Enforcers Week On Film: The Classic That Is, Slap Shot

Releasing over forty years ago, Slap Shot is an enforcer film classic that truly has stood the test of time.

Film Name: “Slap Shot”

Cast: Paul Newman, Michael Ontkean, Lindsay Crouse, Strother Martin, Melinda Dillon

Critical/Viewer Reception: (via Rotten Tomatoes):

"(T)he greatest sports flick of the 1970s” – Dan Epstein, Rolling Stone
"It’s the best movie ever made about its sport” – Stephen Silver, Tilt Magazine

“Raw, raunchy, and absolutely hilarious” – Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

Hollywood legend Paul Newman dives into his starring role as minor pro veteran and greybeard player/coach Reggie Dunlop, the driving force behind the Pennsylvanian team the Charlestown Chiefs. The laughs start straight out of the gate, despite the news surrounding the team staying in town being rather bleak. There are lewd fashion shows featuring the players, crazy road trips that include their hard-core group of fans, and on-ice scenes that lay out the brutality of the sport at the lower-level of the game.

Dunlop concocts some compelling scenarios to keep the team competitive, but ultimately, the Chiefs players rally around themselves, leading to a climax that brings laughs and cheers. The traditional dramatic line of a sports movie is part of the appeal here, but the reckless abandon – and the pure love for the game – shown by director George Roy Hill is what ultimately lures audiences in and makes them lifelong fans of the game.

There are so many iconic lines used by pro players over the years. “I’m trying’ to listen to the f----- song!”; “Never play ‘Lady of Spain again!”; “Trade me right f----- now!” These quotes can resonate at all levels of the sport. If you’re a hockey player who hasn’t memorized virtually every line of dialogue, you haven’t seen the film enough.

From the legendary Hanson Brothers to beleaguered French-Canadian goalie Denis Lemieux to notorious enforcer Ogie Oglethorpe, Slap Shot creates a terrifically ribald and raucous world, and Newman and company embody the devil-may-care spirit of Hill’s film. There’s something for fans who love a complex drama, fans who want as many laughs as they can get, and something for fans who want to see cheekbones bloodied and teeth loosened. The fact the film has been a player favorite every year since its release in 1977 is a testament to the cast and creators, and it will remain lodged deep in the hearts of players for the foreseeable future.

Hill’s film continues to carve out a place for itself among fans because of the sheer joy of the movie. There’s a satire of sports journalism in the picture, as well as a commentary on the lives led by the significant others of players constantly on the road. There’s a lesson about standing up to bullies that’s one of Slap Shot’s morals as well.

Before he made Slap Shot, Hill helmed the all-time great films The Sting and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and after Slap Shot, Hill made gems including The World According to Garp. He was an immensely-skilled director who didn’t shy away from pushing the envelope with the bold language and crazy scenarios of Slap Shot – and for that reason, he crafted a film that has stood the test of time.

Nobody is mistaking Slap Shot for a documentary about hockey. It’s a fictional world, yet it is filled with happiness and wonder that players get paid to take part in a violent, emotional sport. The Hanson Brothers remain popular figures to this day, regularly making appearances at games and creating new generations of fans. And although Newman made a slew of unforgettable movies, his work in Slap Shot stands out because he understood the appeal of the spirit of the film, and didn’t hesitate to dive head-first into his role and dialogue.

There have been attempts to remake Slap Shot over the years, but the original is always going to stand out above any imitators. There’s no improving on the perfect casting of Hill’s film, and although younger generations of fans weren’t raised in an era where over-the-top physicality was part of the game, anyone, regardless of age, can watch it and find something to love about it. Slap Shot will always be a fan favorite, as it fired on all pistons and absolutely hit the bullseye as one of the best sports movies ever made.