Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious:
The Making of 'Mary Poppins
The Babe Ruth Story (1948)
When Babe Ruth presented the manuscript of his biography to Yale University, he admitted to leaving a few things out. “Maybe there should have been two books” he said. “One for kids and one for adults.” Premiering the following month, the biopic based on this book dumbed his story down even further. Reducing the Babe to a simpleton whose mere presence could produce miracles, The Babe Ruth Story appears on many lists of the 'Worst Movies Ever Made'. We don’t think it’s quite that bad, despite the rumour that Babe’s viewing of the film hastened his death three weeks later.
Narrated by Knox Manning as if the movie was a parody, the biopic traces Babe’s story from his days at the St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys. With the help of mentor Brother Matthias an eighteen-year-old Babe (portrayed by woefully miscast William Bendix) signs on to become a professional baseball player. Though the narrator informs us that he played a lot of ball during the day and played around a lot at night, Babe always has time for his young fans, be it playing Santa Claus at a children's hospital, treating them to a meal at a nightclub or curing them from whatever ailment afflicts them.
It is this last aspect of The Babe Ruth Story that is responsible for much of the derision directed its way, and deservedly so. It’s not because the stories themselves are too syrupy (The Babe even added extra dollops of treacle to the “Little Johnny” myth), it’s that their execution on screen is so pathetically realized. No more so than when a simple “Hiya Kid” from the Babe results in a crippled child being able to walk again. “They said he’ll always be an invalid” his father tearfully exclaims. “Spend his life on his back. Now look at him. Just look! Oh, God bless that man. God bless him.”
While there are many other cringe-worthy moments that contribute to the film’s reputation there are some redeeming features, mostly involving his courtship of Claire. It's also worth noting that the film was made at a time when the Babe was nearing death. While this doesn’t excuse the film’s more ridiculous attempts to sanctify him, it does add some potency to a choir of boys outside his hospital window singing ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game'. Even at its most sentimental, The Babe Ruth Story sometimes manages to get it right.
as 'Babe' Ruth
as himself
as himself
as himself
No mention is made of Babe’s first wife, Helen Woodford Ruth.
Yankees manager Miller Huggins did not pass away when the Yankees won the 1927 World Series. He died nearly two years later, on September 25, 1929.
Brother Mathias passed away in 1944 and therefore could not have visited Babe in hospital while he was being treated for cancer.
The wrestling matches Babe refereed did not involve female wrestlers.
Biopic depicts Babe visiting Johnny Sylvester during 1932 World Series and promising to hit a home run into the centerfield bleachers. This conflates two legendary Babe Ruth stories. In reality, Babe signed a baseball for Johnny promising to hit a home run during the 1926 World Series. The “called shot” did not take place (if it ever did) till the 1932 World Series.
Biopic makes no mention of Babe Ruth’s film career, in which he either cameoed as himself, or played the lead role of some baseballer named Babe.