The cult film tonight on TV: “The Fan – The myth“Sunday 27 February 2022 at 21.20 on Rai 4
The Fan – The myth (The Fan) it’s a film the 1996 directed by Tony Scottwith protagonists Robert DeNiro, Wesley Snipese Benicio, the bull.
Based on the novel The idol (The Fan) Of Peter Abrahams, The Fan is a thriller that follows Gil Renard (Niro) and the growth of his obsession. Most of the film revolves around the world of baseballfully exploring the life of the so-called fanatics.
The film is first broadcast on TV on Italy 1 on February 4, 2000.
Gil Renard is a knife rep, avid baseball team fan San Francisco Giants; shy and marginalized man, with a divorce behind him and frustrated by frequent failures at work. On the day of the first game of the season, he takes his son to the stadium to see the team’s new addition: champion Bobby Rayburn, of whom Gil is a huge fan. In the middle of the fourth inningHowever, Gil abandons his son at the stadium for a business appointment. The boy is accompanied home by an elderly couple who realize what has happened. This behavior costs Gil a restraining order that prevents him from getting closer than a hundred meters from the baby.
Meanwhile, also due to a minor injury in the match, Rayburn’s performances are not up to expectations; as the mood of the fans grows Gil he appears to be one of the few fans left to support Rayburn, despite criticism from the press and other fans who boo him. A few days later Gil witnesses a fight in the bathroom of a bar between Bobby and Juan Primo, the rising star of the team, understanding from Rayburn’s words that his poor performance is also influenced by the desire to get back the shirt with the number 11, worn by the colleague who, conversely, is having a great season.
Gil, meanwhile, ends up losing his job and baseball becomes, even more than ever, his only reason for living. Gil begins to convince himself that the only way to help his idol Bobby Rayburn regain his shape is to persuade Juan Primo to give him his number 11 jersey. Gil starts stalking Primo, until he intercepts him in the sauna. of a hotel. Gil tries to convince Primo to leave number 11 to Bobby, but when Primo hunts Gil with bad words, a fight arises between the two: Gil kills Primo, stabbing him at thefemoral artery.
At the news of the fact Bobby feels guilty for having argued with the boy only a few days before, and also the atmosphere that reigns in the team is hostile. The investigations to find out who killed Primo go on unsuccessfully and meanwhile Gil, increasingly obsessed with Rayburn, often goes near the player’s beach house, until one day, seeing Rayburn’s son drown, he throws himself in sea to save him. Rayburn is grateful and invites the man over to offer him a beer. Gil, contrary to what one might expect, does not describe himself to Rayburn as a baseball fan; so Rayburn, not knowing he has anything to do with a fan of his, admits to Gil that he can’t stand those fanatical fans who live according to their idols, calling them “failures”.
Gil finds himself blown away by the champion’s words and suddenly becomes hostile towards Rayburn, also because he is convinced that he helped him find his place in the team after killing Primo. Feeling betrayed by the myth of him, Gil returns to Rayburn’s house to kidnap Bobby’s son. Rayburn, realizing the disappearance of his son and the theft of his off-road vehicle, calls the phone number of the car. The phone answers Gil, who reveals to the player that he was the one who killed Primo and reiterates to Bobby his belief that he is indebted to him.
Not knowing where to go, Gil seeks hospitality at the home of Coop, an old teammate of his when he was a boy; the man, then realizing the mental instability of his old friend, takes advantage of a moment of distraction from Gil to help the boy escape. Gil, however, hits Coop to death with a baseball bat and manages to reach and capture the boy again.
Meanwhile Rayburn, supported by the police, manages to get back in touch with Gil, who expressly asks the player that in today’s game not only play, but also dedicate a home runotherwise he will kill his son.
Gil reaches the Giants stadium and hides Rayburn’s son in a basement next to the stadium. Rayburn finds himself playing in torrential rain, which puts the rest of the game at risk, but at the very end the player manages to beat the much desired home run; seeing him canceled by the referee, however, Bobby approaches the referee to protest, but realizes that the latter is Gil. Dozens of policemen head to the field with guns in hand. Gil is now under fire, while Rayburn begs the cops not to shoot, because only Gil knows where his son is. Gil challenges Rayburn to hit a pass, but he doesn’t have a ball in his hand, but a knife. Before Gil launches him, the police shoot him numerous times, killing him.
Rayburn’s son is found unharmed.
Direction Of Stephen Frears
With Judi Dench e Steve Coogan
Source: WIKIPEDIA
