The Natural
A gifted but enigmatic pitcher fights to revive a failing 1930s baseball club and guide it to the pennant, battling personal demons and ruthless rivals who threaten to shatter his dream.
“He lived for a dream that wouldn't die.”
Synopsis
A middle-aged batter named Roy Hobbs, whose background remains enigmatic, emerges unexpectedly and leads a struggling 1930s baseball team to the top of the league.
Credits
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How many hands made this film
The scale of the collaboration
A crew of 200+ credited
Why a floor?
This is a minimum, not a total. We only count the credits we’ve captured so far, and coverage is uneven — a blockbuster might show a few hundred names while another of the same size shows a couple dozen. The real crews all ran into the thousands. The number here only grows as full credits are enriched — so we frame it as a floor, never a headcount.
Craft leads on file
Edited by Stu LinderShot by Caleb DeschanelScored by Randy NewmanDesigned by Mel BourneSound by Gary Alexander Nm0018428Costumes by Gloria GreshamStunts by Conrad E Palmisano
Box Office
1984 · Box office
⚖️ Fell short of break-even — grossed 1.7× its budget
Why 2.5×?
Cinemas keep roughly half of every ticket sold, and a wide release’s marketing often costs about as much again as the film — so a movie needs to gross around 2.5× its production budget just to break even theatrically. It’s a rule of thumb, not the studio’s ledger (home video and streaming come later).
Worldwide gross
$48.0M
US & Canada: $48.0M — 100% of worldwide · International: $48K (0%)
Opening weekend: $5.1M — 11% of its US run. It had legs — it kept earning long after opening weekend.
Opening week (7-day): $7.2M — 15% of its US & Canada run.
Peak 989 theaters
Versions & cuts
- director's cut· 144 min
Also known as
- Der Unbeugsamede
- El mejores
- Le Meilleurfr
- Il miglioreit
- (English)The Natural
- (Bulgarian)Талантът
Release dates around the world4 countries · showhide
- United StatesMay 9, 1984
- CanadaMay 11, 1984
- ArgentinaJun 28, 1984
- JapanAug 25, 1984
Production & Distribution
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Cast & Crew
200 unique people credited
Top billed cast
Robert Redford
as Roy Hobbs
Robert Duvall
as Max Mercy
Glenn Close
as Iris Gaines
Kim Basinger
as Memo Paris
Wilford Brimley
as Pop Fisher
Barbara Hershey
as Harriet Bird
Robert Prosky
as The Judge
Richard Farnsworth
as Red Blow
Joe Don Baker
as The Whammer
John Finnegan
as Sam Simpson
Alan Fudge
as Ed Hobbs
Paul Sullivan Jr
as Young Roy
Supporting cast
60Rachel Hall
as Young Iris
Robert Rich Iii
as Ted Hobbs
Michael Madsen
as Bump Bailey
Jon Van Ness
as John Olsen
Mickey Treanor
as Doc Dizzy
George Wilkosz
as Bobby Savoy
Anthony J Ferrara
as Coach Wilson
Philip Mankowski
as Hank Benz
Danny Aiello Iii
as Emil LaJong
Joe Castellano
as Allie Stubbs
Eddie Cipot
as Gabby Laslow
Ken Grassano
as Al Fowler
Robert Kalaf
as Cal Baker
Barry Kivel
as Pat McGee
Steven Kronovet
as Tommy Hinkle
James Meyer
as Dutch Schultz
Mike Starr
as Boone
Sam Green
as Murphy
Martin Grey
as Additional Knight
Joseph Mosso
as Additional Knight
Richard Oliveri
as Additional Knight
Lawrence Couzens
as Additional Knight
Duke Mcguire
as Additional Knight
Stephen Poliachik
as Additional Knight
Kevin Lester
as Additional Knight
Joseph Charboneau
as Additional Knight
Robert Rudnick
as Additional Knight
Ken Kamholz
as Additional Knight
Sibby Sisti
as Pirates Manager
Phillip D Rosenberg
as Pitcher Youngberry
Christopher B Rehbaum
as Pitcher John Rhoades
Nicholas Koleff
as Umpire Augie
Jerry Stockman
as Umpire Babe
James Quamo
as Memorial Game Umpire
Joe Strnad
as Final Game Home Plate Umpire
James Mohr
as Al
Ralph Tabakin
as Al's Customer
Dennis Gould
as Carnival Boy
Joshua Abbey
as Home Plate Photographer
Gayle Vance
as Maid at Party
George Scheitinger
as League Official
Peter Poth
as Dr. Knobb
Bernie Mcinerney
as Hospital Doctor
Elizabeth Ann Klein
as Stern Nurse
Charles Sergis
as Newsreel Narrator
Edward Walsh
as Newsreel Presenter
Carol Alaimo
as Extra
Bernie Arnesen
as Wrigley Field Spectator
Mark Atienza
as Young Roy Hobbs
Lori Berezin
as Ballroom Dancer
Sean Collins
as Additional Knight
Darren W Conrad
as Teen on Railroad Track at Carnival
Mark Falvo
as Baseball Fan
James K Fulater
as Baseball Crowd
Greg Hinaman
as fan in stands at War Memorial & All-High Stadium
Diane H Kelly
as One of Gus' Girls
Darren Mcgavin
as Gus Sands
Bernard S Misiura Jr
as Young Fan in Driving Cap
Brian Reingold
as Baseball Fan
Jack Scalia
as Cubs Pitcher
Directors
1Writers
3Producers
6Other crew
122Lisa Clarkson
additional casting
Louis Digiaimo
additional casting
Andy Blumenthal
additional editor
Battle Davis
additional editor
Jere Huggins
additional editor
Peter Burrell
additional unit production manager (as Peter J. Burrell)
Joan Borras
Al
Neil Kirk
apprentice film editor
James J Murakami
art director: Los Angeles
Speed Hopkins
art director: New York
Alan R Disler
assistant camera
Bobby Brown
assistant camera (as Bob Brown)
Parents Guide
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