Little Giants

Infobox_Film
name=Little Giants


caption = The movie cover for "Little Giants".
imdb_id=0110364
writer= James Ferguson
Robert Shallcross
starring=Rick Moranis
Ed O'Neill | director=Duwayne Dunham
music=John Debney | editing=Donn Cambern | distributor=Warner Bros. Family Entertainment
released=October 14 1994
runtime=107 min.
language=English
movie_series=
awards=
producer=Arne Schmidt
budget= |

"Little Giants" is a 1994 family comedy film, starring Rick Moranis and Ed O'Neill as brothers in a small Ohio town, coaching rival Pee-Wee Football teams.

ynopsis

Danny O'Shea (Rick Moranis) has always lived in the shadow of his older brother, Kevin (Ed O'Neill), a Heisman Trophy winner and a local football hero. The brothers live in their hometown of Urbania, Ohio and Kevin coaches the local "Pee-Wee Cowboys" football team. Despite being the best player, Danny's daughter Becky ("The Icebox"), is cut during try outs because she is a girl. After being ridiculed by the other players that did make the team, Becky convinces her dad to coach a new pee-wee team named "The Little Giants".

At first Danny is reluctant to do so, but later accepts in an attempt to show Urbania that Kevin is not invincible, and that there is another O'Shea in town capable of winning. Kevin mockingly reminds him of the "one town, one team" rule and with the help of the locals, they decide to have a playoff game to determine the lone team that will represent Urbania. Among Becky and the other children that did not make Kevin's team, Danny also gathers other children that have never been given a chance. One such player was Junior Floyd, a strong armed quarterback and son to Danny's childhood sweetheart, Patty Floyd. Becky slowly develops a crush for Junior and struggles with her new found feelings as a girl.

Local town-folk fan the flames of the rivalry between the brothers by reporting to both Danny and Kevin that a new star player, Spike Hammersmith had just moved to Urbania. Danny succeeds at recruiting Spike, but later Kevin's offer to join the well-structured Cowboys leads to Spike's defection. Kevin also encourages his own daughter Debbie, to be a cheerleader and later convinces his niece Becky that a quarterback will want to date a girl, not a teammate. Realizing it is her best chance to win over Junior, Becky decides to quit the team and pursue cheerleading.

Just as Danny's "Little Giants" start to lose hope, a bus arrives carrying John Madden, Emmitt Smith, Bruce Smith, Tim Brown, and Steve Emtman. The NFL stars teach and inspire the young players into believing they can win.

On the day of the game, Kevin chastises Danny into making an impulsive bet. If Danny wins, he gets Kevin's Chevrolet dealership; if Kevin wins, he gets Danny's gas station. Facing a 21-point halftime deficit, the Little Giants are lifted when Danny reassures them that all it takes is "one time" to beat the Cowboys. Realizing that Junior Floyd is the main threat to them, Spike injures Floyd by spearing him with his helmet after the whistle. Witnessing from the sidelines, an enraged Becky drops her pom poms and suits up for the game. Icebox immediately makes an impact when she forces a fumble after a jarring hit on Spike. In the game's closing seconds with the game tied at 21, the Little Giants make a goal line stand on 4th down and stop Spike. With time remaining for one final play, the Little Giants' offense step back onto the field and use a trick play known as "The Annexation of Puerto Rico". The play takes up all 99 yards using three different ball carriers towards a Giants touchdown.

Afterwards, Danny and Patty Floyd rekindle their childhood romance and Danny agrees not to hold Kevin to the pre-game bet on the condition that the Urbania water tower be changed from "Home of Kevin O'Shea" to "Home of the O'Shea brothers".

Cameos

*John Madden: Former NFL Coach for the Oakland Raiders and now a commentator for NBC Sunday Night Football. Madden is also well-known for his popular football video game franchise entitled John Madden Football. A Pro Football Halll of Famer.
*Emmitt Smith: Former NFL running back for the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals. The all time leading rusher in NFL history, and also scored over 100 touchdowns.
*Bruce Smith: Former NFL defensive end who played for the Buffalo Bills and later the Washington Redskins. The all-time leading sacker with 200 quarterback sacks.
*Tim Brown: Former NFL wide receiver who played for the Oakland Raiders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
*Steve Emtman: Former NFL defensive lineman, who played for the Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, and the Washington Redskins.

Trivia

*The white "Double-Star" jerseys worn by Kevin O'Shea's Cowboys, were worn by the official Dallas Cowboys team late in the 1994 season. However, the NFL franchise did not and have yet to wear the same blue pants. The New York Giants adopted red jerseys similar to those worn by the Little Giants as an alternate jersey in 2004.
*The number players that linebacker Becky "Icebox" O'Shea (#56) and quarterback Junior Floyd (#11) are the numbers of former Giants Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms while Briggs (#8), Patterson (#22), and Murphy (#48) wear are those of now former Cowboys Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Daryl "Moose" Johnston respectively.
*Kevin and Danny O'Shea were also the names of two brothers formerly in the National Hockey League
*There is no town called Urbania in Ohio. However, there is an Urbana, Ohio, which is what the film's town was really named after. Urbana is north of Springfield and about 45 minutes west of Columbus.
*Michael Nirenberg who played Jonathan Poe, Joshua Waitzkin's final opponent in Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993), was originally cast for Devon Sawa's role but did not accept the role as he did not want to continue acting.
*Sam Horrigan who plays Spike was a contestant on season 4 of Beauty and the Geek
*Jon Paul Steuer, who plays Johnny, and Sam Horrigan, who plays Spike, were the two actors to portray Quentin Kelly in the sitcom Grace Under Fire.
*Troy Simmons ("Hot Hands"), lives in North Carolina and played college football at Guilford College. Hot Hands also graduated from West Brunswick High School in Brunswick County, NC in 2003. He is currently a student at Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, NC.
*Becky's nickname, "The Icebox," is a reference to William "The Refrigerator" Perry.