A League Of Their Own parents guide

A League Of Their Own Parent Guide

Despite the lack of curve balls and some foul language, much of the predictability and content are masked with witty, sensitive portrayals of the emotional bonds that build as the characters grow.

Overall B

Siblings Dottie (Geena Davis) and Kit (Lori Petty) grew up on an Oregon dairy farm until one lucky day when they were recruited to play for the Rockford Peaches women's baseball team.

Release date July 1, 1992

Violence A
Sexual Content B+
Profanity C
Substance Use C

Why is A League Of Their Own rated PG? The MPAA rated A League Of Their Own PG for language

Run Time: 128 minutes

Parent Movie Review

Directed by Penny Marshall, A League of Their Own is based on a true story about the All American Girls Baseball League started in 1943, so the bats could keep swinging while the men were at war.

Siblings Dottie (Geena Davis) and Kit (Lori Petty) grew up on an Oregon dairy farm until one lucky day when they were recruited to play for the Rockford Peaches. Although the two share a love for the game, their affection for each other sometimes wears a little thin. This is especially true of Kit who finds it difficult to live in her big sister’s shadow.

Yet their personal differences are only part of the battle they will face as the pair tries to establish a credible team amidst a group of players who are equally unsure of their place in the world of professional athletes. The pressure is on all of them to perform well enough to sell the new-fangled all-girl concept to the American public.

However, the biggest strike against their success is the manager they are assigned. Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) is a former baseball star with an alcohol problem. As the girls learn to work together, assess their priorities, and polish their skills, they rub off some of his rough spots—and some of their own too.

This film has all of the usual elements of sports movies: The big final play, the shy person that builds her confidence, and the uninterested coach that turns around in the end. Unfortunately for family viewers, the inclusion of some vulgarities may prevent A League of Their Own from scoring a home run.

Despite the lack of curve balls and some foul language, the film does mask much of its predictability and content with witty, sensitive portrayals of the emotional bonds that build as the characters grow. It also maintains interest by focusing on the script’s historical roots. Telling the tale in a flash back, the film opens and closes with the team reuniting at the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988. These scenes are even more touching because the women shown are not the cast members aged by makeup or replaced with older actresses, but the actual women who played in the league all those years ago.

And don’t forget to look for Rosie O’Donnell and Madonna amongst the lineup. The latter also contributes her musical talents as co-writer and performer of the award-nominated theme song “This Used To Be My Playground.”

Directed by Penny Marshall . Starring Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna, Rosie O'Donnell. Running time: 128 minutes. Theatrical release July 1, 1992. Updated

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A League Of Their Own
Rating & Content Info

Why is A League Of Their Own rated PG? A League Of Their Own is rated PG by the MPAA for language

Violence: A minor fight occurs between some of the ball players.
Sexual Content: Several comments feature sexual innuendo. There is a slang mention of a sexually transmitted disease. Women are seen in their underwear.
Profanity:   Use of scatological curse words, anatomical expressions, and terms of deity.
Alcohol / Drug Use: The coach is an alcoholic: his past is discussed and he is frequently seen inebriated. Cigarette smoking is common, as would be normal for the period.

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A League Of Their Own Parents' Guide

Female athletes have always struggled to get the same respect and opportunities as their male colleagues. Why do you think women’s athletics have historically been marginalized? Why is this still an issue in the 21st century? What do you think can be done to change this situation?

Effects of Title IX on women’s sports

Inequality in women’s sports

Gender inequality in women’s sports

Female athletes fight for equality

 

Loved this movie? Try these books…

If you want to know more about the All-American Girls Baseball League, Sarah Gilbert has written A League of Their Own. Susan E Johnson, a fan of the real-life Rockford Peaches has also written about the league in When Women Played Hardball.

Younger readers who want to know more about female athletes will enjoy Rachel Ignotofsky’s Women in Sports: 50 Fearless Athletes Who Played to Win. Elementary school readers who are interested in girl power in sports will like Girls with Guts! The Road to Breaking Barriers and Bashing Records by Debbie Gonzales and Rebecca Gibbon.

Home Video

The most recent home video release of A League Of Their Own movie is October 16, 2012. Here are some details…

Blu-ray Notes: A League of Their Own

Release Date: 16 October 2012

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment releases A League of Their Own on Blu-ray with the following bonus features:

- Commentary with Penny Marshall, Lori Petty, Megan Cavanagh, and Tracy Reiner

-  Deleted scenes with video introductions by Penny Marshall

- Nine Memorable Innings Pre-Game

- “This Used to Be My Playground” music video

DVD Notes: A League of Their Own

Release Date: 120 April 2004

A League of Their Own releases in a two-disc set that offers these features:

  • Commentary by Penny Marshall, Lori Petty, Megan Cavanagh, and Tracy Reiner.
  • 15 deleted scenes with introductions from Penny Marshall
  • Documentary: “Nine Memorable Innings” featuring all-new interviews with cast and crew
  • Filmographies
  • Madonna music video: “This Used to Be My Playground”
  • Full-screen and widescreen anamorphic formats

Related home video titles:

If you enjoy baseball movies and want a nostalgic story suitable for kids, check out The Sandlot. A heartwarming story of a man who decides that 35 isn’t too old to chase his dream is the basis of The Rookie.

The underdog sports film is a genre all its own that has found enduring popularity. The Perfect Game is a kid-friendly story about a group of poor Mexican kids who form a baseball team and manage to play in the Little League World Series.

If you are into lacrosse, you should enjoy The Grizzlies. Set in Canada’s far North, this gritty film shows the power of sport to improve the lives of teens. It is only suitable for teen viewers: there is some content that is too disturbing for children.

Another underdog film set in Canada is Cool Runnings. It’s based on the true story of the Jamaican bobsled team (yup, that’s what we said) in the 1988 Winter Olympics. Safe for kids, it co-stars John Candy and is great for family laughs.

If your sport is basketball and you want a film that will have you on the edge of your seat, click on Hoosiers. This movie stars Gene Hackman as the new coach of an undisciplined small town team that he manages to take to the state championship.

Football fans can pop some popcorn and settle down in front of Remember the Titans. Denzel Washington stars as a coach who has the difficult job of forging a team in a school which is struggling with racial integration.