Bang the Drum Slowly

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Bang the Drum Slowly

PG

1973

1h 36m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

90%

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41 Reviews

63%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

When hotshot pitcher Henry Wiggen (Michael Moriarty) is signed to the New York Mammoths, his confident ways quickly win over his teammates. He's quite the opposite of Bruce Pearson (Robert De Niro), the team's simpleminded catcher, who has difficulty connecting with others. But when Henry discovers that Bruce has been hiding that he was recently diagnosed with a fatal form of cancer, the unlikely pair become close. Despite Henry's efforts to look out for Bruce, however, team tensions rise.

Critics Consensus

Bang the Drum Slowly is a touching melodrama that explores the inner workings of a baseball club and its players' personalities with remarkable depth.

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Penelope Gilliatt

The New Yorker

01/23/2024

The baseball paraphernalia may or may not strike experts as authentic... What is indisputably good is the flavor of the dialogue.

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Alan R. Howard

The Hollywood Reporter

08/28/2018

The movie sometimes loses track of its story and rambles for puzzling stretches of unfocused scenes. But it succeeds best with the breezy, warm scenes of baseball life and with such sterling character bits...

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Oliver Lyttelton

IndieWire

05/31/2018

There's a low-key, melancholy feel to the film, thanks in part to De Niro's turn, which never patronizes his character or begs for sympathy.

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Brian Orndorf

Blu-ray.com

03/03/2025

B

A quiet picture with a love for character that sometimes derails its pacing, but the central relationship is compelling, watching two men deal with their emotions and the reality of mortality while handling the ups and downs of a baseball season.

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Patrick Hicks

Feelin' Film Podcast

04/10/2023

2.5/5

BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY is a slow-paced drama masquerading as a sports movie. Robert De Niro and Michael Moriarty give decent performances, but there's more sport and action in a game of TEGWAR than anywhere in this film.

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John Simon

Esquire Magazine

07/23/2020

The film profits immeasurably from the performance of Robert De Niro, a Northerner who completely transformed himself into the Georgia cracker with the fatal crack running through him.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jul 8

Success in 1 hour and 36 minutes.

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jacob c

@RT09118617 04/10/2025

An affecting sports drama packed with great performances, including a particularly endearing one from Robert De Niro.

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Ishara L

@RT56911979 11/25/2024

Very dull, very boring. Couldn't connect with any of the characters. The only thing that elevated it was its great cast. De Niro. Gardenia. Aiello. I also think it's hilarious that Robert De Niro worked with Harry Potter Sr. from Troll.

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christina s

@RT97186214 10/25/2022

A gem of a movie. Sweet and hilarious. A good realistic view of minor league baseball. There is no false not in this movie. Glorifies kindness.

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05/21/2021

The film was hardly about baseball and it hardly had De Niro in it. Quite a disappointment.

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blanca m

@RT95549924 03/20/2021

I love this movie. It's not just about baseball, but about kindness and compassion for others.

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John D. Hancock

Director

Robert De Niro

Bruce Pearson

Michael Moriarty

Henry 'Arthur' Wiggen

Vincent Gardenia

Dutch Schnell

Phil Foster

Joe Jaros

Ann Wedgeworth

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Synopsis

When hotshot pitcher Henry Wiggen (Michael Moriarty) is signed to the New York Mammoths, his confident ways quickly win over his teammates. He's quite the opposite of Bruce Pearson (Robert De Niro), the team's simpleminded catcher, who has difficulty connecting with others. But when Henry discovers that Bruce has been hiding that he was recently diagnosed with a fatal form of cancer, the unlikely pair become close. Despite Henry's efforts to look out for Bruce, however, team tensions rise.

Director: John D. Hancock
Producer: Lois Rosenfield, Maurice Rosenfield
Screenwriter: Mark Harris
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Dibs Partnership, ANJS
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 26, 1973, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 24, 2018
Runtime: 1h 36m
Sound Mix: Mono