The Best of Times (film)

For other uses, see The Best of Times.

The Best of Times
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Roger Spottiswoode
Produced by	Gordon Carroll
Written by	Ron Shelton
Starring	Robin Williams Kurt Russell Pamela Reed Holly Palance Donald Moffat M. Emmet Walsh R.G. Armstrong
Music by	Arthur B. Rubinstein
Cinematography	Charles F. Wheeler
Editing by	Garth Craven
Distributed by	Universal Studios
Release date(s)	January 31, 1986 (USA)
Running time	104 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	Unknown
Box office	$7,790,931 (USA)

The Best of Times is a 1986 American film. It starred Robin Williams and Kurt Russell.

Overview

Robin Williams plays Jack Dundee, a banker obsessed with what he considers the most shameful moment in his life: The moment that he dropped a perfectly thrown pass in the final seconds of the 1972 high school football game between Taft and their arch-nemesis, Bakersfield.

Since that game, Jack has found it impossible to forget his drop. He works in a bank for his father-in-law, a.k.a. The Colonel, Bakersfield's biggest supporter, and is reminded by him almost daily, that it was his clumsiness and inability to catch a football that lost Taft its one chance for glory by finally beating Bakersfield, and how Taft would never do it again.

Thirteen years later, Jack coerces Reno (Kurt Russell), star quarterback of the fateful game and now a financially struggling garage owner in debt to Jack's bank, into helping him replay the game. He convinces supporters in both towns to re-stage the game and in the process revitalizes Taft, as well as his and Reno's marriages. The game is replayed and at the critical moment Reno throws another perfect pass to Jack. He catches it, and Taft defeats Bakersfield.

Much of the film was shot in and around Taft. The football scenes took place at Pierce Junior College in the San Fernando Valley. The night game was filmed at Moorpark Memorial High School, in Moorpark, CA.

Music in the film - "Pomp and Circumstance Marches", by Edward Elgar; and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"' by Roberta Flack.

The film was called 'a small town comedy where the whole population is caught up in some glorious foolishness.'

Cast

• Robin Williams as Jack Dundee
• Kurt Russell as Reno Hightower
• Pamela Reed as Gigi Hightower
• Holly Palance as Elly Dundee
• Donald Moffat as The Colonel
• Margaret Whitton as Darla
• M. Emmet Walsh as Charlie
• Donovan Scott as Eddie
• R.G. Armstrong as Schutte
• Dub Taylor as Mac
• Carl Ballantine as Arturo
• Kathleen Freeman as Rosie
• Tony Plana as Chico
• Kirk Cameron as Teddy
• Robyn Lively as Jacki
• Jeff Doucette as Olin
• Anne Haney as Marcy
• Linda Hart as Blender #1
• Tracey Gold as Jaki's friend (uncredited)

External links

• The Best of Times at the Internet Movie Database