Fever Pitch (1985 film)

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Fever Pitch (1985 film)

Fever Pitch is a 1985 American drama written and directed by Richard Brooks. It stars Ryan O’Neal as Steve Taggart, a sportswriter who becomes obsessed with gambling in Las Vegas. The cast also includes Catherine Hicks, Giancarlo Giannini, Chad Everett, and John Saxon. It was Brooks’s last film before his death in 1992, with a score by Thomas Dolby. The movie was a box-office disappointment and received harsh reviews.

Plot
Steve Taggart writes a series about a compulsive gambler called “Mr. Green.” He falls into deep debt, deals with loan sharks, and discovers that even a pro football quarterback is on the payroll of a bookmaker. In Las Vegas for his story, he meets Flo, a casino hostess, and starts gambling for luck. He visits various bookmakers, attends Gamblers Anonymous, and tries to quit. After a long struggle, he wins a big slot jackpot at the Las Vegas airport and hopes to pay off his debts with the money. He sets aside some money for his daughter in a trust, but an attorney warns he cannot touch the funds.

Production
- The idea came from Brooks researching gambling after a heart attack in 1983. It was originally set up by Dino De Laurentiis as The Fever. Sam Shepard and other actors were considered for the lead.
- Ryan O’Neal was cast after De Laurentiis dropped out; Brooks waived his fee. Filming occurred October 1984 to January 1985, and Brooks spent nine months editing.
- The studio recut the ending without Brooks’s involvement, something he later criticized.

Reception and legacy
- The film was heavily panned by critics and audiences, with a low CinemaScore.
- In later years, writers like Richard Brody have revisited the film and argued it has value as a tense, journalistic drama.