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‘The Natural’ With Bill Simmons and Mallory Rubin

March 19, 2019 · The Natural (1984) · Drama · Sport · 1:47:00

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 31:07Multiple scenes: Hobbs vs the Whammer, Hobbs' first batting practice when they let him hit, and Hobbs' first at bat where he tears the cover off the ball
Mallory Rubin▶ 34:02Agrees with the batting practice scene, praising it for three reasons: the spectacle, characters having same experience as viewers, and revealing Roy's entitled personality

Picking Nits

Bill Simmons▶ 38:08Hobbs' homer breaks the clock at Wrigley Field, which unfortunately, the clock didn't exist until two years later
Mallory Rubin▶ 37:37Roy is still capable of pitching despite having a bullet in his side - questions whether it's just about pain tolerance

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:16Roy's son's throwing motion in the catch scene
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:01:11How old Robert Redford is (too old for the role)

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:27Couldn't find any casting what-ifs

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:38Bobby the Batboy
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:04:48Darren McGavin — Gus (Darren McGavin)

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:06Wilford Brimley — Wilfred Brimley (with some consideration for Kim Basinger)
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:16:30Roger Towne — Roger Towne (screenwriter) as best option available

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:19:09Kim Basinger — Kim Basinger - agreed with another host's suggestion, citing the scene where she tries to shoot Roy as having bad acting
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:18:15Kim Basinger — Kim Basinger for her deliberately over-the-top performance as Memo, also mentioned Prosky (the judge) as very over-the-top

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 1:27:48Some mistakes I guess we never stop paying for
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:28:21Multiple quotes including 'The only thing I know about the dark is you can't see in it', Red's 'tough' response, and various Pop Fisher lines

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:45:35Robert Redford
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:45:43Wilford Brimley — Makes a case for Pop as the heart of the film and most winning performance, but acknowledges Redford is iconic though not in it enough

Movies Referenced (23)

Bull Durham (1988)

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin▶ 3:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Field of Dreams (1989)

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin▶ 4:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rocky (1976)

8 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 25:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Moneyball (2011)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin▶ 4:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Major League (1989)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 25:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

All the President's Men (1976)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin▶ 1:16:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ordinary People (1980)

3 mentions · Mallory Rubin▶ 1:16:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rookie of the Year (1993)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin▶ 26:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

For Love of the Game (1999)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 26:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rain Man (1988)

2 mentions · Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Score (2001)

2 mentions · Mallory Rubin▶ 54:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Angels in the Outfield (1994)

1 mentions · Mallory Rubin▶ 26:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (3)

Barry Levinson

5 mentions · Mallory Rubin · Known for Rain Man, Wag the Dog▶ 9:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Adam Davidson

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:14:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Columbus

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Help▶ 41:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (43)

Robert Redford

20 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin · Known for The Natural, Ordinary People, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid▶ 1:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Wilford Brimley

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin · Known for The Natural, The Thing▶ 1:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Babe Ruth

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin▶ 13:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kim Basinger

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin · Known for L.A. Confidential, Batman▶ 1:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Darren McGavin

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin · Known for A Christmas Story, Billy Madison, Raw Deal▶ 1:04:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Glenn Close

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin · Known for Fatal Attraction, Guardians of the Galaxy▶ 1:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Barry Bonds

6 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Rookie of the Year▶ 6:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Madsen

6 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Hateful Eight, Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Species▶ 45:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Game

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin · Known for Street Kings, The A-Team, Coach Carter▶ 2:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Harrison Ford

4 mentions · Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons · Known for Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, The Fugitive▶ 28:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joe Don Baker

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin · Known for GoldenEye, Cape Fear▶ 31:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Prosky

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin · Known for Thief, Broadcast News, Mrs. Doubtfire▶ 45:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (6)

Bernard Malamud

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Natural▶ 13:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Damien Chazelle

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Whiplash, La La Land, First Man▶ 59:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jackie Files

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:05:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Philip Roth

1 mentions · Mallory Rubin▶ 19:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 18:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Towne

1 mentions · Mallory Rubin · Known for The Natural▶ 1:16:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Michael Bauman

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for One Battle After Another, Iron Man, The Island▶ 1:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