The Big Green
Encyclopedia
The Big Green is a 1995 Walt Disney Pictures
film starring Steve Guttenberg
and Olivia D'Abo
, written and directed by Holly Goldberg Sloan
. It also stars Bug Hall
, Chauncey Leopardi
, and Patrick Renna
.
The film is about the antics of a soccer team consisting of a misfit group of small town kids who are coached by a teacher from England
.
), who is on an exchange program from Surrey
, England
, is placed into a school in the tiny town of Elma, Texas. She struggles to connect with the children at first, as they believe they are underachievers after receiving the lowest test scores in the state for four years running. She is also shocked to learn that the children think very little of everything. So instead of teaching geography to the inattentive class, Ms. Montgomery breaks the globe in an attempt to introduce the kids to a new game. After some confusion, the children begin to learn the game of soccer. Then at the end of the first session, Ms. Montgomery tells them that they have been entered into a league in Austin, Texas
, but their first game was the next day. At this point, the town Sheriff Tom Palmer (Steve Guttenberg
) becomes co-coach.
The team travels to Austin to play against the Knights, who are the state champions and undefeated for that season. Because none of the kids have learned the rules, they do not know how to play and lose 18-0. They lose heart and do not want to play anymore, until they discover the talent of new classmate Juan Morales (Anthony Esquivel), but have to persuade his mother to let him play. Once Juan joins the team, they go on a remarkable run to the finals, with a record of eight wins, two losses, and one tie, and in the finals they meet the Knights. As the town goes crazy for the final, hometown boy and current Knights coach Jay Hoffer (Jay O. Sanders
) returns to Elma, and finds in the bar the drunken father of Kate Douglas (Jessica Robertson
), one of the players, and he gives Hoffer information which leads to an investigation that ultimately forces Juan and his mother to flee for their safety.
On the day of the final, Sheriff Palmer goes looking for Juan to help the team in the final, and by halftime the team is down 2-0. With 10 minutes to play, there is an injury to a Knights player, and in this time Juan returns with Sheriff Palmer and his mother, and he is substituted into the game immediately. He sets up Elma's first goal, and with the last kick of the match, scores the equalizer himself. The game then goes into a shootout, and after the first three shots are scored by each team, both teams miss their fourth kick. In the final kick, the Knights captain, top scorer in the league and son of the coach, Jay Hoffer Jr., steps up to take the final kick. The Big Green goalie Larry Musgrove (Patrick Renna
), who suffered from visions of the opposition players becoming "monsters," became a "monster" in his fantasy to psych out the opponent and save the kick. The final kick for the championship was to be taken by the Big Green's smallest, and youngest player, Newt Shaw (Bug Hall
). As he runs in to take the kick, he slips but still sails the ball into the bottom left corner, giving the championship to the Big Green.
At the beginning of the movie, there was a billboard for the town's only other sporting success, in American football
, but the end of the movie shows a new billboard, one documenting the success of the Big Green, and also a sticker saying they had the highest test scores in the state.
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
film starring Steve Guttenberg
Steve Guttenberg
Steven Robert "Steve" Guttenberg is an American actor and comedian. He became well known during the 1980s, after a series of starring roles in major Hollywood films, including Cocoon, Three Men and a Baby, Police Academy, and Short Circuit.-Early life:Guttenberg was born in Brooklyn, New York, the...
and Olivia D'Abo
Olivia d'Abo
Olivia d'Abo is an English actress and singer-songwriter, best known for portraying Karen Arnold in The Wonder Years and Nicole Wallace, the recurring villain in Law & Order: Criminal Intent.-Acting career:...
, written and directed by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Holly Goldberg Sloan
Holly Goldberg Sloan is a film director, writer, producer and novelist.Sloan was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and spent her childhood living in California, the Netherlands, Istanbul, Washington D.C. and Oregon...
. It also stars Bug Hall
Bug Hall
Brandon "Bug" Hall is an American actor, acting teacher and musician.-Biography:Brandon Hall, nicknamed "Bug" by his family, was born in Fort Worth, Texas on February 4, 1985. He is the second oldest in his family...
, Chauncey Leopardi
Chauncey Leopardi
-Career:Leopardi has been in films since he was 5, and is known for his role at eleven years old as Michael "Squints" Palledorous in the 1993 film The Sandlot. Leopardi also made a single appearance in Boy Meets World, in the pilot episode...
, and Patrick Renna
Patrick Renna
Patrick Renna is an American actor who began his career in the film The Sandlot playing Hamilton "Ham" Porter. Since then, he has appeared in over 25 feature films as well as numerous guest-starring and recurring roles in award-winning television series such as Boston Legal and The X-Files among...
.
The film is about the antics of a soccer team consisting of a misfit group of small town kids who are coached by a teacher from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Plot
Teacher Anna Montgomery (Olivia d'AboOlivia d'Abo
Olivia d'Abo is an English actress and singer-songwriter, best known for portraying Karen Arnold in The Wonder Years and Nicole Wallace, the recurring villain in Law & Order: Criminal Intent.-Acting career:...
), who is on an exchange program from Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, is placed into a school in the tiny town of Elma, Texas. She struggles to connect with the children at first, as they believe they are underachievers after receiving the lowest test scores in the state for four years running. She is also shocked to learn that the children think very little of everything. So instead of teaching geography to the inattentive class, Ms. Montgomery breaks the globe in an attempt to introduce the kids to a new game. After some confusion, the children begin to learn the game of soccer. Then at the end of the first session, Ms. Montgomery tells them that they have been entered into a league in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, but their first game was the next day. At this point, the town Sheriff Tom Palmer (Steve Guttenberg
Steve Guttenberg
Steven Robert "Steve" Guttenberg is an American actor and comedian. He became well known during the 1980s, after a series of starring roles in major Hollywood films, including Cocoon, Three Men and a Baby, Police Academy, and Short Circuit.-Early life:Guttenberg was born in Brooklyn, New York, the...
) becomes co-coach.
The team travels to Austin to play against the Knights, who are the state champions and undefeated for that season. Because none of the kids have learned the rules, they do not know how to play and lose 18-0. They lose heart and do not want to play anymore, until they discover the talent of new classmate Juan Morales (Anthony Esquivel), but have to persuade his mother to let him play. Once Juan joins the team, they go on a remarkable run to the finals, with a record of eight wins, two losses, and one tie, and in the finals they meet the Knights. As the town goes crazy for the final, hometown boy and current Knights coach Jay Hoffer (Jay O. Sanders
Jay O. