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The Natural
1984 137 min United States of America PG 6+
★7.5
Drama
Director: Barry Levinson
🎭 Based on
«The Natural»
byBernard Malamud
Trailers
EN
EN
EN
Description
An unknown middle-aged batter named Roy Hobbs with a mysterious past appears out of nowhere to take a losing 1930s baseball team to the top of the league.
Budget:
$28M
US Gross:
$47.95M
Worldwide:
$48M
Starring
Robert Redford
Actor
Robert Duvall
Actor
Glenn Close
Actor
Awards
Golden Globe 1985
— Best Supporting Actress
Academy Awards 1985
— Best Supporting Actress
Academy Awards 1985
— Best Cinematography
Academy Awards 1985
— Best Production Design
Academy Awards 1985
— Best Original Score
Key opinion
The Natural is widely celebrated as a lush, mythic interpretation of baseball that favors a sentimental, fairy-tale aesthetic over the grit of its source material. While critics praise its visual craft and strong ensemble performances, opinions diverge regarding the departure from the novel's cynical tone and the structural execution of the film's later acts.
| Cinematography | Caleb Deschanel’s lush cinematography and Randy Newman’s evocative score create a powerful, atmospheric sense of mythic Americana. | |
| Acting | Robert Redford and Glenn Close anchor the film with magnetic performances that ground its heightened, archetypal narrative. | |
| Production | The film’s production design expertly evokes an idealized, nostalgic vision of 1930s baseball and American culture. | |
| Adaptation | The script’s shift from the novel’s dark, cynical tone toward a romanticized fairy-tale structure divides viewers who favor thematic fidelity from those who enjoy the uplifting, mythic approach. | |
| Pacing | The film’s narrative momentum is debated; while some find the plotting smooth and engaging, others feel the second act and climax falter in their execution. |