The Babe
A career-spanning portrait of Babe Ruth that pairs baseball immortality with an unvarnished, troubled personal life.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- nostalgic
- earnest
- bittersweet
- sports movie night
- baseball history viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly found the biographical drama superficially written and poorly paced, with John Goodman's performance and Ruth's characterization failing to capture the legend convincingly.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film traces Babe Ruth from his orphanage childhood through his baseball career and final days as a manager.
The plot foregrounds Ruth's predicted home run, extraordinary hitting, and status as a baseball icon.
The story presents Ruth's celebrated athletic achievements alongside an unhappy, difficult personal life and strained relationships.
Its subject, historical baseball setting, and career-spanning treatment place the film within nostalgic American sporting culture.
Films like The Babe, and why
42
sports biographical drama centered on a larger-than-life baseball legend and the pressures of public fame
The Pride of the Yankees
historical sports drama about an iconic athlete whose career is shaped by talent, conflict, and public myth
Ali
biographical sports drama portraying an American sporting icon through career highlights and personal turmoil
Movie Details
- Director
- Arthur Hiller
- Release Date
- 1992-04-17
- Runtime
- 115 min
- Rating
- 5.7 / 10 (174)
Cast
- John Goodman
- Kelly McGillis
- Trini Alvarado
- Randy Steinmeyer
- James Cromwell
- Michael McGrady
- Richard Tyson
- Joseph Ragno
- Ralph Marrero
- Bernard Kates
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- 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 The Babe about?
- A career-spanning portrait of Babe Ruth that pairs baseball immortality with an unvarnished, troubled personal life.
- What is The Babe like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Babe as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Babe violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Babe.
- What did critics think of The Babe?
- Critics broadly found the biographical drama superficially written and poorly paced, with John Goodman's performance and Ruth's characterization failing to capture the legend convincingly.
- Which films are like The Babe?
- Films with a similar feel include 42, The Pride of the Yankees, and Ali.
- How long is The Babe?
- The Babe runs 115 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Babe?
- In United States, The Babe is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
