The I love you guys gets me. That line takes it beyond just basketball. I do lose it right there. I must say though one of the most moving scenes at the end is when Gene Hackman stares up at Barbara Hershey, what magic, what an acting performance. I think the glance he gives has a double meaning, yes he stares up at her because they probably have fallen for each other but there is one other meaning imo. When he came prancing into town Barbara's character was not supportive of Coach Dale initially so this was also an I proved you wrong glance. And, I think Barabra sells that second meaning well imo. When that smile changes to a more amazed look, I think she then realizes while looking at Coach Dale, that she was wrong and was proud of what Coach Dale had accomplished and did for these young kids and for the town. They then switch the camera back to Gene and I feel after seeing Barbara's look of amazement he feels that he did prove her wrong (from a romantic standpoint and from the basketball vs. education standpoint) and he felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment at that exact moment. You can just see it in his face before he looks at someone else. That simple little exchange puts Hoosiers over the top for me as one of the greatest sports movies ever and because of that little moment I must say if there was another roll Hackman should have won best actor for, this was the one. For me the viewer to get the aforementioned impressions while watching the brief exchange between the two characters I think just displays superior acting skills. Very impressive. Such a great film.
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hoosiersfan2011
13 years ago
I have two favorite scenes where Hackman is incredibly expressive. One is when Myra enters Norman's classroom and tells him that the townspeople will vote on his dismissal. He doesn't say a lot, but his face conveys great hurt and disappointment. The other scene is when Myra reads him the article she copied about how he hit one of his players years ago. Hackman's face conveys a series of different emotions as Myra reads. Try watching this scene on DVD with the sound muted to appreciate his range of expressions even more.
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zdr0114
13 years ago
The answer to the original question is yes.
Take it from a guy who grew up in a small town in Nebraska, a two sport college athlete and all the pressures that come with it. I played for some of the hardest asses that have walked this earth. To have a coach display a moment of vulnerability and affection is extremely rare and in my opinion is something that young athletes always look for, approval.
Put it like this…..
If Bobby Knight or Pat Summit pulled you aside and told you he/she loved you for your dedication, hard work and how you believed in his/her ways when you had no reason to, you would cry.
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