Unfortunately Most of the Best Sports Films Are Either Comedies or Anti-films

The greatest sports film is easy. It's Rod Serling's film adaption of his great teleplay "Requiem for a Heavyweight". This film is heads and shoulders over any other sports film because of it's magnificent performances and Serling. However, it is a scathing expose of pro boxing. The rest of superior sports films are rarely a celebration of a particular sport. One rare positive film is "The Pride of the Yankees" because of it's revered main character the "Iron Horse", Lou Gehrig. Also, a big name lead like Gary Cooper didn't hurt. Other great ones are not as flattering. Baseball's best is probably "Major League" which is a comedy but the actual baseball scenes are the finest ever done. Two other "unfriendly" looks at boxing, "The Harder They Fall" and "Fat City" are also among the best. Boxing because of it's social contact with the real world is by far the most interesting sports subject for film. Then there are the fascinating people in boxing such as Jack Johnson and Jake La Motta who make for great film subjects. I've only mentioned theatrical films because almost all documentaries have a particular agenda which makes them too subjective for the viewer. Then, there are the superior "game" films like "The Hustler" and "The Cincinnati Kid".