The Yankles

Last updated
The Yankles
The Yankles.jpg
Theatrical poster
Directed byDavid R. Brooks
Written byDavid R. Brooks
Zev Brooks
Produced byDavid R. Brooks
Michael Morhaime
Starring Brian Wimmer
Michael Buster
Susanne Sutchy
CinematographyBoris Price
Edited byLance Chapman
Music byEddie Hernandez
Distributed byMagnolia Pictures
Release date
  • November 15, 2009 (2009-11-15)(Bel-Air Film Festival)
Running time
115 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Yankles is a 2009 film about a fictitious college-level baseball team made up of students from an Orthodox Yeshiva.

Contents

Directed by David R. Brooks, it was filmed in Utah with a "predominantly Mormon cast," the film was shown at a number of film festivals, winning a number of festival awards, although it was never theatrically released. [1] However, in 2012 it was picked up by Magnolia Home Entertainment for DVD release. [2]

Plot and title

The Rosh yeshiva (rabbinical dean) of an Orthodox Jewish yeshiva (theological school) decides that the school should have a baseball team to compete in the college league. Elliot (Michael Buster), one of the students with a background in minor league baseball, is able to convince Charlie Jones (Brian Wimmer), a former major league player who had been imprisoned as a result of DUI convictions—and now has to perform almost 200 hours of community service—to coach the team. As he coaches the team, he gives the players "a new measure of skill and confidence," as they help him regain his self-respect. [3]

The title is the name of the ball team, based on Yankle as the Yiddish language nickname for Jacob, used as a play-on-words with the famous ball team, the Yankees. [4] An additional pun is reflected in the words painted on the school bus the yeshiva ball team uses: "In the Big Inning." [4]

Themes

According to publicity releases, the film is "not just a funny film about baseball; it's about second chances, reconciliation and forgiveness....about making mistakes and moving on, about living by principles and not passions." [5]

Production

Co-writers (and brothers) David and Zev Brooks have stated that the idea for the movie came to them when they were discussing movie concepts at their dinner table and the film The Chosen brought to mind a movie scene with Orthodox and non-Orthodox students playing baseball. [6] They agreed the image was "visually entertaining" and built the film around that image. [6]

Once the script was completed, the brothers established "DZB productions" and began seeking out investors to fund the film. When it became clear that shooting a low-budget independent film in Los Angeles would be too expensive for them, they made the decision to film the movie in Utah, using many local men and women for cast and crew. [6] According to the film's creators, the decision to film in Utah was made based on a combination of economic factors, the cooperation they would receive from the Utah Film Commission, and the large number of actors and film crew members who lived in that State. [7] Evidently because of the large number of Mormon actors and crew members involved in the production, the film (featured in many Jewish film festivals) was included in the "LDS Film Festival" as well. [7]

While the brothers co-wrote the film, David directed it and Zev produced it. [1] The movie was filmed on a tight schedule, and because the actors were not trained baseball players—and there was no time on the schedule to hold a training camp to improve their skills—the number of actual scenes of ball games were limited. [1]

The script was completed by the two brothers in 1996, and most of the film was completed by 2007, but a post-production lack of funding postponed the film's completion until 2009. [4]

DVD extras

The DVD includes an 11-minute behind-the-scenes film, 11 minutes of extended musical numbers, and 16 minutes of deleted scenes. [1]

Cast

The cast includes: [8]

Brian Wimmer and Susanne Sutchy, two of the main stars of the movie, are married in real life. [4]

Awards

The awards this film has received include: [9]

Related Research Articles

Mormonism, or the Latter Day Saint movement, teaches that its adherents are either direct descendants of the House of Israel or adopted into it. As such, Mormons regard Jews as a covenant people of God, and hold them in high esteem. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the largest church in Mormonism, is philo-Semitic in its doctrine.

Richard Dutcher American filmmaker

Richard Alan Dutcher is an American independent filmmaker who produces, writes, directs, edits, and frequently stars in his films. After making God's Army, a successful 2000 movie about LDS missionaries, Dutcher became well known among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Film critic Jeff Vice, of the Deseret News, dubbed Dutcher "The Godfather of Mormon Cinema," a title that is very important personally for Dutcher. In 2007, Dutcher left the LDS Church.

Mormon cinema Films with themes surrounding Mormonism

Mormon cinema usually refers to films with themes relevant to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The term has also been used to refer to films that do not necessarily reflect Mormon themes but have been made by Mormon filmmakers. Films within the realm of Mormon cinema may be distinguished from institutional films produced by the LDS Church, such as Legacy and Testaments, which are made for instructional or proselyting purposes and are non-commercial. Mormon cinema is produced mainly for the purposes of entertainment and potential financial success.

<i>The Singles Ward franchise</i> LDS comedy film franchise

The Singles Ward franchise includes the original film, The Singles Ward from 2002 and the 2007 sequel, The Singles 2nd Ward, both directed and written by Kurt Hale and John Moyer.

Susanne Bier Danish film director

Susanne Bier is a Danish film director, screenwriter, and producer. She is best known for her feature films Brothers (2004), After the Wedding (2006), In a Better World (2010), and Bird Box (2018), and the TV miniseries The Night Manager (2016) on AMC, The Undoing (2020) on HBO, and The First Lady (2022) on Showtime. Bier is the first female director to win a Golden Globe Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a European Film Award, collectively.

