The American Game is a 1979 documentary film directed by Jay Freund and David Wolf contrasting the experiences of two high-school seniors, basketball players from remarkably different backgrounds.

The American Game
Directed byJay Freund
David Wolf
Produced byAnthony Jones
Peter Powell
Robert Kenner
StarringNathaniel Bellamy Jr.
Gil Ferschtman
Stretch Graham
Jules Irving
David Tawil
Brian Walker
Distributed byWorld Northal Corporation
Release date
  • 1979 (1979)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Synopsis

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Brian Walker is taken from his close-knit Indiana family, living in a small town. In contrast, Stretch Graham has practically no family support, and looks to his Brooklyn team and his warm-hearted coach for support. Both are actively being recruited by colleges.

Cast

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Reception

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In a review for The New York Times, Janet Maslin described the film as one that "hovers precariously between personality study and overview, never fully committing itself to either avenue of exploration." She concluded that the film was best when sticking to the interview footage, but criticized the editing of the basketball sequences and the inclusion of "peppy" transitional sequences that look and sound like a "soft-drink comercial".[1]

References

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  1. ^ Maslin, Janet (April 29, 1979). "Film: Game Is a Symbol Of U.S. Life". The New York Times. The New York Times. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
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