Angels in the Outfield (1994 film) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Angels in the Outfield
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	William Dear
Produced by	Irby Smith Joe Roth Roger Birnbaum
Screenplay by	Holly Goldberg Sloan
Starring	Danny Glover Tony Danza Brenda Fricker Ben Johnson Jay O. Sanders Christopher Lloyd
Music by	Randy Edelman
Cinematography	Matthew F. Leonetti
Editing by	Bruce Green
Studio	Walt Disney Pictures Caravan Pictures
Distributed by	Buena Vista Pictures
Release date(s)	July 15, 1994 (1994-07-15)
Running time	102 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$31 million
Money made	$50.2 million

Angels in the Outfield is a 1994 American family sports fantasy comedy-drama film directed by William Dear. It is a remake of the 1951 film of the same name. It stars Danny Glover, Tony Danza and Christopher Lloyd, and features several future stars, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt (in the lead), Adrien Brody, Matthew McConaughey, and Neal McDonough. It was followed by two made for TV sequels, Angels in the Endzone and Angels in the Infield. It was released less than a month before the 1994 MLB Baseball Strike, which forced the league to cancel the playoffs and the World Series.

Plot

Young foster child Roger Bomman and his friend, J.P., love to sneak into baseball games of the struggling California Angels. Still in limited contact with his widowed father, Roger asks when they will be a family again. His father replies sarcastically, "I'd say when the Angels win the pennant." Taking his father's words literally, he prays for God to help the Angels win. In a game against the Toronto Blue Jays which Roger and J.P. attend, he sees a group of angels led by Al helping the team. Although he can see them quite clearly, everyone else can only explain the seemingly impossible acts as freak occurrences. Roger's unique ability to see which players are receiving help from angels leads their skeptical manager George Knox to keep him around as a good luck charm and consultant. Due to the much-needed help, the Angels start to win games and make a surprising second-half surge to the top of their division.

Roger's father permanently gives up custody of him, believing it is in Roger's best interest. As Roger laments his loss, an equally distraught J.P. accidentally reveals to antagonistic sportscaster Ranch Wilder that Roger has the ability to see angels, and that George has been winning through the advice Roger gave him. Hoping to destroy George's career in baseball due to a long-time mutual hatred between them, Ranch informs the press of this, and their owner Hank Murphy threatens to relieve George of his management responsibilities. Roger comes clean to his caretaker Maggie Nelson about his special ability, and at a press conference, they and the entire team defend George in front of the press. Moved by their faith, Murphy allows him to remain as the Angels' manager.

During the final game of the season against the rival Chicago White Sox, none of the angels show up to help the team. Later on, Al appears to Roger and explains that championships must be decided without the angels' intervention. He also says that he is there to check on pitcher Mel Clark, who only has months to live due to his years of smoking and will become an angel himself. Mel struggles in the ninth inning but perseveres after encouragement from George, his team, and the fans in attendance. The Angels ultimately win the game on their own and clinch the division title and the pennant. Murphy fires Ranch because of his denigration of the team. George adopts Roger and J.P., as he wants to try to be a father. J.P. sees Al and says, "I knew it could happen." Al flies off and says, "We're always watching".

Cast