The Natural focuses on the redemption of Roy Hobbs, who figures out that he has something to prove - and sets out to do it. And, as he rounds the bases amidst a shower of sparks in a scene that could only happen in a Hollywood-born field of dreams, he knows he has accomplished his goal and fulfilled his dream.

What is the story behind the movie The Natural?

Based upon the bizarre shooting incident and subsequent comeback of Philadelphia Phillies player Eddie Waitkus, the story of Roy Hobbs takes some poetic license and embellishes what was truly a strange, but memorable, account of a career lost too soon.

What does the ending of The Natural mean?

This is the tragic end of our hero. Roy's lost his honor and his self-respect. He can't look his fans in the face, and he surely can't go back to baseball. He finally realizes that it was his own mistakes that brought him to this point, but that realization is too little and way too late.

Why did Harriet shoot Roy in The Natural?

In the novel, it is clear that she is insane and is obsessed with killing any athlete who does not play the game for the "right" reasons. She asks Roy why he plays, and this is a form of the heroes test which he fails and as a result she shoots and tries to kill Roy.

Why was Hobbs bleeding in The Natural?

He awakens in the hospital and learns that an old silver bullet, removed from his stomach, has caused him long-term damage.

The Lady in White - The Natural (5/8) Movie CLIP (1984) HD

Why does Roy eat so much in the natural?

It is significant that after Roy decides not to pursue Iris, he suddenly develops a great craving for food. He is attempting to fulfill himself in a way that Memo and his own self-centered playing cannot; only Iris has the ability to provide the true fulfillment that would end his desire for both food and Memo.

What is Roy's tragic flaw?

Roy only considers his decision in terms of which option would bring him more money, and therefore win him Memo (he thinks). Memo is Roy's one true blind spot. His desire for is so unbelievably single-minded that it can be considered Roy's tragic flaw.

Why was Harriet hit in the head?

Sometime in the late 1890s, Tubman underwent major surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital. As an enslaved child, she endured a severe head injury when an overseer hurled a lead weight at her in anger. Stemming from that injury, Tubman continuously suffered from debilitating seizures and other painful conditions.

Why does Roy cry at the end of the natural?

Roy Hobbs is perhaps unique among the Malamud heroes: he is left in tears, having learned his lessons too late. He decides to be a father to Iris's son, realizing that redemption is the work of a lifetime.

Did Memo poison Roy in the natural?

Not knowing that Memo poisoned him, he nonetheless realizes she's playing against him. Injured and recovering from the poison, Roy struggles during the play-off game for the pennant. Iris, in the stands with her son, sends him a note telling him he's the father.

Did Robert Redford do his own hitting in The Natural?

I loved playing baseball and I loved the Boston Red Sox and Ted Williams and I wanted to go in that direction [as a ballplayer] if I could, but never could until this.” Johnson confirms that Redford did all of his own batting for the film, and made some solid hits.

How old was Robert Redford in the movie The Natural?

Robert Redford was 47 at the time of filming. The filmmakers scouted the country for a stadium to use in game scenes. They needed something nondescript with a pre-World War II feel, and found it in Buffalo's War Memorial Stadium.

Who does Roy Hobbs end up with?

We then follow the flight of the ball to Hobbs back home on the farm, playing catch with his carbon-copy blonde son as Iris (Glenn Close), presumably now his wife, affectionately looks on. Roy smiles, finally content.

Who was the mysterious woman in The Natural?

The Whammer has caught the interest of a young lady by the name of Harriet Bird (Barbara Hershery), who is also on the way to Chicago.

Who is the bad boy in The Natural?

Savoy, played by George Wilkosz, was the bat boy in Redford's movie “The Natural.”

Did Roy Hobbs actually strike out?

*OK, I'll spoil it for you: Hobbs does strike out in the book version. So maybe having the umpire say “strike” on that first pitch was Levinson's homage to the book. I should ask him about that. *There are those who point out that before 1950, the home team had the option to bat first.

Is The Natural based on a true story?

According to Wikipedia, Author Malamud, supposedly not a baseball fan himself, created “the Natural” story and his Roy Hobbs character from the real life of Eddie Waitkus, a major leaguer in 1941 and 1946-55.

Does Roy Hobbs have a son in The Natural?

Finally, Hobbs has just found out from his old hometown girlfriend Iris (Glenn Close) that Hobbs is the father of her son Ted. With all that in place, here is the script to the final sequence in The Natural.

Who does Roy go to see about getting a raise in The Natural?

Batter Up!

After Bump's death, Roy continues to play well (and the team begins to win). But Roy can't win over the thoughts and affection of Memo, who is mourning Bump. He decides to ask Judge Banner for a raise. Rebuffed, he accepts Max Mercy's invitation to visit a nightclub instead.

What disease did Harriet have?

She was hit in the head with a two-pound weight, leaving her with a lifetime of severe headaches and narcolepsy. Although slaves were not legally allowed to marry, Tubman entered a marital union with John Tubman, a free black man, in 1844.

How did Harriet get epilepsy?

In the Bucktown Village Store, she refused to help an overseer stop a freedom seeker (runaway slave). The overseer threw a two pound weight at the enslaved man, but it hit Tubman in the head instead, almost killing her. This blow to the head caused Tubman to have sleeping spells (epilepsy) her entire life.

What was Harriet Tubman's disease?

Born into slavery around 1820, Tubman went on to help hundreds of slaves escape to freedom in the North and Canada. She was also a Civil War hero, promoted women's voting rights and ran a home for elderly African Americans. Harriet Tubman's epilepsy was also an important part of her personal story.

Why does Roy reject Iris?

The woman is Iris Lemon and she and Roy meet after the game. They walk along the lakeshore, and eventually make love. But when Iris tells Roy that she is a grandmother, Roy rejects her, and returns to his longing for Memo.

What is a main character with a fatal flaw which eventually leads to his demise in a tragedy?

A tragic hero is the protagonist of a tragic story or drama, in which, despite their virtuous and sympathetic traits and ambitions, they ultimately meet defeat, suffering, or even an untimely end. They are often imperfect or wounded with some sort of fraught experience, and typically have some sort of fatal flaw.

What is a main character who has a tragic flaw that causes his downfall?

A tragic hero is a type of character in a tragedy, and is usually the protagonist. Tragic heroes typically have heroic traits that earn them the sympathy of the audience, but also have flaws or make mistakes that ultimately lead to their own downfall. In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is a tragic hero.