The Best of Times (film)

Infobox_Film
name = The Best of Times


caption = Theatrical release poster
imdb_id = 0090713
writer = Ron Shelton
starring = Robin Williams
Kurt Russell
Pamela Reed
Holly Palance
Donald Moffat
M. Emmet Walsh
R.G. Armstrong
director = Roger Spottiswoode
music = Arthur B. Rubinstein
editing=Garth Craven
cinematography=Charles F. Wheeler
producer = Gordon Carroll
distributor = Universal Studios
released = January 31, 1986 (USA)
runtime = 104 min.
country = USA
language = English
budget = Unknown
gross = $7,790,931 (USA)

"The Best of Times" was released in the United States in 1986.

Overview

Robin Williams plays Jack Dundee, a thirty-something banker obsessed with what he considers the turning point in his life; the moment that he dropped a perfectly thrown pass in the final seconds of the 1972 high school football game between Taft and their arch-nemesis, Bakersfield.

Since then, nothing seems to have gone right for Jack. He works for his father-in-law, a.k.a. The Colonel, Bakersfield's biggest supporter, at his bank, and is reminded by him almost daily, that it was "his" clumsiness and inability to catch a football that lost Taft its one chance for glory by finally beating Bakersfield, and how Taft would never do it again.

Thirteen years later, Jack coerces Reno (Kurt Russell), star quarterback of the fateful game and now a financially struggling garage owner in debt to Jack's bank, into helping him replay the game. He convinces supporters in both towns to re-stage the game and in the process revitalizes Taft, as well as his and Reno's marriages. The game is replayed and at the critical moment Reno throws another perfect forward pass to Jack. He catches it, and Taft defeats Bakersfield.

This movie is based on an actual game between Bakersfield High and Taft High that occurred in 1976. Bakersfield is a perennial state football powerhouse with run-down facilities but great athletes, whereas Taft, a small oil town, has the best athletic facilities in the county, but struggles every year just to compete. In the 1980s, this bristling rivalry featured the football teams of Bakersfield College and Taft College playing in front of thousands of fans at Bakersfield's Memorial Stadium. Today, Taft High is still playing in small-school leagues and divisions. Bakersfield High is still a powerhouse, winning its record 34th section title in 2007.

Much of the film was shot in and around Taft. The football scenes took place at Pierce Junior College in the San Fernando Valley. The night game was filmed at Moorpark Memorial High School, in Moorpark, CA.

Music in the film - "Pomp and Circumstance Marches", by Edward Elgar; and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"' by Roberta Flack.

A silent character who watches the game (and who seems to appreciate the rain strategically) reveals his name in the closing scene.

Cast

* Robin Williams as Jack Dundee

* Kurt Russell as Reno Hightower

* Pamela Reed as Gigi Hightower

* Holly Palance as Elly Dundee

* Donald Moffat as The Colonel

* Margaret Whitton as Darla

* M. Emmet Walsh as Charlie

* Donovan Scott as Eddie

* R.G. Armstrong as Schutte

* Dub Taylor as Mac

* Carl Ballantine as Arturo

* Kathleen Freeman as Rosie

* Tony Plana as Chico

* Kirk Cameron as Teddy

* Robyn Lively as Jacki

* Jeff Doucette as Olin

* Anne Haney as Marcy

* Linda Hart as Blender #1

* Tracey Gold as Jaki's friend (uncredited)At the time, Tracey and Kirk Cameron were co-starring in the sitcom "Growing Pains".

Quotes from movie

* Reno Hightower: Okay Jack, you tell the Caribou whatever you want, but I'm gonna tell you something. You're a low-life, black mailing, chicken-shit squid.
Jack Dundee: Low-life, black mailing, chicken-shit squid? Welcome aboard Reno.

* Reno Hightower: She's gonna leave me as soon as I fix her car.
Jack Dundee: You gonna fix it?
Reno Hightower: Hell no! I love her.

* Jack Dundee: Elly, I have a new move for you.
Elly Dundee: Oh? Show me.
[Spins while undressing, naming the move]
Elly Dundee: Sort of a white 'Pip', I love it.

* Jack Dundee: Mr. Weasel's here.

* Jack Dundee: You better watch it, Dr. Death! I'm pretty damn fast for a Caucasian.

* Jack Dundee: Come and get me sucka!

* Jack Dundee: You're right, Reno. You're not a quarterback anymore, you're a van specialist. I never should have expected a van specialist to lift a town out of lethargy. You lost it Reno, not just in football, but in life. You're not a leader anymore. There, I've said it, now I'm ready to die.

*Reno: Nice catch my ass! That's what you're supposed to do when the ball hits you in the hands.

*Reno: C'mere, Jack. Half these people here tonight, Jack, came to see you catch the ball. The other half came to watch you drop it. I was going to throw it to you just to show you up, but no, I wanna win, I'm callin' somebody else's number.
Jack: Reno, I can get open.
Reno: Damnit Jack, you drop that thing again and your LIFE is over.

*Reno: This is easy for you, isn't it? Hell, you stunk thirteen years ago and you stink tonight. You haven't lost a goddamn thing. This is all my nightmare now.

*The Colonel: There's no such thing as luck. Victories for the underdog are an aberration on the order of the universe - which is why I've had damn few loses in my time.

References

External links

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