Themes: Underdogs, Deal With the Devil, Baseball Players
Main Cast: Tab Hunter, Gwen Verdon, Ray Walston, Russ Brown, Shannon Bolin
Release Year: 1958
Country: US
Run Time: 110 minutes
Plot
Damn Yankees is a frothy, faithful adaptation of the 1956 Broadway hit. In an amusing slant on the "Faust" legend, aging baseball fan Joe Boyd (Robert Schafer) is given an opportunity to lead his beloved Washington Senators to victory by a devilish gent named Applegate (Ray Walston). Boyd is transformed into handsome young "Shoeless" Joe Hardy from Hannibal, Mo. (and in the process, the part is taken over by Tab Hunter, who's better than everyone said he was back in 1958). Joe becomes the Senators' star player, but at the price of his immortal soul; he isn't terribly worried, however, since he's built an escape clause into his contract with Applegate. To see that Joe doesn't get a chance to exercise that clause, Applegate sends his luscious assistant Lola (Gwen Verdon) to seduce the ballplayer. This effort doesn't work, but Applegate still manages to cause Joe to lose his chance at salvation. But there is still a ray of hope--if Hardy can win the deciding pennant game, he'll be able to foil Applegate's master plan of causing the Senators to lose. With Lola's aid, Joe gives the devil more than his due. The principal selling angle of Damn Yankees, beyond the presence of Gwen Verdon and Ray Walston delightfully recreating their stage roles, are the wonderful Richard Adler/Jerry Ross songs, including "You've Gotta Have Heart" and "What Lola Wants, Lola Gets." Based on the novel The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant, the film (like the play before it) unfortunately throws away Wallop's wryly ironic climax; as a result, the last scenes appear rushed and haphazard. But why quibble? Damn Yankees is and always was a rock-solid piece of entertainment, as proven by its recent S.R.O. Broadway revival. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Like such other Broadway luminaries as Ethel Merman and Mary Martin, Gwen Verdon was rarely given the opportunity to re-create her stage triumphs onscreen. Damn Yankees is the sole exception, and Verdon makes the most of the opportunity. The ultimate Bob Fosse dancer, she moves with a snakelike grace yet muscular intensity that wrings every ounce of meaning from Fosse's choreography. Fosse himself joins her for the delectable "Who's Got the Pain," an essentially meaningless diversion in terms of plot, but a killer in terms of entertainment. Verdon's voice is less impressive than her dancing, but she possesses a sense of musical line and phrasing that makes up for any technical shortcomings. Her comedic timing is wonderful, making her a good foil for Ray Walston. Unfortunately, Tab Hunter is dull, and the film's direction is weak. This is one of the era's most stage-bound musicals, but the exceptions are the musical numbers. Fosse makes better use of the camera than the directors, and even the more static ones are made vibrant by the choreography. If these early dance routines lack the overt eroticism of later Fosse efforts, they still sizzle. The score, while not exceptional, has quite a few satisfying songs, including the popular "Whatever Lola Wants" and "Heart," as well as the less-recognizable "A Little Brains, A Little Talent." Not the home run it was on-stage, Damn Yankees is nonetheless a good solid double. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Nathaniel Frey - Smokey; Jimmy Komack - Rocky; Robert Shafer - Joe Boyd; Jean Stapleton - Sister; Albert Linville - Vernon; Rae Allen - Gloria; Phil Arnold; Elizabeth Howell - Doris; Bob Fosse - Mambo Dancer
Damn Yankees is a 1958musical film made by Warner Bros., a modern version of the Faust legend set in 1950 involving the New York Yankees baseball team. The film is based on the 1955 Broadway musical of the same name.
The film version was directed by George Abbott, as he did the earlier stage version, with assistance from Stanley Donen. With the exception of Tab Hunter in the role of Joe Hardy (replacing Stephen Douglass), the Broadway principals reprised their stage roles. The film is very similar to the stage version. A notable difference between film and stage versions, however, was Gwen Verdon's performance of the song, “A Little Brains”. For the film version, Verdon’s suggestive hip-movements (as choreographed by Bob Fosse and performed on stage) were considered too risqué for a mainstream American film in 1958, and so, in the film, she simply pauses at these points. Similarly, the film was released in the United Kingdom under the title What Lola Wants, to avoid use of the word "Damn" on posters, hoardings and cinema marquees.
Joe Boyd, a middle-aged fan of the unsuccessful Washington Senators baseball team, wishes he could help them out. His wish suddenly comes true when a "Mr. Applegate" magically appears, offering to transform old Joe into a young baseball slugger called "Joe Hardy."
The catch that Joe must give his soul to Applegate -- otherwise known as the devil -- and leave his beloved wife Meg behind. Joe agrees, but with an escape clause. By a certain deadline he can renounce the deal and return to his wife and former life.
As young Joe becomes a huge star for the Senators, he misses his wife and wants to return. Applegate's secret weapon is "Lola," another of his "Lost Souls." He has the red-headed vixen seduce Joe and convince him not to break his contract. ("Whatever Lola Wants").
Joe misses the deadline so he can help the team win the pennant over those damn New York Yankees. He appears to be lost forever, but Lola has become quite fond of him and decides to help, sacrificing her own beauty and deal with the devil in the process. Applegate can only scream "you robbed me!" as Joe breaks the spell and returns home to Meg.
"Six Months out of Every Year"--Joe Hardy, Meg Boyd and chorus
"Goodbye Old Girl"--Joe Boyd/Joe Hardy
"Heart"--Van Buren, Smokey, Rocky
"Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo"--Gloria
"There's Something About An Empty Chair"--Meg Boyd
"Whatever Lola Wants"--Orchestra
"A Little Brains, A Little Talent"--Lola
"Whatever Lola Wants"--Lola
"Those Were the Good Old Days" --Mr. Applegate
"Who's Got the Pain"--Lola and Mambo dancer (Bob Fosse)
"Two Lost Souls"--Lola and Joe Hardy
"There's Something About An Empty Chair (reprise)--Joe Boyd and Meg Boyd
The "Overture" and "Two Lost Souls" are noticeably different from Broadway production in orchestration, and many of the lines in "Six Months Out of Every Year" were cut from the film. "A Little Brains, a Little Talent" has a few lyrical differences.
Some songs appear in different order than the original Broadway and subsequent versions, and some songs--"Near to You," "The Game," "A Man Doesn't Know," "Heart (Reprise)"--were cut entirely, which left Tab Hunter with very few songs. "There's Something About An Empty Chair" was not in the original stage version or in any stage versions since.
