Fear Strikes Out

1957 biographical sports film

Fear Strikes Out

Directed by| Robert Mulligan
Screenplay by| Ted Berkman
Raphael Blau
Based on| Fear Strikes Out: The Jim Piersall Story
1955 book
by Jimmy Piersall and Al Hirshberg
Produced by| Alan J. Pakula
Starring| Anthony Perkins
Karl Malden
Cinematography| Haskell B. Boggs
Edited by| Aaron Stell
Music by| Elmer Bernstein
Distributed by| Paramount Pictures

Release date

* March 20, 1957 (1957-03-20)

Running time

| 100 minutes
Country| United States
Language| English

Fear Strikes Out is a 1957 American biographical sports drama film depicting the life and career of American baseball All-Star player Jimmy Piersall. It is based on Piersall's 1955 memoir Fear Strikes Out: The Jim Piersall Story, co-written with Al Hirshberg. The film stars Anthony Perkins as Piersall and Karl Malden as his father, and it was the first directed by Robert Mulligan.

This film is a Paramount Picture and was preceded by a 1955 TV version starring Tab Hunter.[1]

The format of the film allows documentary footage of the stadium scenes to be used during the game sequences.

## Plot

[edit]

Based on Jim Piersall's autobiography, the film traces his rise from the sandlots of Waterbury, Connecticut, to the Boston Red Sox professional baseball team. Karl Malden plays his domineering father who pushes him further and further.

Plagued by problems, Piersall marries Mary, but they live with his parents. When he is eventually chosen for the Red Sox, it is in the infield position of shortstop for which he has little experience. He calls his father to apologise.

Daunted by the huge crowd and the pressure of his father watching his first time at bat, the pressure nearly causes Piersall to strike out. But on the final pitch, he hits a home run. Rather than celebrate in a normal way, he instead runs to the backstop fence where his father sits, shouting "Look Dad, I told you I could do it". His teammates try to restrain him as he climbs the fence. He swings his bat at them. Eventually the police subdue him, and he is taken to a mental institution.

After a long period of therapy, Piersall realizes that he has excelled in baseball to please his father, not for his own gratification.[1]

Piersall went on to play in 17 major-league seasons with five different franchises, predominantly in the American League, during the 1950–1967 seasons.[2]

## Cast

[edit]

* Anthony Perkins as Jim Piersall
* Karl Malden as John Piersall
* Norma Moore as Mary Piersall
* Adam Williams as Dr. Brown
* Perry Wilson as Mrs. Piersall
* Peter J. Votrian as young Jim Piersall
* Richard Bull as Reporter Slade (uncredited)
* Bart Burns as Joe Cronin (uncredited)
* Edd Byrnes as Boy in Car Assisting Jimmy Up Stairway (uncredited)
* Art Gilmore as Broadcaster (voice, uncredited)
* Brian G. Hutton as Bernie Serwill (uncredited)
* Morgan Jones as Sandy Allen (uncredited)
* Bing Russell as Ballplayer Holding Trophy (uncredited)
* Gary Vinson as High School Ballplayer (uncredited)

## 1955 TV version

[edit]

The film was based on the book by Piersall and Al Hirshberg which had been adapted for TV in 1955 for the show Climax!.

Rights to the book were bought in July 1955.[3] The television version starred Tab Hunter as Piersall, Mona Freeman as his wife, John Conte as a psychiatrist, and Robert Armstrong as his father. Herbert Swope directed and Martin Manulis prodyced.

The New York Times called the television play version "absorbing" and praised Hunter's portrayal of Piersall as "perceptive and believable."[4] Hunter tried to get his studio, Warner Bros., to buy the film rights but these were purchased by another studio, Paramount Pictures, for $50,000. Mel Goldberg, who wrote the TV version, was hired to do the screenplay.[5]

Hunter had a romantic relationship with Anthony Perkins. He says this relationship practically ended after Perkins took the role of Piersall in the film version without telling him beforehand, as Hunter had also been interested to portray the role of Piersall again in the film version.[6]

## Awards and honors

[edit]

Robert Mulligan was a Directors Guild of America Best Director nominee.

Fear Strikes Out was nominated for the American Film Institute's 2008 list in the sports film category.[7]

## Reception

[edit]

In 1957, Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote:

> Oddly enough, the scenes of baseball, while interesting in this account, are secondary to the scenes of drama between the father and his son. The issues are not whether Piersall will snag those long flies or clout home runs but whether he will have the approval of his old man, sitting there in the stands. The weight of the paternal ambition is the critical factor in this film. And it is felt by the nerve-racked observer to the point where it is recognizable that the young man must go mad. ... Fortunately, Mr. Perkins plays the young fellow excellently, not only conveying the gathering torment but also actually looking like a ballplayer on the field. And Karl Malden is compelling as the father, combining the ignorant dominance of a bitter man with the occasional tenderness of a parent who genuinely loves his only son. ...Robert Mulligan's direction is vigorous..."[8]

Dr. Sharon Packer wrote in 2012 that Fear Strikes Out is very unusual in cinematic history in that it portrays electroconvulsive therapy in a positive light.[9]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 83% of 24 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "Based on the true story of troubled baseball star Jimmy Piersall, Fear Strikes Out is an emotionally compelling drama featuring excellent performances from Anthony Perkins and Karl Malden."[10]

## See also

[edit]

* List of baseball films

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b Erickson, Hal. Rovi "Fear Strikes Out" Synopsis
2. ^ "Jim Piersall". Retrosheet. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
3. ^ Adams, Val (23 July 1955). "TV Scenic Artists Win Pay Increase: Three Major Networks and Union Agree on 3-Year Pact Retroactive to April 1". New York Times. p. 33. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
4. ^ Shanley, J.P. (19 August 1955). "TV: 'Fear Strikes Out' – Outfielder's True Story Told on 'Climax!'". New York Times. p. 39. Retrieved August 28, 2018..
5. ^ "Paramount Pays $50,000 for Jim Piersall Story". Variety. 24 August 1955. p. 5.
6. ^ Schulman, Michael (15 October 2015). "Tab Hunter's Secrets". New Yorker.
7. ^ "AFI's 10 Top 10 Nominees" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
8. ^ Crowther, Bosley (March 21, 1957). "True-Life Story of Jim Piersall; 'Fear Strikes Out' Has Debut at the State Ballplayer Overcame a Mental Illness". p. 37. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
9. ^ Packer, M.D., Sharon (18 September 2012). Cinema's Sinister Psychiatrists: From Caligari to Hannibal. McFarland. p. 126\. ISBN 978-0-7864-9241-1. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
10. ^ "Fear Strikes Out". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media.

## External links

[edit]

* Fear Strikes Out at IMDb
* Fear Strikes Out at Rotten Tomatoes
* Fear Strikes Out at the TCM Movie Database
* Fear Strikes Out at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
* 1955 TV version at IMDb

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