HOOSIERS scored a surprise win in 1986, joining the club of sports movies that let the audience vicariously share in a redemption-thru-effort story, this one inspired by the 1954 triumph of the high school basketball team from the small town of Milan, Indiana. Written by Angelo Pizzo, directed by first-timer David Anspaugh, it changes names, compresses timelines and indulges in acceptable dramatic license for the sake of a good time, which the show provides even if you’re not bananas for basketball. Which apparently everyone in Indiana was. Are? *

‘Hickory’, Indiana, 1951. ‘Norman Dale’ (Gene Hackman) arrives in the small town as the new civics and history teacher at the high school. Those tasks are secondary, since he was really hired by the principal (an old friend) for two other reasons. One was to be a pal and help Dale out of career dead end (he’d had some ‘issues’ that besmirched his record); the other was Norman’s skill as a basketball coach: the teetering team needs rescuing. Norman proceeds apace, but his methods alienate many townspeople, adults who seem to value basketball glory more than anything beyond successful crop yields. A cold shoulder comes from vice-principal ‘Myra Fleener’ (Barbara Hershey, 37), while unlikely support turns up thru ‘Wilbur Flatch’ (Dennis Hopper, 49), father of one of the boys, and a local disgrace—he’s the town drunk. Numerous baskets must be sunk.

The period feel is quite well captured, with location filming primarily accomplished in the little Indiana burg of New Richmond.  The script doesn’t present much of an acting stretch for Hackman (he was not a happy camper in this project) or Hershey, but Hopper took the part to heart and ran with it, copping an Oscar nomination for Supporting Actor (same year as his much different small-town problem maker in Blue Velvet). Another Academy nom went to Jerry Goldsmith’s score, which does a marvelous job ramping up joyful excitement during the game sequences.

Reviews were glowing, box offices erased the $6,000,000 cost with $28,600,000, 34th place in ’86, and the film has retained a devoted fan base.

The roster on the ‘Huskers’ is ably covered by Maris Valainus, Steve Hollar, David Neidorf, Wade Schenck, Kent Poole, Scott Summers and Brad Boyle. Adults include old hand Sheb Wooley (65 in his next-to-last role), Robert Swan and Chelcie Ross. 114 minutes.

* Foul!—director Anspaugh related that decidedly unhappy Gene was a major pain all thru the shoot, predicting the movie would be “a career killer”.  Hopper (who was much more cooperative with the fledgling director) felt the nomination he received should have been for Blue Velvet instead. Anspaugh, scenarist Pizzo and composer Goldsmith teamed up again in 1993 for Rudy, another successful sports saga.

Interference—fact-finding found that Hackman was 55 when the movie was made; the real-life coach Marvin Wood was hired by the school when he was 24. The venerated Mr. Wood passed away in 1999 at the age of 71.

Dribble & pass—how many sports flicks are not about an individual or a team Beating The Odds To Come From Behind? You might as well try to locate one about a singer or musician who didn’t have problems with addiction.