North Dallas Forty (1979)

I recall the book that this film is based on made quite a splash when it came out; I guess it was inevitable that it get a film treatment. I never read the book and only saw the film for the first time today, and man, it was a disappointment. Greatest football film ever? - I don't think so. There's nothing inspiring about the players, coaches or organization in the picture that says to me that football is or was a noble profession. Seriously, I've never, ever seen a more out of shape cast put to celluloid that was meant to represent a professional sports team. The drugs, booze, sex and general mayhem portrayed on screen may be the case, but the entire picture seemed more of a caricature than reality. And watching it today, very much anachronistic. Busted for a joint! - that's the least of a ball player's worries today, just ask a Cincinnati Bengal. I just couldn't get over how seamy the whole thing was. For a football picture I actually liked, I'd have to go with "The Longest Yard" - that would be the Burt Reynolds original, not the Adam Sandler one.

This is one of those films people rarely talk about, so a lot of people, especially those under 40, have never heard about. Unless I am wrong, this is the 1st film that introduces the darker side of pro football and NDF does it extremely well on both as commentary and as a film. If you ever thought sports were "just a game" then this film will flip that viewpoint on its end. The casting is odd yet superb. Mac Davis ( yes, the Country Music crooner and ace songwriter) as the sagacious jaded insider QB could not have been better played. He and Nick Nolte's presence is dominating and multi-dimensional. Dayle Haddon is the ultimate love-interest for Elliot. You get it from all angles in this film: from the team's owner, the doctors, the players, the coaches, the social cling-on's, and the uninformed bystanders. Truly a well balanced piece of film making, that to this day, still will casts some negativity in the minds of the football fan. Great lines in this film:[ Elliot to Maxwell] " You know everything, don't you?" [ Maxwell] " That I do poot.... that I do"// [ Shaddock to Coach Johnson] " Every time we call it a game, you call it a business, and every time we call it a business you call it a game!!"// [ Elliot to Coach Strothers] " You are right about one thing, B.A., it IS time to put away childish things." Please read other quotes listed here. Films that are cutting-edge as this one, also tend to be time-sensitive, and NDF is no exception as some things will undoubtedly seem old-hat to most viewers, but there is still plenty of meat left on the bone to make seeing this a priority. Don't pre-judge it as just a sports film, its much more, deeply moving, just in a very different way than say Rudy, Hoosiers, Field of Dreams, or Pride of the Yankees. Don't miss the opportunity to see this one.

This movie ranks up with Hoosiers, Remember The Titans, Eight Men Out, and other outstanding sports' movies. However, this movie may be one of the most accurate and realistic. Nick Nolte is excellent as an aging receiver with gifted hands. Nolte has taken a beating in his profession. Pain killers is not even an option to avoid. The intense pressure and training is portrayed in a very gritty way. The brutality and luck involved in surviving intact is portrayed no better in any other movie. And yet, I would say that this movie was from the football lover's perspective. The movie used some real pro footballers. No matter how bad things got, no one wanted to quit on the team. The footballer lived for the thrill of the game. Lastly, the money side/management side has never been portrayed better in a sport's movie. Dabney Coleman plays the soul-less main investor in the team. No matter how much Nolte's character gave, the business side was going to get him in the end. There was enormous tension between the coaches and the players. The coaches demanded perfection. The players thrived on the spirit of the game, not being treated like robots. The players feared the coaches, but also despised them. I was surprised how good Mac Davis was. He is a singer, but seemed to get how to play a quarterback on a pro team with great believability.

This is an outstanding take on the 1970s NFL, back when it was a game of characters and passion, not the current business-like "No Fun League".Kudos to the writer/director. They smoothly mix bawdy comedy and drama. And they include many minor scenes that help round out the supporting characters. Several characters come across as stereotypes early on, but they are full-fledged individuals by the end of the movie.John Matuszak's "business or game?" rant near the end belongs in the sports movie hall of fame.Highly recommended.