what the film would have looked like had MGM's first choice Kathryn Grayson--or the studio's second choice, Judy Garland--played the Esther Williams role (In a similar vein, the Frank Sinatra character was originally to have been played by real-life Brooklyn Dodgers manager Leo Durocher!)

Product Details

Release Date: 05/13/2008
UPC: 0883929007585
Original Release: 1949
Rating: NR
Source: Warner Home Video
Region Code: 1
Sound: [Dolby Digital Mono, Dolby Digital Stereo]
Language: English
Time: 1:33:00
Sales rank: 19,464

Special Features

Closed Caption; Deleted music numbers "baby doll" and "boys and girls like you and me"; Notes on Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly; 3 theatrical trailers

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Frank Sinatra Dennis Ryan
Gene Kelly Eddie O'Brien
Esther Williams K.C. Higgins
Betty Garrett Shirley Delwyn
Edward Arnold Joe Lorgan
Jules Munshin Nat Goldberg
Richard Lane Michael Gilhuly
Tom Dugan Slappy Burke
Murray Alper Zalinka
Wilton Graff Nick Donford
Mack Gray Henchman
Charles Regan Henchman
Saul Gorss Steve
Douglas Fowley Karl
Eddie Parkes Dr. Winston
Ramon Blackburn The Blackburn Twins,The Blackburn Twins
James Burke Cop in Park
Gordon Jones Sen. Catcher
Jack Bruce Wolves' Team
John Burger Wolves' Team
Aaron Phillips Wolves' Team
Eddie Cutler Wolves' Team
Ellsworth Blake Wolves' Team
Harry Allen Wolves' Team
Joseph Roach Wolves' Team
Hubie Kerns Wolves' Team
Peter Kooy Wolves' Team
Robert Simpson Wolves' Team
Richard Landry Wolves' Team
Jack Boyle Wolves' Team
Richard Beavers Wolves' Team
Virginia Bates Girl on Train
Joi Lansing Girl on Train
Mitchell Lewis Fisherman
Esther Michaelson Fisherman's Wife
Almira Sessions Fan
Isabel O'Madigan Fan
Gil Perkins Fan
Robert Stephenson Fan
Charles Sullivan Fan
Edna Harris Fan
Frank Scannell Reporter
Henry Kulky Burly Acrobat
Dorothy Abbott Dancer
Si Jenks Sam
Jack Rice Room Clerk
Edward Cassidy Teddy Roosevelt
Dick Wessel Umpire
Sally Forrest Dancer
The Blackburn Twins Specialty
Jackie Jackson Child
Esther Michelson Fisherman's wife
Roger Edens Composer

Technical Credits
Busby Berkeley Director
Harry Tugend Screenwriter
George Wells Screenwriter
Arthur Freed Producer
Warren Newcombe Special Effects
Peter Ballbusch Special Effects
Stanley Donen Screenwriter
Harry Crane Screenwriter
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