Damn Yankees (film)
"Damn Yankees" is a musical film released in 1958, adapted from Douglass Wallop's novel, "The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant." The story centers around Joe Hardy, a middle-aged baseball fan who wishes to see his struggling team, the Washington Senators, win the World Series. In a Faustian twist, he makes a pact with the devilish Mr. Applegate, who offers him the chance to become a youthful superstar. However, Hardy faces the challenge of returning to his wife, Meg, by the end of the last game or risk losing his soul forever.
Throughout the film, Hardy grapples with temptations presented by Applegate's alluring assistant, Lola, who tries to distract him from his commitment to Meg. Despite these challenges, Hardy ultimately prioritizes his marriage over fame and helps the Senators achieve victory. The film reflects the values of personal responsibility, fidelity, and teamwork prominent in the 1950s and cleverly uses baseball as a backdrop to explore these themes. Featuring a blend of humor and heartfelt moments, "Damn Yankees" became a notable success on Broadway before its cinematic adaptation, capturing the cultural landscape of its time.
Damn Yankees (film)
Identification Musical comedy about baseball and a deal with the devil
Date Opened on May 4, 1955
Place 46th Street Theatre, New York City
Authors Music by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross; book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop
The only successful musical comedy about baseball, Damn Yankees ran for 1,019 performances before leaving Broadway and was made into a feature film.
Key Figures
Richard Adler (1921- ), lyricist and composerJerry Ross (1926-1955), lyricist and composerGeorge Abbott (1887-1995), playwrightDouglass Wallop (1920-1985), playwright
Stories of people who sell their souls to the Devil in exchange for worldly goods can be traced back to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s Faust: Eine Tragödie (pb. 1838; The Tragedy of Faust, 1823). However, only in the United States could it become the story of a baseball fan who wants to see his beloved Washington Senators win the World Series . Adapted from Douglass Wallop’s novel The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant (1954), Damn Yankees is the story of Joe Hardy, a middle-aged couch potato given the opportunity by the diabolical Mr. Applegate to become a youthful superstar. There is a catch, however Hardy must return to his wife, Meg, by 9 p.m. on the night of the last game of the World Series or his soul is forfeit.
When Hardy seems poised to succeed in his game, Applegate summons his seductive assistant, Lola, to lure Hardy away from Meg, in the hope of causing Hardy to forfeit his soul. In spite of Lola’s wiles, Hardy resists her attempts, manages to help the Senators win despite being turned back to middle age by Applegate, and returns home to his beloved Meg. The play’s title used a touch of humor by referring to some baseball fans’ exasperation with the New York Yankees, a team that placed in the World Series nearly every season during the 1950’s while the Senators were perennial underachievers.
Impact
Damn Yankees resonated strongly with the values current during the 1950’s—personal responsibility, fidelity, teamwork, and self-sacrifice. It was such a success on Broadway that it was subsequently produced for the cinema in 1958, with many members of the cast reprising their stage roles.
Bibliography
Jones, John Bush. Our Musicals, Ourselves: A Social History of the American Musical Theater. Waltham, Mass.: Brandeis University Press, 2003. A lively look at the role played by the musical comedy in the popular culture of the era.
Judge, Mark Gauvreau. Damn Senators: My Grandfather and the Story of Washington’s Only Win. San Francisco, Calif: Encounter Books, 2003. A memoir of the star first baseman of the Senators, written by his grandson. Details the friendship that developed between his grandfather and Douglass Wallop, and how Wallop used him as the prototype for Joe Hardy.
Swain, Joseph P. The Broadway Musical: A Critical and Musical Survey. 2d ed. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield, 2003. A more scholarly look at the topic, but with plenty of familiar examples.