The Legend of Bagger Vance

Plot

A down-and-out golfer attempts to recover his game and his life with help from a mystical caddy.

Release Year: 2000

Rating: 6.5/10 (26,964 voted)

Critic's Score: 47/100

Director:
Robert Redford

Stars: Will Smith, Matt Damon, Charlize Theron

Storyline
A disillusioned war veteran, Captain Rannulph Junah, reluctantly agrees to play a game of golf. He finds the game futile until his caddy, Bagger Vance, teaches him the secret of the authentic golf stroke which turns out also to be the secret to mastering any challenge and finding meaning in life.

Writers: Steven Pressfield, Jeremy Leven

Cast:

Will Smith
–

Bagger Vance

Matt Damon
–

Rannulph Junuh

Charlize Theron
–

Adele Invergordon

Bruce McGill
–

Walter Hagen

Joel Gretsch
–

Bobby Jones

J. Michael Moncrief
–

Hardy Greaves

Peter Gerety
–

Neskaloosa

Lane Smith
–

Grantland Rice

Michael O'Neill
–

O.B. Keeler

Thomas Jay Ryan
–

Spec Hammond

Trip Hamilton
–

Frank Greaves

Dermot Crowley
–

Dougal McDermott

Harve Presnell
–

John Invergordon

Danny Nelson
–

McManus

Bob Penny
–

Laidlaw

Taglines:
It Was Just A Moment Ago.

Release Date: 3 November 2000

Filming Locations: Beaufort, South Carolina, USA

Box Office Details

Budget: $60,000,000

(estimated)

Opening Weekend: $11,516,712
(USA)
(5 November 2000)
(2061 Screens)

Gross: $30,695,227
(USA)
(1 January 2001)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Did You Know?

Trivia:

Actor Trademark (Jack Lemmon): [mantra] When The Narrator tees up at the beginning of the movie, he says, "It's magic time." That is the phrase Lemmon would say before every take in every movie he ever did.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes:
When Bagger is instructing Junuh about "The Field", (Second Round, first day) he describes Bobby Jones' play move by move and stroke by stroke. He's "In the Field." Bobby Jones then promptly slices the shot to the left. But the sequence is recorded as though he had sent the ball straight down the middle.

Quotes:

Walter Hagen:
Hey, I admire the way you're dealing with this match, Junuh. Fighting the way you are. It's damn noble. But no matter how good a fighter you are, just remember, I can ask they King to gold the flag for me when I putt, but he's not going to give me his crown, neither is Bobby and neither am I.

User Review

greatly misunderstood story, completely underrated classic

Rating:

Having watched this film more times than I can remember and reading the
comments left so far I feel that a major message of this film has gone
completely overlooked. Even as a complete golf addict, I can look
beyond the obvious inspirational story and see than the focus is on
Junah's battle with faith, and why does nobody mention that Bagger
Vance is a guardian angel? I'm not a religious person so please don't
get the wrong idea but is it not obvious at the end when old Hardy
Greaves dies and Bagger appears on the horizon? "I'm right here with
ya, I've been here all along…" And please Junah's trauma was caused
by WW1 NOT WW2 – it is 1930 (WW2 did not start until 1939!) OK,the
direction by Redford is fantastic with the portrayal of the characters
done (and acted) extremely well. Will Smith and Matt Damon play the
roles brilliantly, especially Smith. Perhaps Damon seems a little young
to be a veteran at times though, but all the same-flawless. Theron,
physically, looks perfect for the role but, like Damon, not a woman
assumedley in her mid-thirties. I only wish more money could have been
spent on this film and it would have been made into the epic it
deserves to be. Far more than a simple, soft inspirational story. One
must look beyond to see the real message, oh and if your not a golfer,
you might not completely 'get it'.

Film 8.5/10 Story 10/10