Fear Strikes Out

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Fear Strikes Out

1957

1h 40m

Biography

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Ever since Jimmy Piersall (Anthony Perkins) was a boy, his baseball-obsessed father (Karl Malden) had pushed the sport on him. Trying to live vicariously through his son, the elder Piersall makes Jimmy eat, sleep and breathe baseball with destructive determination. But once Jimmy achieves his father's goal and makes it to the major leagues, he begins to unravel. After Jimmy suffers a breakdown, it is unclear whether he will ever be able to play the sport again.

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Critics Consensus

Based on the true story of troubled baseball star Jimmy Piersall, Fear Strikes Out is an emotionally compelling drama featuring excellent performances from Anthony Perkins and Karl Malden.

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Richard Brody

The New Yorker

04/05/2019

[Mulligan] reflects an intense sensitivity, a romanticism of vulnerability and innocence that flashes a political edge.

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Ty Burr

Entertainment Weekly

03/04/2011

A-

Fear holds up well, and the climactic showdown between father and son offers a tremendously appealing resolution.

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TIME Magazine

03/04/2011

Fear Strikes Out rolls Frank Merriwell and Sigmund Freud into a ball and then lines it out for a solid hit.

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Clyde Gilmour

Maclean's Magazine

10/29/2019

Anthony Perkins, Hollywood's most ballyhooed new star since James Dean, justifies most of his press agents' blurbs by the power and sincerity of his performance here...

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Tony Sloman

Radio Times

05/06/2014

4/5

Director Robert Mulligan's feature film debut is a harrowing and intense biopic of Boston Red Sox baseball star Jim Piersall, superbly portrayed by Anthony Perkins.

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Michael E. Grost

Classic Film and Television

08/16/2012

Harrowing look at pressures on a young ballplayer.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Nov 21

Based on a true baseball story in 01 hour, 40 minutes, and 30 seconds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Available in black and white and colorized versions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All ages admitted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Steve D

@RT35616104 07/08/2023

Solid acting horrible script.

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Thomas M

@TMProofreader 02/01/2019

The best sports movie ever made!

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04/12/2018

Great acting from Anthony Perkins and Karl Malden, but otherwise it wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be. Just an OK biopic drama that is worth seeing once. (First and only viewing - 4/10/2018)

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ashley h

@ashleyhobgood87 11/12/2017

Fear Strikes Out is a decent film. It is about the life of Jimmy Piersall, who battled mental illness to achieve stardom in major league baseball. Anthony Perkins and Karl Malden give good performances. The screenplay is a little slow in places. Robert Mulligan did an alright job directing this movie. I liked this motion picture because of the drama.

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06/14/2017

Great GREAT acting and stuck pretty well to the original story.

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Robert Mulligan

Director

Anthony Perkins

Jim Piersall

Karl Malden

John Piersall

Norma Moore

Mary Piersall

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Synopsis

Ever since Jimmy Piersall (Anthony Perkins) was a boy, his baseball-obsessed father (Karl Malden) had pushed the sport on him. Trying to live vicariously through his son, the elder Piersall makes Jimmy eat, sleep and breathe baseball with destructive determination. But once Jimmy achieves his father's goal and makes it to the major leagues, he begins to unravel. After Jimmy suffers a breakdown, it is unclear whether he will ever be able to play the sport again.

Director: Robert Mulligan
Producer: Alan J. Pakula
Screenwriter: Ted Berkman, Raphael Blau
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount
Genre: Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 20, 1957, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Runtime: 1h 40m

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