Bang the Drum Slowly
A star pitcher quietly reshapes a major-league baseball season to protect his terminally ill catcher and closest friend.
Overview
A poignant tale of friendship and resilience amidst the harsh realities of life and death.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- warm
- witty
- melancholic
- reflective evening
- baseball movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a deeply affecting, funny, and unusually perceptive baseball drama centered on male friendship and the inner life of a team.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The New York Mammoths clubhouse and season structure frame professional baseball as the characters' shared job and community.
Henry Wiggen conceals Bruce Pearson's terminal diagnosis while arranging to remain his teammate and safeguard his interests.
Locker-room antics and team banter coexist with Bruce's Hodgkin's disease and the prospect of his final season.
As information about Bruce comes to light, the Mammoths' internal dynamics shift and reshape the season's meaning.
Films like Bang the Drum Slowly, and why
The Natural
shared baseball setting, male bonding, workplace camaraderie, and emotionally affecting sports drama
The Last Days of Disco
shared professional sports milieu, team dynamics, understated humor, and themes of friendship and mortality
Brian's Song
shared intimate male friendship, terminal illness, bittersweet emotion, and restrained melodrama
Major League
shared ensemble workplace culture, locker-room humor, aging masculinity, and compassionate character drama
Movie Details
- Director
- John D. Hancock
- Release Date
- 1973-08-26
- Runtime
- 96 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (80)
Cast
- Michael Moriarty
- Robert De Niro
- Vincent Gardenia
- Phil Foster
- Ann Wedgeworth
- Patrick McVey
- Heather MacRae
- Selma Diamond
- Barbara Babcock
- Maurice Rosenfield
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Bang the Drum Slowly about?
- A star pitcher quietly reshapes a major-league baseball season to protect his terminally ill catcher and closest friend.
- What is Bang the Drum Slowly like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Bang the Drum Slowly as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Bang the Drum Slowly violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Bang the Drum Slowly.
- What did critics think of Bang the Drum Slowly?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a deeply affecting, funny, and unusually perceptive baseball drama centered on male friendship and the inner life of a team.
- Which films are like Bang the Drum Slowly?
- Films with a similar feel include The Natural, The Last Days of Disco, Brian's Song, and Major League.
- How long is Bang the Drum Slowly?
- Bang the Drum Slowly runs 96 minutes.
- Where can I watch Bang the Drum Slowly?
- In United States, Bang the Drum Slowly is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand.
