The Church of Baseball by Ron Shelton

[Ricordanza]

“Candlesticks always make a nice gift.” Say this line to a movie fan, especially a sports movie fan, and they will easily identify its source as the film “Bull Durham.” But this line (spoken by the pitching coach on a visit to the mound) was improvised by actor Robert Wuhl; it was not in the original script. That’s one of the surprising facts found in this book by the writer and director of this classic movie. In describing how the film was made, from writing the script to post-production, Shelton gives us fascinating insights into the process. Throughout that process, he battled studio executives who tried to change the script, the cast (can you imagine this film without Susan Sarandon?) and just about every other detail of the film. The final product (and its enduring popularity with the public) shows why Shelton felt justified in pushing for a film based on his conception.

I commented on this book in the film forum when I was still in the middle of reading it. Now that I finished reading the book, I have no hesitation in recommending it.