5. A League of Their Own
Penny Marshall, who also directed the classics Big and Awakenings, does a really nice job of setting the atmosphere of the Homeland United States during WWII. Since many men were fighting in Europe, it created an interesting time in American sports history. Initially laughed upon, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, established in 1943, became quite popular for a period of time.
In addition to highlighting the importance of female participation in sport, the movie does a nice job of blending humor and intrigue. Here is a segment of one of the more humorous dialogues, contrasting the conventional dispositions of males and females during the time:
Jimmy Dugan (Manger): Evelyn, could you come here for a second? Which team do you play for?
Evelyn Gardner (Player): Well, I'm a Peach.
Jimmy: Well, I was just wondering why you would throw home when we got a two-run lead? You let the tying run get on second base and we lost the lead because of you. Start using your head. That's the lump that's three feet above your ass.
[Evelyn starts to cry]
Jimmy: Are you crying? Are you crying? There's no crying! There's no crying in baseball!
Combine these dialogues with a well-known cast of Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Rosie O'Donnell, Madonna, Jon Lovitz, Bill Pullman, and an unforgettable ending, A League of Their Own is a highly entertaining sports film and history piece.
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