<i>Saints and Soldiers</i> 2004 American film

Saints and Soldiers is a 2003 war drama film directed by Ryan Little and produced by Little and Adam Abel. It is loosely based on events that took place after the Malmedy massacre during the Battle of the Bulge. The film stars Corbin Allred, Alexander Niver, Lawrence Bagby and Peter Asle Holden as the four American soldiers trying to return Kirby Heyborne, a British soldier with vital intelligence, to the Allied lines.

The Mormon blogosphere is a segment of the blogosphere focused on issues related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The term "Bloggernacle" was coined by individuals within the Latter-day Saint blogging community as a play on the name of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir; however, not all Latter-day Saint-themed bloggers like or use the name Bloggernacle, or even consider their blog to be part of it. Furthermore, not all bloggers within the Mormon blogosphere are Latter-day Saints themselves.

<i>Pride & Prejudice: A Latter-Day Comedy</i> 2003 film

Pride & Prejudice: A Latter-Day Comedy is a 2003 independent romantic comedy film directed by Andrew Black and produced by Jason Faller. The screenplay, by Anne Black, Jason Faller, and Katherine Swigert, is an adaptation of Jane Austen's 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice set in modern-day Provo, Utah. The film stars Kam Heskin as college student Elizabeth Bennet whose dreams of becoming an author supersede the cultural and societal pressures to be married. Elizabeth tries to escape the advances of several bachelors, including handsome but haughty businessman Will Darcy.

<i>The Book of Mormon Movie</i> 2003 American film

The Book of Mormon Movie, Volume 1: The Journey is a 2003 American adventure drama film directed by Gary Rogers and written by Rogers and Craig Clyde. A film adaptation of the first two books in the Book of Mormon, a religious text of scripture, the film was given a limited theatrical release on September 12, 2003.

Justin Utley American rock singer and songwriter (born 1976)

Justin Utley is an American rock singer and songwriter.

John Moyer is an American stand-up comedian, screenwriter, actor and film producer. Moyer co-wrote the screenplays for The Singles Ward, The R.M., and The Home Teachers. He also wrote, produced, directed, and acted in Mobsters and Mormons.

Will Swenson (actor) American actor and singer (born 1972)

William Swenson is an American actor and singer best known for his work in musical theatre. He also has developed a film career, primarily in LDS cinema.

Daryn Tufts

Daryn Tufts is a writer, director, producer, and actor. Tufts’s writing, producing, and directing credits include feature films, documentaries, and television commercials and he has acted in several successful independent films. Tufts has also performed and taught sketch comedy and improvisational comedy with several professional comedy troupes and is the commercial spokesperson for the Questar Corporation. He currently lives in Holladay, Utah.

Alex Boyé is a British-American singer, dancer, and actor. He was named the "2017 Rising Artist of the Year" in a contest sponsored by Pepsi and Hard Rock Cafe.

<i>8: The Mormon Proposition</i> 2010 American film

8: The Mormon Proposition is an American documentary that examines The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its support of California Proposition 8, stating that the church has been actively involved in the denial of LGBT human rights. The film was written by Reed Cowan, directed by Cowan and Steven Greenstreet, and narrated by Dustin Lance Black. It was released on June 18, 2010, by Red Flag Releasing.

Mormon studies is the interdisciplinary academic study of the beliefs, practices, history and culture of individuals and denominations belonging to the Latter Day Saint movement, a religious movement associated with the Book of Mormon, though not all churches and members of the Latter Day Saint movement identify with the terms Mormon or Mormonism. Denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement include The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by far the largest, as well as the Community of Christ (CoC) and other smaller groups, include some categorized under the umbrella term Mormon fundamentalism.

Ironbound Films

Ironbound Films is an American independent documentary film production company. Their films focus on stories of how people succeed and fail to connect. Their 2008 film The Linguists and 2010 film The New Recruits, were about characters whose missteps undermined their stated intentions but also exposed their humanity. Another feature documentary, Évocateur: The Morton Downey Jr. Movie, is about controversial 1980s talk-show icon Morton Downey Jr. and premiered at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel is a 2018 documentary film that The Jerusalem Post described as "the David-and-Goliath story of Israel’s national baseball team as it competed for the first time in the World Baseball Classic." The 87-minute film won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the 2018 Gold Coast International Film Festival, the Audience Award for Documentary at the 2018 Washington Jewish Film Festival, the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 2018 Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival, the Best Documentary Film Award at the 2018 Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival, and the Best Documentary Award at the 2018 Jewish Arts and Film Festival of Fairfield County.

<i>Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story</i> 2010 American film

Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story is a 2010 American documentary film narrated by Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman, written by Pulitzer Prize winner Ira Berkow, and directed by award-winning documentary filmmaker Peter Miller. It is about the connection and history between American Jews and baseball.

Steven Greenstreet is an American documentary filmmaker, known for the controversial film, 8: The Mormon Proposition, which was selected to premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Currently residing in New York City, he has also worked as a video investigative journalist for The Huffington Post Investigative Fund and a video producer for the US State Department.

Garrett Batty is an American film director, writer, and producer known for his film The Saratov Approach. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and a native of Park City, Utah. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his films are part of Mormon cinema, but with a more general audience. He has written, directed, and produced four full-length films, including Freetown (2015) and Out of Liberty (2019), and will begin work on a fifth in 2020. For Freetown, he was awarded the 2015 Ghana Movie Award for Best Screenplay alongside Melissa Leilani Larson.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.