Aunt Mary

I first saw this in 1979 at 13. I had always been fond of the work Jean Stapleton did. She did a fantastic job as Aunt Mary. I saw this as a 55 year old middle age man. I have more appreciation now for this movie. I recently lost a limb and her role was very inspiring.

What a wonderful, heart-warming movie. Great cast, great story. I love how Aunt Mary fought for the little people of all creeds and colors. Kids who think they don't count. Jean Stapleton give us her usual grand performance with many well-known supporting actors, like Dolph Sweet and Martin Balsam. One of the best TV films I have ever seen and I can not understand why Hallmark did not put it out on VHS/DVD.

I taped the movie twice but messed it up on my VCR. I have some of the unedited version and most of the edited version. It was never put on VHS/DVD. I rarely see it on TV anymore. Does anyone have a copy I could buy from them?? THANKS!

In this Hallmark Hall of Fame movie from the late 1970s, audiences are treated to the remarkable true story of a disabled woman who helped poor kids in her neighborhood stay out of trouble and enjoy a healthy activity. Jean Stapleton stars as the titular character, and Martin Balsam costars as her neighbor and friend. It all starts with Martin's grandson loving baseball. Jean plays catch with him and impresses him with her knowledge of the sport, and when she learns he and some other neighborhood kids would love to form a team but lack organization and a leader, she finds her true calling as a coach and mentor. She's warned by many to stay away from the troubled preteens, as they would double-cross her the minute she turned her back on them. "I have no intention of turning my back on them," she replies to a local cop. "Too many people have done that already."

Unexpectedly sweet and totally heartwarming, this tv movie is not to be missed if you like Disney movies about children or sports. Jean is very likable, and it's inspiring to see her give all of herself to the young boys when she herself is in pain and has felt like she lived a wasted life. I also love her rapport with Martin; they have the bickering affection of old married couples even though they just live down the hall from one another. Everything out of his mouth is funny, which helps to lighten the mood that we know she's had such a hard life. Find a copy of this touching Hallmark if you feel you're drifting; it'll put a new spring in your step.

I grew up in Ball - timore at the time the Orioles came to town, so this movie has an extra appeal to me, since it nicely captures the feel of the city during that time, and I am a lifelong Orioles fan. Jean Stapleton nails the Baltimore accent like no one I've ever heard, and does a fine job in the lead role. The other male actors are good, the kids - not so much. It's a predictable movie, but Stapleton makes it worthy of our attention. A superior movie along the same lines is "The Perfect Game."

This is a very unusual film. It's the dramatization about a real-life woman who created and coached a baseball team in Baltimore in the late 1950s for underprivileged kids. Most kids wanting to play ball could afford nice uniforms and fancy equipment, but this team somehow manages to gain respect due to the strong efforts of this remarkable woman. However, when everything seemed to be working out so well, the sweet lady is diagnosed with cancer (or some other ailment) and must have her leg amputated. Her energy and drive quickly fizzle even though she does survive and overcomes the disease. However, she's depressed and wants to stay shut up in her apartment and forget about the team. See the film. It's predictable, sure,...but it's so well-acted and written that it's really engaging and worth a look.