The Comrades of Summer
The Comrades of Summer is a 1992 television film featuring Joe Mantegna and Natalya Negoda. It was directed by Tommy Lee Wallace, written by Robert Rodat and aired on HBO on July 11, 1992.[1]
| The Comrades of Summer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Comedy Sport |
| Written by | Robert Rodat |
| Directed by | Tommy Lee Wallace |
| Starring | Joe Mantegna Natalya Negoda |
| Music by | William Olvis |
| Country of origin | United States Canada Russia |
| Original languages | English Russian |
| Production | |
| Producers | Tim Braine David Pritchard |
| Production locations | Nat Bailey Stadium, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Moscow, Russia |
| Cinematography | David Leiterman Richard Leiterman |
| Editor | Stephen E. Rivkin |
| Running time | 96 minutes |
| Production company | HBO Pictures |
| Release | |
| Original network | HBO |
| Original release | July 11, 1992 |
Plot
Major League Baseball manager Sparky Smith is fired from his job with the Seattle Mariners. His attitude has gotten him into trouble with George, the owner of the Mariners, and no other team seems to want any part of him.
The Olympic Games are coming up, however, and a spirit of glasnost exists in the post-Soviet Russia, which is trying to field its first Olympic baseball team. Sparky reluctantly accepts an offer to move to Moscow to coach the players, many of whom don't even know the game's fundamentals. The players are predictably inept at first, but Sparky begins to learn the real joy in baseball is in the effort and the camaraderie.
An exhibition game ultimately is arranged in which Sparky and his young, eager Russians get to play against his old team, the Mariners. Sparky also falls in love with young Russian girl Tanya Belova.
Cast
- Joe Mantegna as Sparky
- Natalya Negoda as Tanya
- Michael Lerner as George
- Mark Rolston as Voronov
Production
Filming took place in Nat Bailey Stadium, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and in Moscow, Russia.[1]