Screen Directors Playhouse: Rookie of the Year (1955)

Load of rubbish!!

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

This is an interesting installment of "Screen Directors Playhouse" because it is directed by John Ford and stars John Wayne. Ward Bond (another Ford regular), Vera Miles, James Gleason and Patrick Wayne (John's son) co-star in this one.When the show begins, Mike Cronin (Wayne) is a sports writer at a newspaper. He doesn't like this particular paper and is looking to make a name for himself so he can find a better newspaper job. His big chance occurs when he notices a similarity between a hot new rookie and a guy who was banned from baseball. Could the two be related? What's next? Give this excellent episode a look and see for yourself.Overall, this is a well-written and worth addition to the show. Plus, it's John Wayne's TV debut...with John Freakin' Ford directing! So of course it's worth your time!

Screen Directors Playhouse: Rookie of the Year (1955)*** (out of 4)Good drama about a down on his luck sports writer (John Wayne) who comes across the story that could get him back on top. It turns out the current Rookie of the Year (Patrick Wayne) is actually the son of a former MLB player (Ward Bond) who was kicked out of the league after throwing a World Series game. It goes without saying but this made-for-TV movie was the first time Wayne and Ford had worked on such a format but both men actually turn in a very good job and deliver a pretty good story. The story is actually a pretty good one as it contains some nice drama about what the story coming out would actually do to an innocent kid who isn't aware of the scandal and it also says a lot about what would really come about if something from the past does get a spotlight shined on it again after most people had forgotten it. The screenplay makes for some nice drama and Ford's direction is also very good and I think many could make the argument that his work here is much better than many of the theatrical films he was doing around this time. Wayne turns in a pretty strong performance as he certainly fits the part of this reporter who is on his last legs but finds this story. I thought he handled the material quite well and made for a memorable character. Bond is only in one scene but he too is powerful and Patrick Wayne does a nice job in his brief bit. Vera Miles plays the kid's girlfriend and she nearly steals the film with a memorable speech about what this story would mean if it came out. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR isn't a perfect film but if you're a fan of the cast or director then it's a must see.

John Ford was already beginning his decline (see, for example, his "The Horse Soldiers") but he still had an eye for a good story.And he knew how to assemble a top-notch cast.According to show biz legend, John Wayne was asked to be Marshal Matt Dillon but he declined and recommended James Arness. The Duke made a few appearances on shows such as the abysmal Joey Bishop and even "Laugh In," as well as the famous bit on "I Love Lucy." But this was his first and, I think, only dramatic role.His frequent co-star, and eventual TV mega-star, Ward Bond, and another frequent co-star, the beautiful and very talented Vera Miles, and his frequent co-star and son, Patrick, all appeared in "Rookie," as well as that wonderful veteran, James Gleason.Them were the good ol' days, the true Golden Age of Television, and if this entry in "Screen Directors Playhouse," or, really, any of the entries, comes around again, most likely on Turner Classic Movies, be sure to watch. This is classic.

I was excited when I saw this was going to be shown on TCM yesterday. I'm a huge John Wayne fan, and this was one of the very few things Wayne had done that I hadn't seen. It hadn't been seen on TV in over 50 years, and I was ready to be blown away. A 30 minute teleplay directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne, Ward Bond, and Vera Miles.I guess I over-anticipated. With so much talent crammed into 30 minutes on the small screen, I think it just overwhelmed and smoked the script. Don't get me wrong, it was a decent watch, but Ford and Wayne avoided TV for good reason- they were just too big for the average 12 to 15 inch B&W screens of 1955 (anyone remember horizontal hold?).The story was an overly sentimental tale of baseball, betrayal, and redemption. It also had a couple of rather cornball gimmicks thrown in, one of which was obviously placed there to make sure you stayed tuned in through the commercials.A must see for fans of the John's. Those who aren't fans won't need to keep an eye out for this episode of Screen Directors Playhouse next time it appears on TCM (and it WILL show up again). This was definitely not the best work of any of those involved.