I gave up long ago looking for accuracy in sports biopics (or any biopics for that matter), so I approached this film with the same expectation. John Goodman was a good choice to play the legendary Ruth in both mannerism and appearance, but as many reviewers have noted, he was obviously a lot heavier and decidedly unathletic in any scene that takes place on a ball field. I certainly wouldn't go to the bank on many of his off field exploits as depicted here either. For me, the repeated instances of flatulence that the film makers thought was a good idea simply appeal to the lowest common denominator factor they mistakenly think they have to cater to. As expected, the fabled Ruth exploits of hitting two home runs for the sick boy in the hospital and the 1932 'called shot' against the Chicago Cubs are depicted, but even those events that have become part of baseball legend are somewhat inconclusive in history. If you're a baseball fan, believe what you will. For a better straightforward accounting of the Sultan of Swat, I would direct you to the 1998 HBO documentary simply titled "Babe Ruth". Though it's much too short at one hour to encompass all aspects of Ruth's storied life, it does manage to adequately address the highlights of a career that would have to be invented if most of it wasn't actually true. As far as "The Babe" goes, it's entertaining in it's own way, but for the most part, it's banana oil.
Review of The Babe
