Dropping in on Bang the Drum Slowly

This 1973 film tells the bittersweet story of a star major league baseball pitcher who protects and supports his less-talented and simple-minded friend and teammate who just learns he is dying from Hodgkin’s disease.  The title comes from a phrase in the song Streets of Laredo, a story about a dying young cowboy, and the haunting tune is a backdrop in the film.  Michael Moriarty and Robert De Niro, unknowns at the time, give strong, understated performances, and Vincent Gardenia almost steals the show as the comically-frustrated manager who tries to find out the secret he knows the two men are hiding.  I enjoyed watching the film once again after so many years, getting absorbed in its slow rhythms, soft humor, and poignant moments.  In the movie world, this is one of those little gems that get lost in the glare from the big chunks of fool’s gold.

R Balsamo