This is a cute, funny movie, however, it is very dated and the jokes today would NEVER fly in our sterilized post Clinton era, i.e. politically correct movie. This is Walter Matthau at his finest but he is an anti-hero who even though he does change somewhat in the end, it is still hard to root for him. This is a good movie, and I watched as a kid, but it is no longer a kids movie, 1970's yes, 2000's, no.

A competitive California Little League is sued by a rich city councilman who wants the league to expand to 17 teams. The councilman, Whitewood, played by Ben Piazza (Guilty by Suspicion), hires a retired alcoholic minor league pitcher named Morris Buttermaker, played by Walter Matthau (Grumpy Old Men), to hire this team that had the kids that weren't good enough to make the other teams. They are so horrible that Buttermaker is forced to go and recruit the daughter of an ex-girlfriend of his who he taught how to pitch, named Amanda Whurlitzer, played by Tatum O'Neal (Paper Moon.) She eventually agrees but forces Buttermaker to buy her all sorts of girly things. Behind Amanda, and a bad boy named Kelly Leak, the boys fight their way to the championship game.

Now, the reasons why this movie isn't politically correct are many. For starters, Buttermaker is never seen without a drink in his hands, even when he is coaching the games. A little kid named Tanner, played by Chris Barnes, is an 8 year old version of Archie Bunker. By my count he uses, the "N" word, "S" word, "J" word at least twice. Oh by the way he is constantly getting his but kicked but not for those reasons. There is a fat kid named Engleberg, who is the epitome of a stereotype. He is the catcher for the team who eats candy while he practices. Oh and in the end when the Bears lose, Buttermaker gives the kids each a beer to celebrate, yes 10-12 year old kids with beer.

Then there is the coach of the Yankees who also runs the league, Coach Roy Turner, played by Vic Morrow (Twilight Zone the Movie.) He slaps his kid to the point of knocking him down during the championship game and is the example of what happens when parents forget that it's a game and not completely about winning. Side note, Vic Morrow was killed in the infamous Helicopter crash in his last movie, The Twilight Zone.

There is also a scene where Buttermaker slaps Amanda in the face because she is trying to get close to him but he is pushing her away for her own good. Like I said, not your PC movie.

You got to love the job Matthau did in this movie. He was able to keep the comedy going and he acted like the perfect drunk. I also like his relationship with O'Neal. The chemistry worked and that transferred over to the scenes that were difficult, especially the face slapping scene. He did a great job in showing that he loved her so much that he did not want her to be around a loser like him, and slapping her was the only way, in his eyes, an 11 year old would understand.

Despite these things this is a good movie. The father daughter relationship between Buttermaker and Amanda is quite good, and the ending does leave you with a warm feeling in the end with their relationship. Watching the kids come together is also entertaining. Writer Bill Lancaster does a good job of developing some of the characters quite well. Besides the obvious two (Buttermaker and Amanda) he does show that Tanner is just a scared child who makes fun of everyone else because of his own deficiencies.

The movie was directed by Michael Ritchie who also directed on of my favorite 80's movies, Fletch. His directing was ok, filming your basic baseball movie, and since it's the 70's no real special effects.

On a personal note, I was 5 when this movie came out, but I did not see it until I was at least 7 or 8. After watching this movie, I fell in love with Tatum O'Neil. Which since she was 13 and I was 8 its ok, ya sick bastards. She won an Academy Award® for the movie, Paper Moon, as Best supporting Actress, becoming the youngest actress to ever win the award at that time, she was 10. After "The Bad News Bears," she went on to do a few more movies, one of which being "Little Darlings," who had my second love, Kristy McNichol in it. After that she pretty much stopped working and married the tennis star John McEnroe in 1986, forever breaking my heart.

Anyway, I like this movie, but it is not for everyone. Especially the liberal hippies out there who think sports are about fun and not winning and losing. But this movie will always have a special place in my heart for Tatum, sigh.

Brian - the Naked Gun