''Fever Pitch'' is a 1985 American

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super- ...

written and directed by

Richard Brooks Richard Brooks (May 18, 1912 – March 11, 1992) was an American screenwriter, film director, novelist and film producer. Nominated for eight Oscars in his career, he was best known for ''Blackboard Jungle'' (1955), ''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' ...

and starring

Ryan O'Neal Ryan O'Neal (born April 20, 1941) is an American actor and former boxer. He trained as an amateur boxer before beginning his career in acting in 1960. In 1964, he landed the role of Rodney Harrington on the ABC nighttime soap opera '' Peyton Place ...

Giancarlo Giannini Giancarlo Giannini (born 1 August 1942) is an Italian actor and voice actor. He won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor for his performance in '' Love and Anarchy'' (1973) and received an Academy Award nomination for '' Seven Beauties ...

Chad Everett Raymon Lee Cramton (June 11, 1937 – July 24, 2012), known professionally as Chad Everett, was an American actor who appeared in more than 40 films and television series. He played Dr. Joe Gannon in the television drama '' Medical Center'', wh ...

John Saxon John Saxon (born Carmine Orrico; August 5, 1936 – July 25, 2020) was an American actor who worked on more than 200 film and television projects during a span of 60 years. He was known for his work in Westerns and horror films, often playing ...

, and

Catherine Hicks Catherine Mary Hicks (born August 6, 1951) is an American actress. She played the character Annie Camden on the long-running television series '' 7th Heaven''. Other roles included Dr. Faith Coleridge on the soap opera ''Ryan's Hope'' (1976–1 ...

. The film marked Brooks's final film before his death in 1992. The original score was composed by

Thomas Dolby Thomas Morgan Robertson (born 14 October 1958), known by the stage name Thomas Dolby, is an English musician, producer, composer, entrepreneur and teacher. Dolby came to prominence in the 1980s, releasing hit singles including " She Blinded M ...

. ''Fever Pitch'' failed at the box office, grossing just over $600,000 on a budget of $7 million. It was nominated for four

Razzie Awards The Golden Raspberry Awards (also known as the Razzies and Razzie Awards) is a parody award show honoring the worst of cinematic under-achievements. Co-founded by UCLA film graduates and film industry veterans John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy, ...

, including Worst Picture, as well as contributing to O'Neal's later Razzie nomination for Worst Actor of the Decade. The film is listed in

Golden Raspberry Award The Golden Raspberry Awards (also known as the Razzies and Razzie Awards) is a parody award show honoring the worst of cinematic under-achievements. Co-founded by UCLA film graduates and film industry veterans John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy ...

founder John J. B. Wilson's book ''

The Official Razzie Movie Guide ''The Official Razzie Movie Guide: Enjoying the Best of Hollywood's Worst'' is a book about the booby prize award show the Golden Raspberry Awards (Razzies), written by John Wilson, founder of the awards ceremony. The book was published in 2005 ...

'' as one of the "100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made".

Plot

Sports writer Steve Taggart (O'Neal) volunteers to do a series of articles for the

Los Angeles Herald Examiner The ''Los Angeles Herald Examiner'' was a major Los Angeles daily newspaper, published in the afternoon from Monday to Friday and in the morning on Saturdays and Sundays. It was part of the Hearst syndicate. It was formed when the afternoon ' ...

about a compulsive sports and casino gambler he calls "Mr. Green" who is, in fact, himself. His sports editor,

, enthusiastically assigns Taggart the sports betting and casino gambling series, which soon attracts a large readership interest. Over time, Taggart becomes more obsessed with gambling in

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...

, which lands him even more deeply in debt. He compounds his money and gambling problems by dealing with associated loan sharks, including the mean and dangerous L.A. bookmaker known as "The Dutchman" (

). Taggart soon learns that even a L.A. pro football quarterback, whose football team he covers, is also on the Dutchman's payroll - as a means of cutting his own sports gambling debts. After clearing the story further with his sports editor (

), Taggart journeys to Las Vegas for a field report on his gambling series; he meets a newspaper publisher, who helps him make more gambling industry contacts. Through the MGM casino executive, Mr. Sweeney

Keith Hefner Keith Hefner is the founder and Executive Director of Youth Communication, an influential nonprofit organization publishing magazines and books by and for youth. The magazines are ''YCteen'' (formerly known as New Youth Connections), written by N ...

, Taggart meets a sexy casino cocktail hostess named Flo (

). Flo is sent to Taggart's hotel room for a night, but Taggart, loving the gaming tables, with Flo as his 'lucky charm', goes gambling at the

Dunes Hotel The Dunes was a hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It opened on May 23, 1955, as the tenth resort on the Strip. It was initially owned by a group of businessmen from out of state, but failed to prosper under their man ...

casino. Taggart gambles with Flo at roulette, and wins. Taggart, as part of his on going news story, also checks out assorted Las Vegas bookmakers, including Leroy's. Taggart meets various Vegas gambling and business figures, including famed

Las Vegas Sun The ''Las Vegas Sun'' is one of the Las Vegas Valley's two daily subscription newspapers. It is owned by the Greenspun family and is affiliated with Greenspun Media Group. The paper published afternoons on weekdays from 1990 to 2005 and is no ...

publisher

Hank Greenspun Herman Milton "Hank" Greenspun (August 27, 1909 – July 23, 1989) was the publisher of the ''Las Vegas Sun'' newspaper. He purchased the ''Sun'' in 1949, and served as its editor and publisher until his death. Greenspun was also a promine ...

