Fear Strikes Out

Fear Strikes Out

Fear Strikes Out

Jimmy Piersall was a successful baseball player who overcame a nervous breakdown and continued with his career, eventually going into management and finally broadcasting. Eighty-one at the time of this writing, he's still with us. "Fear Strikes Out" is Piersall's story, starring Anthony Perkins and Karl Malden. The film takes several liberties with the real events, but it's still effective. Piersall himself didn't like the film. Jimmy is presented as being under constant pressure from his father, who in the film comes off as a good man, but a very determined one. The dream of major league baseball for his son was a vicarious one. Jimmy is sent to the minor leagues by the Boston Red Sox for training. His major problem was that he was not a strong hitter. He was, however, an excellent outfielder. Over time, his behavior becomes more and more erratic and includes hitting and temper tantrums. Eventually he is hospitalized. The film doesn't mention that Piersall was bipolar, but I did read that he was. "Fear Strikes Out" is on the strange side, in that one understands Piersall's problems but one also has a certain detachment from them, despite the strong performance by Anthony Perkins. Karl Malden, who could be a very warm actor, is excellent, coming off as tough and somewhat cold. Part of it is that we see the results of Piersall's illness, but not enough of his inner self and the development of it. The ending is kind of abrupt, which is understandable in a way, as events needed to be telescoped. Only one wife, Piersall's first, is mentioned, and I believe only one child. Piersall had three wives; he had nine children with Mary, his first wife. Good performances, some strong baseball scenes - all in all, a good effort if not a great one.

Astonishing how obsessive some people can get when it comes to their favourite sports. Thankfully in Europe baseball is hardly known, which allows us to get beyond appearances and enjoy one of the most honest, emotionally raw acting ever recorded on film. This is one of Anthony Perkins' best performances ever - the fact that it was only his third movie makes it even more amazing, but obviously Academy voters in that year had too much baseball in their minds to appreciate such a wonderful, unique actor. The first time I saw this film I was a 9 year old with some father issues. This film was a huge shock and got me interested in psychotherapy at a very early age. Many scenes stayed embedded in my mind for years: Tony in the baseball field alone at night, his breakdown in the field, his fear of his father when he has an accident, all his exchanges with his father.... It's not just a tremendous acting turn, though. It's a beautiful, mature, realistic movie, the kind they used to make at that time in Hollywood (influenced by TV drama and Italian neo-realism) and they seemed to have forgotten how to make in this Lords of the Star Wars of Narnia age of childish entertainment. It could be used as an exhibit in the case for the regression to childhood of the American consciousness. I've read Tab Hunter's enormously entertaining book - which I recommend to any lover of Hollywood's golden age - and even he admits he couldn't have made a better job than Tony did. Once in a while the right part goes to the actor who deserves it most. Fear Strikes Out is a true classic and Anthony Perkins' acting is a masterclass of the first order, with as much fire and urgency as anything by Brando and Dean. In fact, as a film director, I'm showing this film to the young leading man in my next movie as reference and inspiration. Wish me luck!

FEAR STRIKES OUT dealt with a theme not often portrayed in films of the '50s--mental illness--and is a shattering example of how a father's insistence on perfection can have a significant effect on the well being of a sensitive individual unable to meet his father"s expectations. Marketed at time of release as a baseball movie, it's really a relationship movie about a father and son--that is the real heart and soul of the story. Based on the real life story of Jim Piersall, a well known American sports figure for the Boston Red Sox, as taken from his own account of his life. Slowly the picture emerges of the kind of stress he was under to achieve his goal of playing in the majors, the kind of guilt he felt whenever he did something that aggravated his father--as in simple disobedience when he didn't come straight home after work and then broke his ankle at an ice skating rink. Even in the midst of achievements, his father finds flaws to criticize. "Wish me luck," he pleads with his father when the Red Sox signs him. "No, luck won't do it. You've got to be thinking and planning all the time." And later on in the film, after his breakdown and he lands in a mental asylum, he defends his father to his psychiatrist with, "If it hadn't been for him pushing me and driving me, I wouldn't be where I am today!" Chilling words and the scene is the turning point in Piersall's progress toward recovery and the root cause of his problems. It's the sort of film everyone can relate to, sports minded or not, because it does reveal the danger of parents who expect too much from their children, with tragic results. The scene where Malden tries to take him from the hospital before he's ready to go, is a chiller. Both ANTHONY PERKINS and KARL MALDEN give the kind of performances that merited at least Oscar nominations--solid and superb. Summing up: A satisfying, mature drama that takes a penetrating look at the danger of pressure-driven father/son relationships in the sports world where winning is the only thing that counts.

