It Ain’t Over
One of the most endearing documentaries you will ever see.
It Ain’t Over tells the life story of Yogi Berra, the great Yankee catcher and manager. Directed by Sean Mullin, it will leave you laughing repeatedly whether or not you remember Yogi. In addition, be prepared to leave with a tear in your eye.
A tremendous Major League catcher, husband and family man, Yogi played 19 seasons with the Yankees. He played in 14 World Series, winning 10. He won the American League MVP in 1951, 1954 and 1955.
He managed the Yankees in 1964, winning the pennant and losing to the Cardinals in the Series where he was fired. He then managed the Mets in 1972-75, winning the Pennant in 1973. He returned to the Yanks until George Steinbrenner fired him in 1985.
But this film’s magic extends beyond baseball. He and his wife, Carmen, were married from 1949 until her death in 2014. They had 3 sons and 11 grand kids. All 3 sons appeared in the film as does his granddaughter, Lindsey, who serves as an Executive Producer.
In addition, the TV cartoon “Yogi Bear” is based on him. But given that “Yogi” is a nickname that he never gained legal recognition, he was denied financial compensation.
Yogi was a great baseball player with an unmatched personality. He served in the Navy in WWII where he was injured on D-Day. He is remembered for his crazy quotes, some of which are:
“It’s déjà vu all over again.”
“You can observe a lot by watching.”
“The future ain’t what it used to be.”
“Baseball is 90% mental: the other half is physical.”
“It ain’t over until it’s over.”
Benefiting from the appearance and commentary of Billy Crystal, Derek Jeter, Joe Torre, Bob Costas and Vin Scully, this is a warm, engaging film for both adults and kids. The Heartland Film Festival does all of us an honor by recognizing it.
