The Stratton Story

Watch: The Stratton Story

Unrated

5/12/19491h 46m

Theatrical (limited) Release (US)

~ James Stewart - June Allyson, In The True Romance of The Year ~

Overview:

Star major league pitcher Monty Stratton loses a leg in a hunting accident, but becomes determined to leave the game on his own terms.

Director:

Sam Wood

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$0.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Key words:

sports
baseball
chicago white sox
amputate

Cast

James Stewart

~ as ~

Monty Stratton

June Allyson

~ as ~

Ethel

Frank Morgan

~ as ~

Barney Wile

Agnes Moorehead

~ as ~

Ma Stratton

Bill Williams

~ as ~

Eddie Dibson

Bruce Cowling

~ as ~

Ted Lyons

Cliff Clark

~ as ~

Josh Higgins

Mary Lawrence

~ as ~

Dot

Dean White

~ as ~

Luke Appling

Robert Gist

~ as ~

Earnie

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

John Chard
Written 10 year(s) ago
7
You can't keep a good man down.

Monty Stratton (James Stewart) was a pitcher for the Chicago White Sox in the 1930s. From humble farm yard beginnings he became a top player, but tragedy struck and he lost a leg after a hunting accident. This is his inspirational story.

It is what it is really, a film heavy on sentimentality that is virtually impossible not to warm to. Perfect casting pitches (ahem) Stewart as the homespun Stratton, an American hero who defied the odds to play again the game he loved so much. His wife is played by June Allyson, who at times is a bit too precious, but again it works out as astute casting as the love and support Ethel gives to Monty positively booms out of the screen. This is a couple who are very easy to root for under trying circumstances.

It's not exactly kosher as per the facts, but the essence, the driving spirit rings true. Baseball sequences are well handled by director Sam Wood (see also The Pride of the Yankees 1942), while there's a distinct feeling of respect portrayed by all involved in baseball at the time which is ultimately nice. Agnes Moorehead and Frank Morgan add some solid weight to key characters, and it's nice to find that the writers (Douglas Morrow & Guy Trosper) don't write Stratton as some dumb farm boy in a big man's world.

Easy to like entertainment. 7/10