Rudy (film)

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Rudy

Theatrical release poster
Directed by David Anspaugh
Produced by Cary Woods
Written by Angelo Pizzo
Starring Sean Astin
Jon Favreau
Ned Beatty
Charles S. Dutton
Jason Miller
Vince Vaughn
Music by Jerry Goldsmith
Cinematography Oliver Wood
Editing by David Rosenbloom
Distributed by TriStar Pictures
Release date(s) October 13, 1993 (limited)
October 22, 1993
Running time 116 min.
Country United States
Language English
Spanish
Budget $12 million
Gross revenue $22,750,363

Rudy is a 1993 film directed by David Anspaugh. It is an account of the life of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger who harbored dreams of playing football at the University of Notre Dame despite significant obstacles. It was the first movie the Notre Dame administration allowed to be shot on campus since Knute Rockne, All American in 1940. In 2005, Rudy was named one of the best 20 sports movies of the previous 25 years in two polls by ESPN (#24 by a panel of sports experts, and #4 by espn.com users).[1] It was also ranked the 54th most inspiring film of all time in the AFI 100 Years… series.[2] The film was released on October 13, 1993 by TriStar Pictures. This film stars Sean Astin as the title character. Also in the cast are Ned Beatty, Charles S. Dutton, and Vince Vaughn in his film debut.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger grew up dreaming of playing football at the University of Notre Dame. While achieving some success with his local high school football team, Ruettiger lacks the grades and money to attend Notre Dame, and talent and physical size (the real Ruettiger was only 5'6" and the film suggests that the fictional Rudy was even smaller than that) to play football for the Fighting Irish. Instead, he takes a job at the local steel mill where his father Daniel Ruettiger Sr. (a huge Notre Dame fan) works, and he prepares to settle down.

When his best friend Pete is killed in an explosion at the mill, Rudy decides to follow his dream of attending Notre Dame and playing college football for the Fighting Irish, and leaves for Notre Dame, against his father's warning that "Ruettigers don't belong at college." Ruettiger fails to get admitted to Notre Dame, and instead goes to a small junior college, Holy Cross College, hoping to qualify for a transfer to the university. Holy Cross College is now a four-year liberal arts college.[3]

During his final semester of transfer eligibility, he is granted admission to Notre Dame. After "walking on" (a term used to designate the process by which non-scholarship players join a college football team) for the football team, Ruettiger convinces coach Ara Parseghian to give him a spot on the football practice or scout team, where Rudy exhibits more drive and desire than some of his big-name varsity teammates.

Upon Dan Devine's installation as head coach, Ruettiger fears he will lose the chance to dress for a home game (and thereby establish himself on the official team roster for that year), an arrangement to which Parseghian had agreed in recognition of Ruettiger's drive and his dedication to the football program. Late in the season of 1975, his teammates, led by team captain and All-American Roland Steele, rise to his defense, pressuring Devine to allow Rudy to suit up for the final game of the season in their place by putting their jerseys, one at a time, on top of Devine's desk .

The final game of the season comes, against Georgia Tech. And while Rudy is suited up, his teammates feel this is not enough. One of the varsity players starts a chant that soon goes stadium wide. Coach Devine eventually gives in and lets Rudy play on the final kickoff. Rudy then stays in for the final play of the game and sacks the opposing quarterback. The final scene depicts him being carried off the field by his teammates.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Cameo appearances

  • Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger - a fan behind Rudy's father in the final scenes.
  • Father Theodore Hesburgh, President of the University of Notre Dame 1952–1987 and Father Edmund Joyce, Vice President of the University of Notre Dame 1952–1987. Fathers Hesburgh and Joyce play unnamed priests walking in the Basilica. They are seen talking to one of Rudy's mentors, Father John J Cavanaugh (played by Robert Prosky, who died on December 8, 2008), who was also Father Hesburgh's predecessor as president of the university.

