The Curse of the Bambino

September. 16,2003      
Rating:
7.4
Trailer Synopsis Cast

Told with humor in the face of heartache, this acclaimed documentary, about the curse of Babe Ruth on the Boston Red Sox, combines archival footage with contemporary interviews and focuses not on the Red Sox players that have come and gone, but on the diehard fans who live their entire lives lamenting what some have come to call The Curse of the Bambino.

Ben Affleck as  Narrator
Steven Wright as  Himself
Michael Chiklis as  Himself
Mike O'Malley as  Himself
Denis Leary as  Himself
Lenny Clarke as  Himself

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Reviews

Kattiera Nana
2003/09/16

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

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BallWubba
2003/09/17

Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

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Borserie
2003/09/18

it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

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Curt
2003/09/19

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

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poultonse
2003/09/20

Great presentation of a fascinating subject. Having seen this documentary several times on HBO, I've managed to get even non-sports fans to sit and watch.As a fan of baseball, but not a Boston or Yankees devotee, this documentary did a wonderful job of explaining to me the true depth of the rivalry. Everyone knows the Red Sox hate the Yankees and vice versa -- but I had no idea of the extent of it, or the real histories behind the teams.Those who say this documentary is about curses and silly superstitions, didn't pay close enough attention. It's about the two cultures, two communities clashing, exposing their strengths and weaknesses, about how competition and hope are an inherent part of the human condition and last, like baseball, unchanged across the years.Enjoyed Affleck's narration and the organized and balanced structure of the final show. Very funny. Great editing on the game recaps, too -- well done.

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superdynamite
2003/09/21

This is a wonderful documentary. It is fun to watch from beginning to end. It shows you the entire history of the Boston Red Sox up until 2003. Ben Afflec is the perfect narrator for this film. He speaks from the heart and makes watching this great film even more exciting. As far a documentaries go I would rate this a 7.9 out of 10. 10 being the best. The Ali documentary "When We Where Kings" is a ten, Curse of The Bambino isn't far behind. The only negative thing I have to say about this film is, they should have waited until 2004 to make this film, then the 2003 ALCS against the Yankees and the A-Rod mess up could have been added to the mound of failure depicted in this film. I highly recommend Curse of The Bambino. It is fun to watch from beginning to end.

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gotham23
2003/09/22

There is no curse.HBO spent an hour documenting something that doesn't exist, and they didn't even do a very good job of it. The Boston Red Sox have a long, colorful history, and it's true that part of the story is their inability to win a championship for nearly 90 years despite getting agonizingly close about once a generation. But that's only part of the story. 86 years since 1918 and the best HBO can come up with is "The Curse"? There's so much more than that to this team. If HBO wanted to make a documentary about the Boston Red Sox, there really was the potential for a meaningful examination of a historic club that has a very special bond with its fans all across New England.Instead, we get an hour of sob stories set to depressing background music. I'm sure Affleck did this for a laugh, but he sounds like a fool narrating this nonsense. It's not even an accurate representation of the fans. One has to wonder how many hours of interviews they left on the cutting room floor, with most fans probably acknowledging that the team's had some bad breaks but that it just makes one anticipate the following season even more. Few Sox fans would say that Dan Shaughnessy speaks for them.And even fewer believe in a curse.

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citiprime
2003/09/23

As a Cubs fan, my sympathy goes out to red sox fans. The documentary is the history of eighty years of Boston teams getting within reach of the promised land only to be struck down. It tells the tale of eighty years of grief, missed chances, and chokes. From Bucky "F...ing" Dent to Bill Buckner, to their battles with the Evil Empire in Yankee pinstripes and finally how the specter of Babe Ruth's trade hovering over the team affects them to this day. God may not hate the Red Sox, but he sure as hell likes the Yankees more.In all of the suffering and despair though, what comes through is not the misery of losing but the love and hope of people for a team who still every year gives them reason to believe.

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