Let me get a couple of negatives out of the way first. The very real baseball team the Boston Red Sox forms a large part of this movie but apart from their home ground, Fenway Park, and the manager at the time, Joe Cronin, no one else is name-checked; not owner, Tom Yawkey, or well-known team-mates of Piersall, Ted Williams, Dom DiMaggio, Bobby Doer, Johnny Pesky. John Piersall (Karl Malden) is established within minutes as a brutal control freak with tunnel vision focussing on one goal, a place in the Red Sox line-up for son Jimmy (Anthony Perkins). Given this single-mindedness surely the last thing he would have welcomed and/or permitted was a girl in Jimmy's l which would clearly be seen as a threat/rival, but, after walking in on Jimmy and Mary talking and being introduced we cut to some time later when Jimmy and Mary are not only married but living with Jimmy's parents apparently happily. The film does a lot of this; cutting to the chase, ignoring normal development. In the same way we are not told that Piersall and first wife Mary had nine children, that Jimmy married three times and played for another three teams before retiring. Here's the thing: none of this matters! In a more run-of-the-mill film it would matter but Fear Strikes Out has two towering perfomances from Karl Malden and Anthony Perkins as John and Jim Piersall respectively, both worthy of Best Actor Oscars and unfairly overshadowing Perry Wilson as Jimmy's mother and Norma Moore as his wife. Trivia question: What do Karl Malden and Angela Lansbury have in common? They both played monsters, the ultimate Stage Mother From Hell, Lansbury in Gypsy and Malden in Fear Strikes Out. If you're looking for a baseball film that isn't really about baseball at all then this is for you.

Outstanding biography detailing the life of Boston Red Sox slugger Jimmy Piersall. The late Anthony Perkins depicted the appropriate temperament in his portrayal of this baseball legend. Driven by a domineering, obsessed with perfection father, Perkins is outstanding in his portrayal. He is equally matched by Carl Malden, terrific as the father. From childhood Perkins is seen as being driven by his father to achieve perfection. Nothing less will satisfy the compulsive driven father. The scene where Perkins goes berserk during a game is memorable. His recovery is well staged as well. My diagnosis would have been to keep his father away but to make sure that the viewers see this wonderful film.

Decent version of the baseball player, Jimmy Piersall, who had some problems. Although I'm sure it's been noted that Anthony Perkins seems out of place performing athletics, he certainly gives an intense and heartfelt performance as the young man. Very admirable. Equally good is Mr. Karl Malden as his deluded old man. A 7 out of 10 and well worth a look. There are some electric scenes in this and Piersall's schizo passion is a sight to see. Less of a sports film than a tale of father and son misunderstanding that seems all too common. The 50's were a very peculiar era and this film fits right in.

FEAR STRIKES OUT has to be the classic compulsive "sports Dad" movie. I think every father with a son in sports should be required to see this film--especially after what we've seen recently with regard to parents in fist fights at their sons' Little League games. If ever there was an overbearing, driving patriarchal figure trying to live out his past inadequacies through his son in sports, Jimmy Piersall's father was he. In fact, I watch this movie not so much for the Jimmy Piersall story so much as to see Karl Malden's portrayal of John Piersall! Of course, we don't know how much is embellished, but if Mr. Piersall was even half of what is depicted in this movie, it is little wonder that Jimmy Piersall once hit a home run and ran around the bases backwards... Could anyone play a more iron-fisted character than Karl Malden? Watch PARRISH (1963) or BOMBERS B-52 sometime to see the equal of Piersall's Dad in FEAR STRIKES OUT. And Piersall's mother? Again, no one knows how accurate the depiction is, but she is a ghost presence and if that is true, it's just another nail in Piersall's psychological coffin. Even watching this movie as a kid, I was uncomfortable seeing Piersall pounded cruelly again and again by his Dad to do better, to go higher, to do more. Once he's romanced by The Boston Red Sox, Mr. Piersall becomes Jimmy's indispensable "advisor." All of this grows until Jimmy can do nothing without consulting Dad. The result is his father's eternal presence between his ears and the classic breakdown scene at the park when Piersall climbs the fence, an unforgettable moment, especially if you see this as an adolescent. Reviews concerning Anthony Perkins'lack of athletic ability always come up when this movie is discussed. Actually, this was characteristic of most sports movie bio's back in the 1940's and 1950's. Watch William Bendix as Babe Ruth, Ronald Reagan as Grover Cleveland Alexander, or Dan Daily as Dizzy Dean. Routine throwing and catching resembles something you used to see a "nerd" do at school recess. And this movie quirk wasn't present in baseball films only. I've always wondered just who this movie is about: Jimmy Piersall or his father? The scene in which the psychiatrist confronts Mr. Piersall at the sanitarium is painful and very sad. I've also always wondered just what Piersall's thoughts must have been when this movie hit the screens: for his was still active in the major leagues. How many teams did Jimmy Piersall play for? How many fist fights? And his announcing career? Full of controversy. Maybe it would have all happened without John Piersall, but it is doubtful. Next time a boy wishes his father was more into sports, remind him of John Piersall. Exhibit 'A' for all fathers living vicariously through the sports achievements of their sons. Dennis Caracciolo