Lloyd Bacon directed this swift, compact major-league fantasy featuring a fine cast. Ray Milland is engaging as a college professor who invents a wood-repelling substance...which he then applies to a baseball. Soon, he's the star pitcher on a professional ball team, and what appears to be a succession of unqualified strike-outs are all due to Milland's little deception. The screenplay (by Valentine "Miracle on 34th Street" Davies) commendably never apologizes for the professor-turned-pitcher's concealment of the truth--it's his secret, and that's as it should be. The movie is simply concerned with being a frothy piece of sports whimsy, and it's enjoyable fluff for the whole family. Terrific supporting cast includes Jean Peters and another flawless tough guy performance from salty-but-sweet Paul Douglas. *** from ****
Review of It Happens Every Spring
