Tab Hunter is very good in a meaty role, as baseball player Jimmy Piersal, who was apparently a decent player (major leaguer) if not a legend, but struggled with mental issues, being bipolar.
The film version of this in 1957 is a little famous as it helped launch Tony Perkins and was the feature debut of Robert Mulligan - it's become famous in a way too since Tab and Tony went out and Tony pinched Tab's role.
I was surprised how smal the role of the father was - he's barely in it, even if it's played by Robert Armstrong. Mona Freeman has a bigger part as Hunter's girlfriend and then wife.
The TV version was presumably closer to the truth. At the end we meet Piersall who has just played a game who is admirably upfront about his mental struggles and understanding for empathy.
Mona Freeman isn't very good and Armstrong doesn't have a character to play but Hunter is strong and the actors who play shrinks work well.
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