Field of the American Dream: Critically Assessing Sports Films
Jenny Freedman AM 356: Sports Cinema February 21, 2023 In order to outline what criteria are best suited to assess sports films, we must consider what expectations are socially and culturally defined for sports cinema. American sports films are dominated by onekey concept: The American Dream. Such a phenomenon is a family-friendly outline for films that instills hope and resilience in viewers.Much of the genre is based on an underdog story and an “over-the-top celebration of a common schlub... It’s hard to present a script for a sports film that doesn’t conform to the big-victory or big-game blueprint” (McCallum 2001). Most viewers are not watching purely to watch sports being played; they want to be inspired. Although the topic of sports can be socially associated with masculinity and intensity, films about them really play on the emotions of the viewer. Many audiences enjoy representations of hope and redemption, as they arereflective of what we hope to see in our country.We want to see our own struggles reflected to give us passion and inspiration to keep fighting. Sports films provide both a physical and emotional demonstration of overcoming struggle. In Seabiscuit, themes of class and disability frame the overarching story of redemption (Ross 2003).The dramatization of events is expected given the need to draw in the audience to hear the whole story. Additionally, many sports movies, like Seabiscuit, incorporate major historical events in framing individual stories. We want to hear a story that is intense but believable, or at least feels grounded in true emotion and struggle. Providing historical and cultural context is imperative to telling sports stories.In Seabiscuit, the background of the stock market crash and Great Depression tie together the film through joint struggle and battling modernity with the rise in automotive technology (Ross 2003). The setup of the film showing imagery of the “functional and simple” Ford Model T along with farm stables being filled with cars contrasts with the central theme of horse racing (Ross 2003). The setting combined with the multiple underdog narratives colliding makes the film feel relatable to the audience at the time. Wealso want to see a community coming together, in which doing so romanticizes sport. In Friday Night Lights, the team members’ reliance on each other is part of what allows them to continue under such intense pressure (Berg 2004).The emotions shared in Friday Night Lights, such as the powerful scene of Mike crying and hitting his head against the wall post-game, suggest a deepconnection between team members through shared experience. I find it especially cinematographically intriguing how the camera panned out from Mike to reveal the entire team sitting in the locker room silently (Berg 2004). Some sports films romanticize sport to the extent that it is equated to a spiritual or otherworldly experience. In particular, Field of Dreamsembodies the sentiment that there is some intrinsic, ineffable thrill and self-realization that is found in sport (Robinson 1989). The Academy Award nominee film also explores elements of fantasy intertwined with real hopes, ambitions, and past losses. This view of the magic of the American Dream is rooted in traditional family values, portraying a nuclear heteronormative white family. In this film, we also find the redemption archetype, as almost all the characters have their dream come true in the end. Baseball is representative of a nostalgic past. What makes baseball so “heavenly”, as Field of Dreams suggests, is what it does to you emotionally: incites passion (Mosher 1991). In order to achieve such intense emotions and displays of passion while conforming to the violent nature of sport, rivalry is used as a mechanism. In sports cinema, we want to see a winner or loser. Seabiscuit versus War Admiralrepresents the self-made underdog against the elite aristocracy. In Friday Night Lights, PermianversusDallas Carterrepresents small-town hope and the pressure of upholding its reputation. Additionally, there’s often a time constraint that puts pressure on the main characters or team.For Ray in Field of Dreams, building the baseball field is his “last chance” to feel reconnected to his dad (Robinson 1989).In Friday Night Lights, the fate of the most important game of the season is determined within just a span of seconds, which is reflective of the fast-paced nature of football itself (Berg 2004).As stated in “Football Red Baseball Green” by Murray Ross, “more often than not it is the clock which emerges as the real enemy” (1982). These elements allow sports films to capture the intensity and war-like nature of actual sports. It is imperative to assess positionality and identity in a thorough analysis of any film. In both Field of Dreams and Seabiscuit, the cast is primarily white. Additionally, they are centered around telling the stories of cisgender men. Although one may argue that women simply were not relevant in the plot, the representations of who is allowed and best suited for sports influence internal biases of audiences. Sports and sports films are representations of our cultural values transformed into real social behaviors. It is important to consider the span of perspectives that dominant sports cinema provides, as racism and sexism are intertwined in American society. The negatives of sport are just as pertinent in constructing sports films, especially in recounting real-world situations. Part of basing a genre on the American Dream must also be accepting that such a goal is unachievable in practice for most Americans due to numeroussocial, economic, gender-based, and racial barriers to reach the success and wealth described in films. In many ways, Black bodies in sports are exploited and their humanness is taken away in representations in media and culture. As quoted in “The People V. Football” by Jeanne Marie Laskas,“To me it’salmost like modern-day slavery... They say it’s America’s sport, but like 95 percent of the players are African American, and they’re all out there beating themselves up” (Laskas 2011). In the representation of the Dallas Carter team in Friday Night Lights,racial stereotypes are relied on to suggest unbeatable strength and intensity (Berg 2004).Such tropes further mold individual biases and assumptions about Black athletes being intimidating, big, and loud. Sports films should incorporate and address systematic issues. Friday Night Lights exposes class differences when Boobie Milesexclaims that the type of shoes you wear matters, as he only wears black Nikes. In the next scene, we see Comer coloring in his white shoes with a black sharpie (Berg 2004). In further assessing how race plays a role in Friday Night Lights,I am also reminded of the scene where the coach at Dallas Carter says, “We have an all-Black community – there will be issues” (Berg 2004). This is in a discussion between coaches concerning the identities of the referees in the big upcoming game. There is a sense of hesitancy and resistance to further explaining, as his point did not register with the others. Although brief, this display of racial tensions is key in analyzing how Black characters are portrayed. All in all, the genre of sports films is broad and open-ended. Some directors shy away from claiming their movie is a “sports film” due to the preconceived notions that are associated with such a title. In my eyes, what is expected of sports films and what the criteria for one should look like does not necessarily align. The underdog story featuring and underlying message of the achievability of the American Dream does not have to be the only route in which one takes to make a film about sports. However, sports films should incorporate emotional battles along with physical ones. If its intention is to reach a wide audience, a movie must be able to be seen through the lenses of many audiences. It is necessary to providethe historical or cultural contextin order to connect individuals to the story and apply it to their own lives.Furthermore, displaying the aspect of community-building that sport provides for individuals is key in understanding how and why such deep passion is formed and emotions are expressed. In the past, many sports films have stuck to one formulaic narrative, but good sports films expose levels of sociological commentary and spark conversation.
Works Cited
Berg, Peter. 2004. Friday Night Lights. Imagine Entertainment.
Gorn, Elliot J. and Michael Oriard. 1995. “Taking Sports Seriously.” Chronicle of Higher Education.