The Babe

The Babe follows the extraordinary arc of a Baltimore orphan who becomes baseball's most legendary figure. From rough beginnings in a crowded city welfare home, he discovers a talent that can bend a game to his will. As he climbs through the minor leagues and into the major leagues, he develops a larger than life persona, a prodigious power at the plate, and a reputation for mischief off the field. The film traces his ascent through seven American League pennants and four World Series titles, while also charting the strain of fame that lands him in trouble with authorities and fans alike. Along the way, Ruth's personal life, two marriages and a tempestuous existence, adds color to his legend and memory.

Directed by Arthur Hiller, the film presents a dramatic portrait of Babe Ruth drawn from John Fusco's screenplay. Released in 1992, it casts John Goodman as Ruth and anchors the story in the player's ambitious rise and public bravado throughout.

The Babe earned 17,530,973 dollars at the domestic box office, performing modestly by its era's standards. Worldwide receipts bring the total to roughly that figure, reflecting a steady audience for a mid budget biopic anchored by John Goodman in theaters.

Ruth is presented through larger than life scenes that emphasize his charisma, power, and contradictions. The dialogue gives a sense of his showmanship, while supporting performances create a feeling of baseball fever in postwar America. The film helped maintain public memory of the era's excesses and triumphs for future fans.

Critics typically note the film as a faithful biographical portrait that balances sports action with a sense of myth making surrounding Ruth. Themes include the cost of fame, the tension between public identity and private life, and the era's changing attitudes toward risk and celebrity, with respect for the era.