The Bad News Bears (1976 Michael Ritchie)

Who's writer Bill Lancaster?* This is based on experiences with his father Burt, who was known for his grumpiness. From that great American seventies period, when things came out a little differently .. when now do you get a film which celebrates coming second? It's a lot of fun.

Walter Matthau coaches crap team, enlists help of surrogate daughter Tatum O'Neal and tearaway Jackie Earle Haley, in a slightly mournful palette of John Alonzo's and to Jerry Fielding adapting various bits of Italian opera to the games.

*Thanks to my 'Paramount Story' by John Douglas Eames for telling me he's the Burt Lancaster's son!