Le lion de papier

If you are a fan of Pro football, this is a must. Before Alan Alda shot to fame in the TV series MASH, he was in Paper Lion. Many Football movies have been made, some good, some bad. Longest Yard and Brain's Song rank as two of the best, with Paper Lion a close third. One of the best scenes doesn't take place on the Football field. When Plimpton (Alda) explains his idea to Vince Lombardi, Lombardi laughs and replied " Have you thought about the AFL?" Giving him a dirty look, Alda leaves. This shows the bad blood that existed between the NFL and AFL at the time. One year after this movie was filmed, the merger of the AFL and NFL was announced.

My Dad directed this movie. I was 7 at the time. I remember all the location shoots in Central Park and Lauren Hutton chasing me around a garbage can. My dad and my dog are in the movie. My dad is the guy in the leather Jacket in the bar scene who tries to pick a fight with Alan Alda and my dog was the German Shepherd in the comedy scene with Alex Carras. A lot of memories in this movie. My Dad was an old school director and WWII vet. A tough Brooklyn New Yorker and hardcore football fan. I was a Detroit Lions fan after the movie. I remember the team gave me a Lions T-shirt that I wore for ten years! My dad only made 2-3 movies and then worked the rest of his career as a free lance TV director. Making this movie was a big deal to him and our family. The other movies he made, The Big Bounce and another with Zero mostel, were not as successful. I am glad so many folks enjoyed it.

I had to watch this film because I am an inveterate fan of the Detroit Lions football team. It is a really charming and funny true story, starring Alan Alda as New York sportswriter George Plimpton, who on a special assignment from his magazine, tries out in an NFL training camp to be a quarterback. He applies at all the major teams, the Bears, the Packers, which includes an appearance by the legendary Vince Lombardi, who rejects George. Finally the Lions invite George to training camp. On his arrival he is greeted by Hall of Fame Lions coach Joe Schmidt, and other great Lions players like Alex Karras, Lem Barney, Roger Brown, Mike Lucci, John Gordy and Pat Studstill. There is a very funny scene where George has to stand up in the canteen and sing his college song, which is Harvard. Also appearing is the delightful Lauren Hutton and Roy Scheider. It is a really enjoyable film, and not just for football fans.

Enjoyable feel-good film for everybody-- whether you're a quarterback or an armchair quarterback. Based on the true account of George Plimpton at Detroit Lions training camp. Looks at the dream of a weekend athlete and the camaraderie of team sport. The nostalgia of the sixties comes through well. Alan Alda does a fine job as do all the pros, giving the necessary realism. Plimpton does a good job standing in for fans and giving all of us a taste of the big time. At first he tries for a meaningful experience;later he strives to earn respect as he realizes the challenges these men face in professional sports. All backyard athletes dream of the sensation of competing at the highest level. Plimpton and Alda show how it feels behind the scenes in this engaging and entertaining film.

This is a competent film version of reporter George Plimpton's ill-fated attempt to be a NFL quarterback. Although Alan Alda does a good job as Plimpton, the real joy of this film is in the way it unintentionally documents the sense of community shared among the teammates (many of those used in this film were actual football players, including Alex Karras of "Webster" fame) before money, egos, and greed corrupted the sport.