, for more insights into the Las Vegas gambling world. He is unaware that the Dutchman's tough guy enforcer, "Panama Hat" ( William Smith), is following him, until "The Hat" confronts him at the hotel pool, as Taggart attempts to relax on a chaise longue. Panama Hat forcefully orders Taggart to return to Los Angeles immediately, and settle up with the Dutchman, or there will be dire consequences. Taggart's risk-addiction and perennial gambling money-losses ultimately spill over into his personal life. After a day trip to Knott's Berry Farm, Taggart brings his young daughter (

Bridgette Andersen Bridgette Andersen (July 11, 19751997) was an American child actress and child model. She starred in 1982's ''Savannah Smiles'', for which she received her first of four Youth in Film Award nominations. Personal life Andersen was born on July ...

) to

Hollywood Park Hollywood Park may refer to: Places United States * Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California * Hollywood Park, Chicago, a neighborhood in North Park, Chicago, Illinois * Hollywood Park, Inglewood, an entertainment complex and m ...

; at the track pressbox, they chat with his colleagues, including famed Los Angeles newspaper sportswriters, the L.A. Times Jim Murray and the L.A. Herald Examiner's

Alan Malamud Alan may refer to: People *Alan (surname), an English and Turkish surname *Alan (given name), an English given name ** List of people with given name Alan ''Following are people commonly referred to solely by "Alan" or by a homonymous name.'' *A ...

. Taggart, while trying to stem his gambling while at the racetrack, is physically assaulted by a track-goer to whom he owes money. Reporting to work the next day at the Herald Examiner, his editor says he loves the "Mr. Green" series, and foolishly advances Taggart $10,000 dollars for "Mr. Green" to use as seed money for more gambling. Upon more reflection on how truly dangerous sports gambling can be, Taggart visits

Gamblers Anonymous Gamblers Anonymous (GA) founded in 1957 is an international fellowship of people who have a compulsive gambling problem. They meet regularly to share their "experiences, strength and hope", so they can help each other solve the problems compulsive ...

in order to end his gambling compulsion. Taggart still returns to Las Vegas, where he becomes increasingly acquainted with high-roller Charley Peru (

), in hopes of making a large score and breaking even. He also hopes Peru can help him get Panama Hat off Taggart's back. After attending the Gambler's Anonymous meeting, Taggart soon decides to stop gambling "forever". Before returning to Los Angeles, to celebrate "kicking" his gambling habit, Taggart places a few dollars into a slot machine at the Las Vegas Airport, where he magically scores a huge jackpot. Taggart immediately gets an attorney to hold the huge cash score in trust fund for his daughter. When he asks the attorney to reassure him, that "even I cannot touch the money?", his attorney firmly replies, "especially, not you."

Cast

as Steve Taggart *

as Flo *

as Charley *

as Amy *

as The Dutchman *

as The Sports Editor *

as The

Publisher * William Smith as "Panama Hat" *

as Sweeney * Patrick Cassidy as Soldier * William Prince as Mitchell *

Chad McQueen Chadwick Steven McQueen (born December 28, 1960) is an American actor, film producer, martial artist, and race-car driver. As an actor and producer, he was known for playing Dutch in ''The Karate Kid'' and ''The Karate Kid Part II''. He is the ...

as Convict * Fred Robledo as The Sports Desk Editor

Production

Richard Brooks became interested in the problem of gambling in America while recovering from a heart attack in 1983. He began researching the topic and wrote the script over two years. It was originally to be produced by

Dino de Laurentiis Agostino "Dino" De Laurentiis (; 8 August 1919 – 10 November 2010) was an Italian-American film producer. Along with Carlo Ponti, he was one of the producers who brought Italian cinema to the international scene at the end of World War II. He ...

under the title ''The Fever'' and Brooks wanted

Sam Shepard Samuel Shepard Rogers III (November 5, 1943 – July 27, 2017) was an American actor, playwright, author, screenwriter, and director whose career spanned half a century. He won 10 Obie Awards for writing and directing, the most by any write ...

to play the lead. Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino and Tom Selleck were also considered for the role.Marilyn Beck, "Matthau to be Polanski's 'Pirate'", New York Daily News 23 May 1984 p 45 De Laurentiis dropped out and Ryan O'Neal was cast instead. Filming took place from October 1984 to January 1985 and Brooks spent nine months editing it.Nat Segaloff, ''Final Cuts: The Last Films of 50 Great Directors'', Bear Manor Media 2013 p 48-49 The newspaper editorial office scenes were all filmed at the ''

'', which always had a popular horse racing page, and solid sports gambling coverage. Many ''Herald Examiner'' and ''Los Angeles Times'' staffers had bit parts in the movie.

References

External links

* * * * {{Richard Brooks 1985 films 1985 drama films American drama films Films directed by Richard Brooks Films set in the Las Vegas Valley Films about gambling Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films 1980s English-language films 1980s American films English-language drama films ca:Fever Pitch

Plot

Cast

Production

See also

References

External links