Fear Strikes Out (1957)

You might well ask why I occasionally review films that not many of my potential readers will have seen.  It's not that I'm a big show-off so much, as my wanting to get something on record for my own benefit that I can refer back to in later years.  Or something!  I've known about this movie for a long time since I read widely on film and it was on my continually growing list "to-see", but as far as I know it has never been on British TV although it is now available on disc.  For anyone who likes the late Anthony Perkins especially before he got cornered into Psycho-like roles, this is a good choice to demonstrate his acting chops.  It was the first joint effort of the producer/director team of Alan J. Pakula and Robert Mulligan who went on to give us "To Kill a Mockingbird".  It's the true story of baseball player Jimmy Piersall (not anyone I've heard of) who overcame a complete mental breakdown toward the start of  his long career in the sport.  The movie is based on Piersall's autobiography, published just before this film was made.  You don't need to be a baseball fan to enjoy this film, as the main action is between the young Perkins and his overbearing and pushy Dad, well-played by Karl Malden, showing us the stress that pushed him over the edge and how he came to grips with the problem.   (The bulk of Piersall's career took place long after this film was made.)   For sports fans, the baseball action is not too shoddy either.