Damn Yankees

Considering the age of the movie, I was fearful the quality would be less than good. However, the disc and quality were outstanding. Not one flaw.

Throw in some baseball and several catchy songs, and dust off that old Faust legend, and you get this breezy 1958 musical from Warner Brothers. Originally a hugely successful Broadway play, DAMN YANKEES returns most of the original stage cast, with Tab Hunter taking over in the lead role. And, having seen the uber-bland, very clean cut Tab Hunter in other films, I probably should've scoffed at his being cast in a showy song & dance flick except that, surprisingly, the man actually unveils a more relaxed, fun-loving side to him. So it all works.Joe Boyd (Robert Shafer) is a middle-aged, die-hard fan of the Washington Senators, and because the Senators are pretty awful, Joe is also a long-suffering fan. After grousing over another of his team's inept showings on television (with the Senators again getting pummeled by the Yankees), Joe exclaims "One long ball hitter, that's what we need! I'd sell my soul for one long-ball hitter." Moments later, the mysterious dapperly-dressed Mr. Applegate appears on his porch and an infernal bargain is struck: a long ball hitter for a soul. But with an escape clause which allows Joe Boyd to change his mind before a set deadline.Soon the woeful Senators have a new player on the roster, a 22-year-old powerhouse slugger named Joe Hardy (Hunter), or as one female reporter dubs him: "Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo." Joe Hardy promptly leads his team from the cellar to contention and, ultimately, to a pennant race with the New York Yankees. You'd think Joe Hardy and Mr. Applegate would be ecstatic. But, no.It's that thing about absence and how it makes the heart grow fonder. Joe Hardy is having second thoughts. He misses the wife he'd abandoned, misses his old life as Joe Boyd. He's wandered back into his old neighborhood and managed to rent a room in his old house, all just so he'd be closer to a wife who's now decades older than him. And, of course, all this is stressing out Applegate. Fearing that he might lose out on this soul, he sics the demonic temptress Lola on Joe (She's irresistible, you fool!).For old-school folks like me, DAMN YANKEES is great fun. This movie rides on the playful, gleeful performances of Ray Walston and Gwen Verdon, and on the songs, several of which have managed to stick with me even after all this time. I savor them all, from Shafer and Hunter's poignant "Goodbye, Old Girl" and the exuberant "(You've Gotta Have) Heart" and "Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo" to Verdon's seductive showstopper "Whatever Lola Wants." And then there's the mambo treat "Who's Got the Pain" (Erp!), also performed by Verdon and partnered up by noted choreographer Bob Fosse (and also Verdon's hubbie).So, yeah, this movie is tailored more towards comedy and musical numbers, so the baseball sequences aren't exactly what you'd call gritty or suspenseful. However, I dig the mythic, folklorish quality which Joe Hardy achieves, and I'm even reminded a bit of THE NATURAL's Roy Hobbs. Tab Hunter unexpectedly shows a lighthearted personality, and that doesn't hurt. But Ray Walston is exceptional as the beleaguered Devil, and Gwen Verdon really sells her sexy demoness part. Watching these two actors, I can see how the Broadway show ran for an astonishing 1019 performances.And, for whatever it's worth, the DVD also includes the theatrical trailer which, by the way, trumpets the title of this movie as "What Lola Wants" with "Damn Yankees" in tiny parenthesis right below it.

Ignore any review that's from prior to March 2021. This is for the new Warner Archive Blu-ray release. All you need to know is the new transfer looks amazing for the most part, with only a couple of night scenes and the Two Lost Souls number suffering from being a bit too dark. The color is outstanding and it's got good detail. Even the opticals look better than they ever have - this is miles ahead of any other home video release. Mono sound is fine.The film mostly does a good job of replicating the stage show. I've never understood Ray Walston and find him singularly unfunny - maybe it worked onstage. It's great to have Miss Verdon repeating the role she created, but it's almost as if they're purposely trying to make her look bad - weird lighting and angles on her abound and the camera simply doesn't love her. But she's fun to watch despite all that. You have many others from the original production and they're all great, especially Shannon Bolin as Meg - she's just wonderful. And, of course, the film's best moment, Who's Got the Pain, which is worth the cost of the Blu-ray. Brilliantly choreographed by Bob Fosse and danced to perfection by him and Verdon. It's high art.

This is a great recreation of one of the great Broadway musicals of the 1950s, brought to the screen with most of the original cast, and few of the usual revisions for the presumed hayseed moviegoer that the studios often saw fit to dump on such items. The only celebrity added for box-office reasons is Tab Hunter, who ideally fits the character, so he does no harm at all. It was brightly filmed (well after three strip color) to still pretty dazzling effect. This updating of the Faust legend into a contemporary baseball story is hilarious, and and very well played. Everything is perfectly duplicated in this disc.

I upgraded my DVD of Damn Yankees to Blu-ray hoping to be wowed, as I was with the 1951 Show Boat Blu-ray.Instead, I found myself complaining more than praising the Blu-ray presentation. In a nutshell, the film fluctuates from sharp to soft and blurry imagery from scene to scene. Not sure if the source material is at fault, but these fluctuations are quite jarring at times and stand out all the more when following a scene that is in proper HD focus. The very last moments of the film really illustrates this focus issue, as it did at the end of the Blu-ray Pajama Game. By the way, The Pajama Game was quite a welcomed improvement over the lackluster DVD. The audio on Damn Yankees is somewhat lacking as well, as it sounds to be at a lower recorded level than I had expected. In general, Damn Yankees is a worthwhile purchase, which will appeal to most viewers, except those with discriminating eyes and ears.

Saw this movie when I was 9 with my family at the drive in. Great then , great now. Wonderful score. Great to have on dvd. Can't go wrong.

All star cast.

Always wanted to see. No clue what it was about. Loved the dancing by Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse was the best.

After watching the movie it reminded me of a medieval theatrical tradition called the Morality play. "Damn Yankees" is a mid 20th Century version of the Morality play. The character of Joe Boyd / Joe Hardy would be the Everyman. Mr. Applegate would be the Devil. Lola would be one of the seven deadly sins or one of the vices.

Pleased with packaging and delivery. Damn Yankees is a musical, starring Gwen Verdon, Tab Hunter, and Ray Walston. I have wanted this musical for some time, and I am pleased to get it on Blu ray. With baseball as a back drop, you are carried with the team as they go for the pennant. The devil has a hand in this tale, as he tries to collect a soul. The outcome is not what he wants, or expects! Very enjoyable musical made in 1958 in colour! It is worth getting!

This is an excellent film, but unfortunately the Videotape is of a very poor quality. Gwen Verdons Lola is one of Broadways greatest achievements. Fosses choreography is the most creative ever caught on film. Hunter is perfect for his role and proof that he is an underrated actor.

I have always loved this movie, especially Lola and her Boss!

Was everything I wanted it to be, will watch it over and over