November 8 - Rudy

Today’s movie is a biographical drama with a scene that happens on November 8. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

RUDY                                   

Daniel E. "Rudy" Ruettiger always dreamed of playing football at Notre Dame. However his grades were to poor and his stature to small to either get accepted to the school or play major collegiate football. After graduating from high school he goes to work in a steel mill, but saves his money to one day go to Notre Dame. His girlfriend wants to get married and buy a house. When his friend Pete is killed in an accident he goes to Notre Dame. With the help of a local priest he is admitted to Holy Cross Junior College with the idea of later transferring to Notre Dame. He volunteers to assistant Fortune, the Notre Dame groundskeeper, who has never seen a Notre Dame football game. At the school Rudy becomes friends with D-Bob, a Notre Dame grad student, and teaching assistant at Holy Cross. Rudy helps the shy D-Bob meet girls. In return D-Bob figures out that much of Rudy’s academic problems stem from the fact that Rudy has dyslexia. At home Rudy is mocked for not being on the team and his girlfriend dumps him for one of his brothers. Rudy finally gets into Notre Dame in his last semester of eligibility. He makes the practice squad and after two years Coach Parseghian agrees he can suit up for one game next year. However, Parseghian steps down at the end of the year and the new coach won’t let him suit up. Rudy is about to quit until Fortune talks him out of it, saying he would always regret it if he did. After other players volunteer to sit out to free up a spot for Rudy, the new coach, Dan Devine agrees to let him suit up. On November 8, 1975 [1:35:22 to 1:49:56] Rudy suits up with the team and leads them on the field. After other players start a chant for him Rudy goes in for two plays and makes a tackle. He is carried off the field.

This is a feel good movie, but it’s not too bad. It never drifts too far into being maudlin. Good acting and a good story keep this film interesting until the end.

Chicago Tribune (Sunday, November 9, 1975) Section 3, page 2

Producer - Robert N. Fried and Cary Woods

Director - David Anspaugh

Screenplay - Angelo Pizzo

Runtime – 1 hour 56 minutes

Released – October 13, 1993

Starring –

Sean Astin as Daniel E. "Rudy" Ruettiger

Jon Favreau as D-Bob

Ned Beatty as Daniel Ruettiger, Sr.

Charles S. Dutton as Fortune

Robert Prosky as Father Cavanaugh

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.