Eddie

Eddie
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Steve Rash
Produced by	Mark Burg David Permut
Written by	Steve Zacharias Jeff Buhai Jon Connolly David Loucka (story & screenplay) Eric Champnella Keith Mitchell (screenplay)
Starring	Whoopi Goldberg Frank Langella Dennis Farina
Music by	Stanley Clarke
Cinematography	Victor J. Kemper
Editing by	Richard Halsey
Studio	Polygram Filmed Entertainment Island Pictures
Distributed by	Hollywood Pictures
Release date(s)	May 31, 1996 (U.S.)
Running time	100 min.
Country	USA
Language	English
Gross revenue	$31 million (U.S.)

Eddie is a 1996 sports film starring Whoopi Goldberg and Frank Langella. It was a moderate success grossing $31,387,164 in the US.

The film was directed by Steve Rash.

Plot summary

The New York Knicks are an also-ran in the NBA, filled with players who either lack talent or are too distracted by off-the-court issues. Nonetheless, limousine driver and rabid New York Knicks fan Edwina "Eddie" Franklin, (Whoopi Goldberg), attends every Knick game with a small group of fellow fans seated in the nosebleed section of Madison Square Garden. During halftime of one game, she is one of three fans picked to win a chance to be honorary head coach of the Knicks for the second half by sinking a free throw, which she does. She quickly gets on the nerves of head coach John Bailey (Dennis Farina), who she heckled earlier. She is eventually charged with a technical foul for stepping onto the court during an argument between Bailey and a referee, and Bailey has her ejected from the Garden, to the dismay of the fans. Eddie piques the interest of the new Knicks owner, "Wild Bill" Burgess (Frank Langella), and after forcing Bailey to quit before a game, names Eddie the new head coach.

At first, the decision is received with skepticism and derision. However, she eventually is able to connect with the players both off the court and on the court and earns their respect. She is able to lead the Knicks into playoff contention; the winner of their final game of the season, against the Charlotte Hornets, who Bailey became coach of after his dismissal, will receive the final spot in the NBA playoffs. The night before the game, Burgess tells Eddie that if the Knicks win the game, he plans to sell the team to a group who intends to move the team to St. Louis. During the game, the Knicks take a one-point lead with just a few seconds to play, when Eddie, realizing the consequences of the situation, stops the game to announce Burgess' plan to the crowd at the Garden. Faced with the possible enormous backlash of the Knicks' fans, Burgess tells the crowd he does not plan to sell the team or move them out of New York City. When play resumes, the Hornets have one last chance to win the game, but Larry Johnson commits a charge on the game-winning layup, nullifying the basket and giving the Knicks the victory and the playoff berth.

Cast list

Cameo appearances, and major roles were played by players from several NBA teams, including Alex English as the Cleveland Cavaliers' coach, Dwayne Schintzius, Greg Ostertag, and Rick Fox. Muggsy Bogues, Vinny Del Negro, Vlade Divac, Bobby Phills, J.R. Reid, Terrell Brandon, Brad Daugherty, Mitch Richmond, Avery Johnson, Corie Blount, Larry Johnson, and Dennis Rodman appeared as themselves. Gary Payton,Anthony Mason, Herb Williams, and John Starks appeared as streetballers. Kurt Rambis appeared as the head coach of the Lakers. Marv Albert and Walt Frazier also appeared in the movie as broadcasters.

Other celebrities have appeared in the movie, including Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani and Edward Koch.

Trivia

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (September 2009)

The scenes that take place at New York's Madison Square Garden were filmed at the Charlotte Coliseum (which was demolished by implosion on June 3, 2007) in Charlotte. The Charlotte Coliseum was made to look like Madison Square Garden by placing ads for New York businesses on its walls.

The lead role in this film was originally offered to Billy Crystal, who turned it down. The producers did not want to change the title of the film (or the lead character's nickname), so the character's first name was changed to Edwina when Whoopi Goldberg was cast in the part.

Larry Johnson, who committed the charge in the film's pivotal regular season finale, was traded in real life from the Charlotte Hornets to the New York Knicks less than two months after the film's release.

Notes

1. http://www.mrcranky.com/movies/eddie.html . See also http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/eddie.htm#kempley .

References

External links

• Eddie at the Internet Movie Database