It Happened in Flatbush

There is nothing groundbreaking about this story of washed-up ballplayer Lloyd Nolan taking charge of the Brooklyn Dodgers only to fall in love with the beautiful heiress who co-owns the team, Carole Landis. The inevitability of a happy ending is never in doubt, but this is a pleasant way to spend 90 minutes of free time nonetheless. Use of game footage from actual Dodger games in 1941 adds immediacy and authenticity, and makes the film worth a look for the sake of posterity.

This film is about a new manager for the Brooklyn Dodgers and how he was able to somehow energize the team enough to make them contenders--though the film didn't seem to indicate exactly why this was the case other than they bought a few hot prospects. In fact, up until the end of the film, it was very odd for a baseball film because it showed so little on-field action. Because of this, some of the actors playing the ball players didn't have to have any skills for the game and several looked nothing like athletes. Or perhaps this COULD just be a comment about the Dodgers of 1942--as most of their stars were fighting in the war! However, this is a rather mild complaint--more of an observation, as I was hoping for more on-field action.

Despite this, it was a moderately enjoyable B-movie starring Lloyd Nolan and Carole Landis (in a less recognizable dark hairdo). The story was entertaining and the acting competent. However, because there have been so many baseball films over the years and because this one isn't particularly outstanding in any way, then it's quite easy to skip and falls into the "time-passer" category. Now this isn't saying it's a bad film or that you should skip it, but there are simply better baseball movies out there as well as many that are of about equal entertainment value.

Following their first National League Pennant win since 1920, The Brooklyn Dodgers team players, though losing the 1941 World Series, went to Hollywood to appear as themselves in this film's field and locker room scenes. Though uncredited on screen, they included Mickey Owen, Dolf Camilli, Billy Herman, Pewee Reese, Arky Vaughan, Dixie Walker, Cookie Lavagetto, Peter Reiser, and pitchers Hugh Casey, Whitlow Wyatt, and Freddie Fitzimmons. However, Lloyd Nolan played the team manager instead of Leo Durocher and Red Barber's substitute was KMPC radio Broadcaster Hal Berger whose 1941 in-studio game recreations fostered the birth of L.A.'s Dodger fan clubs.

Nolan is perfectly cast as the struggling ball club manager. What a fine effortless actor he was, always making dialog sound both natural and spontaneous. The movie had more substance than I expected. It's not a straight Cinderella story of a manager taking a last place team (Brooklyn) to the top. Instead, Maguire (Nolan) has plenty of downs to go with the occasional up, and in the romantic department, as well. And what a dish Carole Landis (Kathryn) is, all outfitted here in upper-class finery, and before she became the more familiar blonde.

The most notable thing about this sports story is how the fans of Brooklyn are portrayed. Note that the movie was made at the beginning of WWII. The preceding decade of the 1930's was the decade of the "common man" when everyday ordinariness was honored by Hollywood's dream factory.

Here, that ordinariness is on display with an emphasis on fighting spirit from both the rowdy fans and the Brooklyn team. On a larger scale, it would take that sort of popular effort and team spirit to win the big war, which amounts to a topical sub-text even in this modest programmer.

Note too how the upper class is portrayed as slightly effete, especially lounge lizard Walter (Allen), Maguire's rival for Kathryn's affections. In the screenplay, Brooklyn stands for the borough of the common man and his combative spirit, while Manhattan receives a rather dismissive upper-class reference. It's Hollywood gearing up for the big war, and, on the whole, a better movie than I expected, but nothing special.

(In passing—I can't help noticing that the Brooklyn team is never referred to as the Dodgers, just as the generic "Brooklyn". Similarly, for St. Louis minus the Cardinals. I expect these generic references allowed the producers to avoid legal problems.)

Enjoyable movie. Years back they would have called this a B film. Today, it would rate A+.

Lloyd Nolan provides just the right touch as the baseball manager. His speech intonation reflects a wonderful Brooklyn accent. We bums in Brooklyn would appreciate every minute of it.

Brought back to manage a baseball team by the owner, (Sara Allgood in an all too brief performance) the film depicts the trials and tribulations of managing a last place team to pennant contention.

Romance is in the air as Nolan tries to woo the snooty niece of the recently deceased owner. Carol Landis does well as the niece.

We see Brooklyn at its best here as the faithful root for the Bums of yesteryear.

Wonderful nostalgia.