The Pistol: The Birth of a Legend

If you can find it, this movie is worth watching. It features superb acting and relatively good sports footage. But the most attractive thing about this movie is its family orientation. There is virtually nothing objectional in the movie, yet it doesn't suffer from a Disney-ish G-rated feeling. It seems like real life in a loving family environment. Of special note is the delicately handled relationship between Pete and his father.

Overall, this is a magnificent sports movie and a great any-movie. Worth renting or buying if the opportunity presents itself.

Great film, and Adam Guier really acted well, showing the great determination of Pete, along with the talent of the writers and directors, who really made you feel like you were part of Pete's story. It is not a well known film, but this does not mean it is bad, or obscure or anything like that. It really inspires me and it can be easily watched over and over again. I will never get tired of this film.

It is a fantastic piece of cinema that I think deserves more recognition than it gets. I would recommend it to anyone, even non-basketball fans. If you ever get a chance to see, rent or buy this film, don't pass it up, I promise you, you will not regret it.

Pete Maravich was an amazing player--a guy whose college basketball average was a shade over 44 points per game! In the pros, he was also an amazing player and I was fortunate enough to be able to see him play when I was a kid. Unfortunately, Maravich died during a pick-up game when he was only 40--dead due to an undiagnosed heart ailment. This movie about his experience playing first year varsity basketball is a homage to his talents, though I think the man probably deserved a bit better than this.

The boy playing Maravich, Adam Guier, was terrific. His ability to handle the ball made him a joy to watch. So why am I a bit cold about this movie? Well, the script and especially the style of the film are a bit wanting. The film too often relies on hip music, montages and clichés. Additionally, while I am sure Maravich was incredible at this age, the film never shows him once missing a shot...not even once out of several dozen shots!! This all work together to create a film that might entertain kids but which also just cannot be taken very seriously. Not a bad film...just not a very impressive one either.

By the way, the choice of the narrator was interesting. Tom Lester (Eb Dawson from "Green Acres") was chosen and it did make me laugh to hear him speaking as the grown up Maravich.

My review was written in September 1991 after watching the movie on SVS video cassette.

Quality throwback to family filmmaking, "The Pistol" is an entertaining and informative biopic of the late basketball star Pete Maravich. Pic has been playing regionally since January and will appeal to general tv and video audiences.

Theatrical release was underwritten by a fast-food chain (Chick-Fil-A), a laudable effort to counter trends and back G-rated material.

Film wisely focuses on a single year in Maravich's life, 1959, when the 13-year-old basketball phenom got a break and made varsity at his Louisiana high school. Encouraged by his visionary college coach dad, little Pete's misadventures as odd man out among older teammates are well-directed by Frank Schroeder.

What gives the indie film oomph is casting of young Adam Guier as the hero. His precocious skill with a basketball is amply displayed in training and game footage, and the tyro actor gives a sympathetic performance. Film climaxes with his team finally pulling together and beating an all-black high school team in a non-sanctioned contest (during this segregated era).

Millie Perkins and Nick Benedict are solid as Pete's parents while Boots garland (who also supervised the basketball scenes) avoids cliches in portraying the old-fashioned coach. He initially scoffs at Maravich's moves, saying "That's all right for the Globetrotters", but ultimately acquiesces while stressing fundamentals.

Pic is obviously a labor of love dedicated to the memory of Maravich, who died in 1988 with the record as all-time college scoring champ. Younger viewers will learn a lot about the early crossover of playing styles now taken for granted in both pro and amateur ranks.

I enjoyed this video. The movie-making quality is not the highest, and the acting is undoubtedly less than stellar. However, I found that this movie had a lot of heart. It is a much better family movie than many others out there, with no profanity and little violence. I'd recommend this movie to anyone who has an interest in Pete Maravich and his life.

This movie was made to describe the basketball history of Pete Maravich, and shows a special relationship between Pete and his father, which I thought was refreshing. It's a joy to see a parent who did his best to establish common ground with his child so that they could relate to each other. So if you're interested in basketball, go ahead and check this movie out. You may find yourself charmed by the innocence in the story of the young Pete Maravich.