DramaFamily

Hoosiers

- They needed a second chance to finish first.

Failed college coach Norman Dale gets a chance at redemption when he is hired to coach a high school basketball team in a tiny Indiana town. After a teacher persuades star player Jimmy Chitwood to quit and focus on his long-neglected studies, Dale struggles to develop a winning team in the face of community criticism for his temper and his unconventional choice of assistant coach: Shooter, a notorious alcoholic.

Release Date : 1986-11-14

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Orion PicturesDe Haven ProductionsHemdale Film Corporation

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Coach Norman Dale

Original Name : Gene Hackman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Myra Fleener

Original Name : Barbara Hershey

Gender : Female

Character Name : Shooter

Original Name : Dennis Hopper

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cletus

Original Name : Sheb Wooley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Opal Fleener

Original Name : Fern Persons

Gender : Female

Character Name : George

Original Name : Chelcie Ross

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rollin

Original Name : Robert Swan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rooster

Original Name : Michael O'Guinne

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reverend Doty

Original Name : Wil Dewitt

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sheriff Finley

Original Name : John Robert Thompson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Preacher Purl

Original Name : Michael Sassone

Gender : Male

Character Name : Millie

Original Name : Gloria Dorson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mayor Carl

Original Name : Mike Dalzell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Junior

Original Name : Skip Welker

Gender : Male

Character Name : J. June

Original Name : Eric Gilliom

Gender : Male

Character Name : Referee (Oolitic)

Original Name : Robert Boyle

Gender : Male

Character Name : Referee - Oolitic Game

Original Name : Jerry D. Petro

Gender : Male

Character Name : Referee - Cedar Knob Game

Original Name : Sam Smiley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Coach - Cedar Knob

Original Name : Tom McConnell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gorilla Player - Cedar Knob

Original Name : Dennis Farkas

Gender : Male

Character Name : Referee - Verdi Game

Original Name : Tim Fogarty

Gender : Male

Character Name : Referee - Loogootee Game

Original Name : Spyridon Stratigos

Gender : Male

Character Name : Referee - Dugger Game

Original Name : Ken Strunk

Gender : Male

Character Name : Referee - Terhune Game

Original Name : Jerry D. Larrison

Gender : Male

Character Name : Referee - Terhune Game

Original Name : Thomas W. Marshall

Gender : Male

Character Name : Coach - Jasper

Original Name : Gary Long

Gender : Male

Character Name : Coach - Jasper

Original Name : C.W. Mundy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Player - Jasper

Original Name : Jeff Moster

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doc Buggins

Original Name : Ralph H. Shively

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : Rich Komenich

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : Scott Miley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : Robert Sutton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Coach - State

Original Name : Ray Crowe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Official - Finals

Original Name : Ray Craft

Gender : Male

Character Name : Finals P.A. Announcer

Original Name : Tom Carnegie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Radio Announcer - Finals

Original Name : Hilliard Gates

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hickory Cheerleader

Original Name : Laura Robling

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hickory Cheerleader

Original Name : Nancy Harris

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hickory Cheerleader

Original Name : Libbey Schenck

Gender : Male

Character Name : Whit Butcher

Original Name : Brad Boyle

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rade

Original Name : Steve Hollar

Gender : Male

Character Name : Buddy

Original Name : Brad Long

Gender : Male

Character Name : Everett

Original Name : David Neidorf

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jimmy Chitwood

Original Name : Maris Valainis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Merle

Original Name : Kent Poole

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ollie

Original Name : Wade Schenck

Gender : Male

Character Name : Strap Purl

Original Name : Scott Summers

Gender : Male

Character Name : Star Spangled Banner Quartet

Original Name : The Travel-Aires

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2025-03-04

I really found it quite hard to get excited about this rather predictable story, even though Dennis Hopper turns in one of his best character efforts. The story centres on basketball coach “Dale” (Gene Hackman) who takes over a third rate school team in Indiana. Their team spirit is pretty non existent but there are spirits a-plenty going down the throat of the enthusiastic “Shooter” (Hopper) whose son plays for the team and who isn’t the worst tactician - but is never sober often or long enough to consistently make much odds. With a team that couldn’t beat an egg and a deputy who can barely stand up, we now set off on a fairly standard story from a 1950s United States where opportunities were thin on the ground and sport could offer a way out for many. Hackman is fine, but not really anything more as we discover his character’s baggage and demons; Barbara Hershey tries to impose herself but her “Myra” has little to get her teeth into and Oscar nominated or not, I just didn’t take to Jerry Goldsmith’s confused score that was half Vangelis and half AOR. Even if you didn’t know the actual history upon which this is based, it’s an easy guess and that very procedural nature of the drama robs it of much jeopardy, even as the simulated match action takes place. It’s a motivational feel-good film and ought to be shown to illustrate to kids that winning is important, but not so much as the team-building aspects of sport that only work if everyone playing can rely on everyone else. It’s watchable enough, but isn’t anything special.