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The Babe

Play trailer Poster for The Babe PG 1992 1h 55m Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
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47% Tomatometer 38 Reviews 37% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
George Herman "Babe" Ruth (John Goodman) grows from a troubled boy who was sent to an orphanage to one of the most successful baseball players on record. Babe first becomes a power hitter and pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. After a falling-out with Red Sox owner Harry Frazee (Peter Donat), Babe is sold to the New York Yankees. He is idolized in New York, setting a record for home runs, as well as creating dramatic moments like hitting two homers for a sick boy in the hospital.
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The Babe

Critics Reviews

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Michael Wilmington Los Angeles Times 05/09/2014
It's not a bad movie. But its sentiments are faster than its reflexes. By the time it tries to uncoil a home-run swing, the ball has already vanished. Go to Full Review Michael Sragow The New Yorker 05/09/2014
Goodman should have been perfect for the title role: like Ruth, he's a regular Joe of hugely irregular proportions in appetite and accomplishment. Too bad Hiller and Fusco cut him down to size. Go to Full Review Dave Kehr Chicago Tribune 05/09/2014
2/4
It doesn`t matter that these things really happened, because the thin staging and sentimental exaggeration make them seem extremely phony in any case. Go to Full Review Brian Costello Common Sense Media 05/05/2021
3/5
For those expecting a baseball movie, The Babe is less about baseball and more about a man who never had a family and was spending his life trying to find one. Go to Full Review Gary Thompson Philadelphia Daily News 05/09/2014
2/4
Ninth-inning attempts to probe the darker side of Ruth's life and his shabby treatment at the hands of baseball during his declining years are no more compelling than the rest of this by-the-numbers bio. Go to Full Review Gordon Edes South Florida Sun-Sentinel 05/09/2014
While Goodman renders a portrait of Babe Ruth that in some ways is bigger than the Bambino himself, the film fails to arouse the imagination of its audience the way the ballplayer thrilled his more than 60 years ago. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Nol P @NolPKelowna 02/07/2024 Putting aside the harshness of some other critics who bombed this, the Babe is still watch worthy. Sometimes an actor can actually try too hard and this movie is such the case for Goodman. But it was not his fault as the director could have directed more and made the movie more likeable and more interesting. An average film at best, and not in the top 50 sports movies of all time, I still think one should watch this to get some sort of idea on the life story of the great Bambino/Sultan of Swat. 4.5 of 10 stars. See more Steve D @RT35616104 02/22/2023 A solid but not remarkable biopic. See more dustin d @RT12543299 04/13/2021 The Babe is enjoyable to the degree to which you can shut off your brain. It is a superficial biopic of Babe Ruth, that barely scratches the surface of the psychologically damaged man it presents. I kept waiting for the movie to be more than it was. Most of the baseball scenes follow the same pattern: some guys taunt the Babe over his swings and misses, then he hits a homerun, and they are chastened. Ruth's ego makes him simultaneously unbearable and hilarious, but not to the degree of Kenny Powers in East Bound & Down. The low production value, particularly of the baseball scenes, starts to wear thin as the film goes on. As a biopic, The Babe was a swing and a miss. See more 03/23/2021 Funny and original!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more 07/06/2020 Decent, but pretty by-the-numbers biopic. Goodman does a great job in the role though. It's nice to get a window into the life of this legend, but don't expect anything groundbreaking. See more Michael W @mawilps 02/16/2020 This movie about Babe Ruth was great. John Goodman did an excellent job, in fact, he kind of looks like The Babe. The story of his life was very dramatic and amazing. Whether you're a baseball fan or not, people of all ages will enjoy this movie. Check it out if you haven't seen it yet. See more Read all reviews
The Babe

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Cast & Crew

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Arthur Hiller

Director

John Goodman

George Herman "Babe" Ruth

Kelly McGillis

Claire Hodgson Ruth

Trini Alvarado

Helen Woodford Ruth

Bruce Boxleitner

Jumpin' Joe Dugan

Peter Donat

Harry Frazee

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The Babe

John Goodman as Babe Ruth in "The Babe." The Babe (1992) The Babe (1992) The Babe (1992) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis George Herman "Babe" Ruth (John Goodman) grows from a troubled boy who was sent to an orphanage to one of the most successful baseball players on record. Babe first becomes a power hitter and pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. After a falling-out with Red Sox owner Harry Frazee (Peter Donat), Babe is sold to the New York Yankees. He is idolized in New York, setting a record for home runs, as well as creating dramatic moments like hitting two homers for a sick boy in the hospital.
Director
Arthur Hiller
Producer
John Fusco
Screenwriter
John Fusco
Production Co
Universal Pictures
Rating
PG
Genre
Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
May 7, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$17.0M
Runtime
1h 55m
Sound Mix
Surround