[edit] Production

 Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (November 2008)
  • The crowd scenes during Rudy's final game were filmed during halftime at a real game between Notre Dame and Boston College during 1992.
  • Rudy runs his fingers down the list in a close-up two times. The first time he starts on one name, the second time he starts on another name. The two names he starts his finger on are the actual names of the two players who picked him up and carried him off the field.[citation needed]
  • Many of the Priests and miscellaneous Notre Dame employees in the movie are actual Notre Dame employees.
  • This movie was shot in Illinois and Indiana.

[edit] Dramatic alterations

  • The Georgia Tech quarterback in the film wore the number "19." This was an intentional technical inaccuracy because the producers did not wish to depict any living people in the film without permission. [4] No Georgia Tech player is allowed to wear the number "19" or has since 1942. The number was last worn by Georgia Tech All-America (freshman) Clint Castleberry who played but one year, joined the United States Army Air Forces and was shot down off the coast of Africa during WWII. His body was never recovered. The number is the only Georgia Tech jersey number permanently retired. [5] The Georgia Tech quarterback during the actual game was Rudy Allen, who wore number"9".
  • During the scout practices when Rudy finally makes it on the team, he is shown wearing the number "46" twice and the number "45" the rest of the time, at one point in two different frames depicting the same play.
  • Rudy's brother "Frank" was a dramatic invention to heighten the sense of opposition to his dream. In reality, Ruetigger's two older siblings are both sisters.[6]
  • Georgia Tech was not the last game of Notre Dame's 1975 season - only the last home game. The Fighting Irish had two more away games that followed it.
  • Coach Devine announced that Rudy would dress for the Georgia Tech game during practice a few days before. The dramatic scene where his teammates each lay their jerseys on Coach Devine's desk in protest never happened, though according to Ruettiger, Devine was persuaded to allow him to dress only after a number of senior players requested that he do so.[7]
  • Coach Devine had agreed to be depicted as the "heavy" in the film for dramatic effect but was chagrined to find out the extent to which he was vilified,[8] saying "The jersey scene is unforgivable. It's a lie and untrue."[9]
  • Notre Dame did not play against Penn State in either 1974 or 1975, despite a scene showing Rudy watching from the stands.

[edit] Soundtrack

Rudy
Soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith
Released September 28, 1993
Recorded 1993
Genre Soundtrack
Length 36:44
  1. Main Title (3:35)
  2. A Start (2:27)
  3. Waiting (2:35)
  4. Back On The Field (2:07)
  5. To Notre Dame (6:55)
  6. Tryouts (4:27)
  7. The Key (3:55)
  8. Take Us Out (1:51)
  9. The Plaque (2:36)
  10. The Final Game (censored)(6:16)

According to Soundtrack.net, the music from Rudy has been used in 12 trailers, including those for Angels in the Outfield, The Deep End of the Ocean, Good Will Hunting and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. [10]

[edit] Notes

  • Rudy was parodied on the television show My Name is Earl. In the episode "Get a Real Job," main character Earl Hickey tries to become a salesperson at an appliance store. When the other salespersons cause Earl to fail, the store's dockworkers lay their store credit cards on the manager's desk in support of Earl. Sean Astin, Charles S. Dutton, and Chelcie Ross guest starred in the episode.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "ESPN25: The 25 Best Sports Movies". ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/espn25/story?page=listranker/bestmoviesresult. Retrieved on 2008-05-31. 
  2. ^ [1] AFI 100 years... 100 cheers
  3. ^ [www.hcc-nd.edu]
  4. ^ http://www.popwarner.com/scholastics/2005/rudy_13things.asp
  5. ^ http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/CFHSN/CFHSNv06/CFHSNv06n3d.pdf
  6. ^ http://www.sportshollywood.com/askrudy.html
  7. ^ http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/Article.php?Page=508
  8. ^ http://www.chasingthefrog.com/reelfaces/rudy.php
  9. ^ http://www.sportshollywood.com/askrudy.html
  10. ^ http://www.soundtrack.net/trailers/cd-trailer.php?id=588

[edit] External links


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