The Pride of St.Louis

"Ain't you Tommy Alexander-the one they tells me kills a fast ball inside" "Come on, busher, pitch the ball."

"...Well, that's just what you're gonna get, a high fast ball inside."

That's what Tommy got, and he struck out. This event marked the Texas League debut of Jerome Herman "Dizzy" Dean. Twentieth Century Fox has made a few years in Dean's life into a colorful motion picture.

Dan Dailey plays the part of Dean, with Joanne Dru as his patient wife. Dailey does justice to the role of the former Cardinal Pitcher, especially in his slaughter of the English language, so familiar to Dizzy's fans. Joanne Dru's portrayal of the film, understanding, educated wife is an excellent contrast to her child-like, over-confident, ignorant partner.

Much of the credit, however, goes to Screenwriter Herman T. Mankiewicz, whose snappy dialogue and mastery of the Ozark idiom puts over the story. The plot it self is not spectacular. It follows Dean's career with St. Louis, reaching a climax in his disastrous arm injury, and leveling off with his transfer to the Chicago Cubs and final post as a baseball announcer. Though The Pride of St. Louis is basically another Stratton Story, Mankiewicz and Dailey have turned the Dean legend into a good movie in its own right.