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James Stewart and June Allyson look twice as old as the roles they are playing! Still, "The Stratton Story" is enjoyable. In the early scenes, Mr. Stewart's frame, and natural acting style, make him somewhat believable as a boy interested in baseball. Ms. Allyson doesn't try to play too "girlish"; instead, she wisely acts her part as a woman complimenting (by being in love with) Stewart's character.

Allyson, and her character, save the film… the moment she appears, the focus is on the pair's relationship, and not on baseball. The Stewart/Allyson relationship is really what makes the film work, I thought -- the Stewart character could have been a golfer, doctor, whatever… The scenes beginning with Stewart and Allyson in separate beds, backs turned, and unable to sleep, have an understated dignity.

Stewart and Allyson's nice performances are enhanced by: Frank Morgan, aka "The Wizard of Oz"; and Agnes Moorehead, Endora from "Bewitched". The later baseball scenes are more realistic, and fun to watch. It's strange to see the older baseball style; today, many of the players would be pumped up with steroids. I wish the sport would return to being more based on fun and skills.

Love is not something a surgeon can cut.

******* The Stratton Story (1949) Sam Wood ~ James Stewart, June Allyson, Frank Morgan

Made in 1949 - at about the time that WWII veteran amputees were emerging from their VA hospital prosthetics rehab program and thus beginning to appear among the general population - 'The Stratton Story' topic of a man working hard to overcome the wound he suffered was timely, and it helps to explain the film's resonance with the audiences of its day.

Well crafted in all respects 'The Stratton Story,' though certainly a rather fictionalized Hollywood treatment, gives a straightforward, honest look at a man, a farmer, a baseball player, a husband, a father facing his amputation squarely and making the best of himself despite his handicap - and the real Monty Stratton accomplished this feat in the days before every mosquito bite or knee-scrape prompted the callout of armies of professional counsellors. The pairing of June Allyson with James Stewart proved to yield attractive screen power as the two thespians work together very well here in their first effort as a movie couple. The supporting cast give solid performances, though I give special mention to Agnes Moorehead for her restrained, dignified portrayal of Stratton's mother which in the hands of a lesser actress could have been turned into a cliché of the farm-earth-mother.

There's fraught drama here as well as lighthearted and inspiring moments, and none are overindulged or wrung out beyond their intrinsic value. 'The Stratton Story' is a nicely balanced example of forthright cinematic storytelling of a self-reliant man supported unflinchingly by his clear-eyed, plain-spoken family and his baseball fraternity. Over time the film stands up well and it needs no third millennium explication or embellishment; it's fine fare for adults and children alike.

Highly entertaining biopic about baseball pitcher Monty Stratton (Jimmy Stewart). Stratton is on his way to becoming one of the major leagues' best pitchers when he loses a leg in a hunting accident. It looks like his career is over. But with the support of his loving wife (June Allyson), Monty begins to pitch again. First of three movies that paired Stewart and Allyson. They're both terrific. Good support from Frank Morgan and Agnes Moorehead. Also some nice work from real-life baseball players like Bill Dickey and Jimmy Dykes. The baseball parts are fun to watch and contrast the old with the new. The sport is a shadow of its former self today. Anyway, this is one of those fine uplifting biopics Old Hollywood did so well. They don't make 'em like this anymore.

I saw this movie many years ago with my father on television. He told me about his experience with Monty Stratton.

My father wanted to be a big league pitcher. He tried his luck with the White Sox in the late l930's. He only got as far as spring training before being sent down to the minors leagues. He liked to say that in the minors he made as much money as a soda jerk, but girls at parties were a lot more impressed with someone who played baseball than with some who made root beer floats.

As a rookie in spring training, My dad was too shy to walk with the veteran ball players to the field. He always walked a distance behind them.

One day, Monty Stratton turned back to him and said that if he wanted to be a big league ball player he had to walk with them.

My dad got to know Mr. Stratton very well that Spring. Years later, after WWII and marriage, my dad met Monty again at a ballgame. They talked and Mr. Stratton told him that Hollywood was going to make a movie about him.

My dad said they couldn't have picked a better man to make a film about.

This was a nice baseball story, nothing exceptional but Jimmy Stewart's presence in the title roll elevates the movie.

Jimmy looks a bit old to be playing a rookie pitcher, and he doesn't throw like a professional, but at least he isn't pathetic in that regard like some of the other classic-era actors who attempted to do so (you know who they are). They faked enough of the pitching scenes here to get away with Stewart's baseball shortcomings.

Anyway, it's just as much a human-interest story as it is a baseball movie, the story of "Monty Stratton" (Stewart) and his girlfriend-then-bride "Ethel," played warmly by June Allyson. She and Frank Morgan, who plays the scout to discovers Monty, are excellent as the two other main actors of the film. In a supporting role, Agnes Moorehead gives her normal competent performance as Monty's mom.

On my second viewing I was surprised to discover that the key part of the film - the part which identifies this story as different from others - doesn't occur until the last third of the film. Then, after that, we see how a difficult and traumatic physical loss affects everyone and whether Monty can return to his baseball passion.

Overall, it's an entertaining film if you are a fan of Stewart's work, or a big baseball fan and most people fall into at least one of those categories. If remade today, I would suspect the script would be a little tighter, but stories were told slower 50 years ago and one has to expect that. I'm not complaining. I've enjoyed the movie both times I've watched it, and the DVD transfer is very good.