Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story is an American 1992 sports drama biography television film[8] about the life of Loyola Marymount basketball player Eric "Hank" Gathers, written for Tribune Entertainment by Fred Johnson, Don Enright and Ed Fields, and directed by Charles Braverman.[9][10][11][12][13]
| Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story | |
|---|---|
 VHS cover | |
| Genre | Biography Drama Sport |
| Written by | Fred Johnson |
| Screenplay by | Fred Johnson Don Enright Ed Fields |
| Story by | Fred Johnson |
| Directed by | Charles Braverman |
| Starring | Victor Love[1] Duane Davis George Kennedy Nell Carter Sam Hennings |
| Music by | Stanley Clarke |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Russell Vreeland |
| Producers | Don Enright Les Alexander James P. McGillen[2] |
| Production locations | Los Angeles Philadelphia, Pennsylvania[3] Santa Monica, California |
| Cinematography | Stephen Blake |
| Running time | 92 minutes |
| Production companies | McGillen Entertainment Alexander, Enright & Associates Tribune Entertainment[4] |
| Budget | $3 million[5] |
| Original release | |
| Network | First-run syndication[6][7] |
| Release | March 29, 1992 |
Synopsis
editThis film follows the life of basketball legend Eric "Hank" Gathers, from his growing up in the ghettos of Philadelphia to his freshman year at USC through his brief career playing basketball for Loyola Marymount University, where he collapsed during a game and died of a heart ailment.[10]
Partial cast
edit- Victor Love as Hank Gathers
- Duane Davis as Bo Kimble
- George Kennedy as Father Dave
- Nell Carter as Lucille Gathers
- Sam Hennings as Coach Spencer
- Reynaldo Rey as Red
- Whitman Mayo as Nick
- Ed Arnold as Himself
- Bart Braverman as Tom Talmadge
- Dick Baker as Referee
- John Mahon as Paul Westhead
- Ken Foree as First USC Coach
- Milt Kogan as Doctor
- Baldwin C. Sykes as Specs
- Michael D. Hall as Heat Gates
- Cory Curtis as Young Heat Gates
- De'Andre Alfred as Noo-Noo Gathers
- Donny B. Lord as Young Hank Gathers
- Michole White as Taffy
- David Netter as Aaron
Production
editCasting began in late 1991,[14] with a television debut slated for March 1992.[15] The project was filmed in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; as well as in Santa Monica and Los Angeles, California.[11]
Reception
editEntertainment Weekly wrote that the film "does a decent job of showing us the person inside the uniform," but felt that the film is overall "too sketchily told to be truly satisfying."[16]
Dallas Morning News felt that the film went beyond disappointing to become "an insult -- not for what it focuses on, but for what it leaves out." The reviewer felt that the film fell "in line with many TV projects based on real-life people by reducing its subject to sterotypes."[17]
Philadelphia Inquirer wrote that film suffered in its dwelling less on the formative events of Gathers' life to concentrate too much upon his basketball career.[13]
Conversely, San Diego Union-Tribune felt the film was a fitting tribute to Hank Gathers' memory.[18]
Variety wrote that while some of the scenes were awkward, the film "sets a fine example of what a youth under pressure in North Philly can accomplish." They wrote that it is the growing relation of Hank Gathers with his college teammate Bo Kimble as friends and players that holds the viewer's interest, while making note that Gathers' off-court life remains "shadowy and vague".[11]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Weaver, Maurice (April 5, 1992). "HANK GATHERS STORY". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ Herbert, Steven (April 19, 1992). "The Pride of the Lions : Film follows the life of Loyola's Hank Gathers until his 'Final Shot' two years ago". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Prouty (April 22, 1992). "Variety TV REV 1991-92 17". Variety. ISBN 9780824037963.
- ^ Rosenberg, Howard (April 22, 1992). "TV REVIEW : 'Final Shot' Misses Basket". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Blystone, Ryan T. (March 26, 1992). "'Final Shot' profiles life and death of Gathers" (PDF). California State University, Fullerton Daily Titan.
- ^ Hiltbrand, David (March 30, 1992). "Picks and Pans Review: Final Shot: the Hank Gathers Story". People.
- ^ "WGN Presents". epguides.com.
- ^ "Have Cheetah, Will View #170 – "Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story" (1992)". THE INNER CIRCLE. March 8, 2018.
- ^ Hal Erickson (2007). "Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story (1992)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
- ^ a b Fearn-Banks, Kathleen (2007). Historical dictionary of African-American television. Historical dictionaries of literature and the arts. Vol. 7 (illustrated ed.). Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 31, 68, 141, 262, 277, 356, 377. ISBN 978-0-8108-5335-5.
- ^ a b c Scott, Tony (1994). Prouty (ed.). VARIETY TV REV 1991-92 17. Variety and Daily Variety Television Reviews. Vol. 17 (illustrated ed.). Taylor & Francis. ISBN 0-8240-3796-0.
- ^ "Coming home for Hank". Philadelphia Inquirer. April 1, 1992. p. E01. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
- ^ a b "TV Portrait of Gathers simply spares too much". Philadelphia Inquirer. April 1, 1992. p. E01. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
- ^ "Putting Stalin in his place". Long Beach Press Telegram. November 10, 1991. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
- ^ Hudson, Maryann (December 6, 1991). "Gathers Trial Set to Begin Feb. 24 in Torrance". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
- ^ Slauter, Michael (March 12, 1993). "review: Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 21, 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
- ^ Perkins, Parrish (March 28, 1992). "Final Shot': just an air ball. Hank Gathers story becomes misleading made-for-TV movie". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
- ^ Freeman, John (April 19, 1992). "'Final Shot' scores as fitting TV tribute to Hank Gathers' memory". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2 September 2010.[dead link]