Slide, Kelly, Slide

William Haines stars as Jim Kelly, the Yankees' ace pitcher (who is also able to knock 'em out of the park—talk about versatile!) in this enjoyable baseball comedy from MGM. The picture was a tremendous hit for Haines, who made a career out of playing cocky, wise-cracking young athletic types whose large egos threaten to stand in the way of success until an attitude adjustment integrates them back into the fold. Other Haines pictures in this mold include BROWN OF HARVARD, TELL IT TO THE MARINES, and WEST POINT. In SLIDE, KELLY, SLIDE Haines does some of his finest work, mugging excessively when in prankster mode, but also surprisingly subtle in the quieter, more reflective moments. He gives Kelly the kind of real human qualities that make us like him, laugh at him, get annoyed at him, and of course, ultimately root for him.

Haines is also surrounded by a top-notch supporting cast, all of whom make important contributions to the picture: Karl Dane as the lovable oaf, Sally O'Neil as the tomboyish object of Kelly's affections, Harry Carey as the girl's father and the Yankees' aging catcher, and Frank Coghlan, Jr. (billed as Junior Coghlan in those days) as the adorable orphan moppet who makes Kelly aspire to be a better man. These elements have all become cliché today, but watch this film with the eyes of 1927 movie-goers who thrilled to Kelly's happy-go-lucky antics even as they cheered him on in the inevitable ninth-inning climax, and you'll be swept along in its charm, too.

This baseball picture uses the "Haines formula" that worked so well in BROWN OF HARVARD the year before: arrogant smart aleck (Haines) loses the girl and his teammates, but wises up in time to save the day.

Here he's a hick from Pottstown, Iowa who thinks he's going to teach the New York Yankees a thing or two. He's an ace pitcher and home run hitter, but he's also a swell-headed jerk, the kind of rube who hands out exploding cigars and thinks they are the height of hilarity. He tangles with the manager (Warner Richmond) and insults the aging catcher (Harry Carey) whose daughter (Sally O'Neil) he falls for.

An odd addition to this Haines film is a kid. I can't think of another Haines film that has a kid in it. Here it's Junior Coghlan as a Jackie Coogan-like orphan. The kid is the catalyst to Haines' big change of heart (his right of passage) in the final scene, a scene in which the title takes on great meaning. The addition of the kid makes this a tad stickier than most Haines films. But this might be the first baseball film in which "the kid" serves as the inspiration for the ball player to "hit a homer" or in this case "strike him out." Haines is, as always, a delight to watch as he hams it up as the Iowa hayseed. As usual what saves the film is Haines' great ability to turn into a serious actor and make you care about him. O'Neil is a cutie. Carey is always good. Karl Dane plays the big Swedish player, Dorothy Sebastian plays a flirt, Guinn Williams is a teammate, and Johnny Mack Brown (in his film debut) has a small role. Many real-life baseball players also appear.

While SLIDE, KELLY, SLIDE does not rank among Haines' best films, this was the first film for which he got top billing. This was a big hit for William Haines, helping make him one of MGM's biggest box-office stars.