THE BAD NEWS BEARS

US, 1976, 103 minutes, Colour.
Walter Matthau, Tatum O'Neal, Vic Morrow, Joyce Van Patten.
Directed by Michael Ritchie.

The Bad News Bears is a film probably enjoyed very much more in America than overseas. Baseball, its jargon and its heroes, are quite foreign to us. What we can enjoy is the 'Rocky'-like story of no-hoper children (the schools' star athletes among us will not enjoy it so much) who are pretty obnoxious left to themselves or when treated obnoxiously, but who obviously are in need of a challenge and surprise themselves in response. The film looks satirically at the 'Little League' Saturday competitive mentality and its effect on people's behaviour, especially Coach-father angrily striking his son in public. Walter Matthau is his entertaining self and Tatum O'Neal has some good moments.

1. The humour and irony of the title, indication of themes?

2. How good a piece of Americana? The presentation of sport in America, attitudes, competitiveness, sports jargon, values? Sport and parents, sport and the public, sport and skilful children, sport and no-hoper children? How universal was this theme as regards no-hoper children and sport? Insight into the pressures on children?

3. The background of the small town, sport and competitiveness within the town, within the homes? Sport and work with the backing and sponsorship of the various shops and firms? The good values in sport and the bad values? The critique of competitive sport?

4. Walter Matthau as Maurice Buttermaker? Matthau's particular deadpan style for comedy? Buttermaker as a person, his previous success, his having gone downhill, sense of failure? His job at cleaning pools? His taking to drink? Why was he chosen by Whitewood to coach the sports team? Buttermaker's attitude, laziness and indifference. his reaction with the children, his being shocked at them, changing his attitude, persuading and cajoling them, putting up with their shortcomings? making a plan for success? How did the experience with the bad news change him for the better?

5. The film's presentation of parents ? Whitewood and prestige, his own son, putting up the money? Changing his attitude when it was a failure? Competitiveness and pushing the children? Seeking sponsors, prestige?

6. Sport expectations, that everyone be in it, that everyone be good, that there is something wrong if the child is not good? The reinforcing of the sense of failure, being despised because of lack of skill at sport, low self-opinion? How well was this illustrated in Buttermaker himself? In each of the particular children amongst the Bears? How was this manifested in behaviour off the sports field, in interaction. in language?

7. Miss Cleveland and the pushiness of sport, the coach and his relentless attitude? The Turner family and Coach Turner's pressure on his son? The critique of competitiveness with the presentation of Coach Turner? The snobbery and the attitude of the crack team towards the Bears? The visual presentation of the matches and their humour, their failure? The importance of the use of the music from 'Carmen' to highlight the comedy and the pathos? How effective was this?

8. The presentation of the kids in the Bears team - their sense that they were no good, no-hoper attitudes. language, aping adults, the humour, vulgarity, squabbling with each other? How redeemable were they? They were unlovable, but were they lovable?

9. Amanda and her skill at baseball, her past, her mother, the relationship with Buttermaker , presenting her with her job and her guiding people to the estate? Her emphasis on the fact that she was a growing girl? Her language? Her being persuaded by Buttermaker? The relationship between the two? Her involvement with the Bears, overcoming difficulties of being a girl, her pressurizing Kelly into the game, her injury and people rallying to her support? How did she change through her experience with the Bears?

10. The portrait of Kelly as the young misfit, riding his bike, aping gang leader types, pushing himself and yet observing the sport from a distance? Amanda persuading him to be involved? His ability at sport? Buttermaker trying to make him succeed and yet Kelly's feeling that this was not good competition for the rest of the Bears?

11. The film's build-up towards the improvement of the Bears, morale, their celebration?

12. The crisis in the final match: the coach allowing Kelly to do everything and then changing his mind and getting them to work as a team. the importance of their teamwork and the unexpected children succeeding? The humour of the way this presented? Coach Turner and his exasperation, the build-up to his slapping his son and the implications of this?

13. The finale with success, Buttermaker and his attitude.. their sense of achievement and yet their being rude to the other team?

14. How successful was this wry humour, sight gags, sport comedy? The critique of American competitive values? Its universal appeal?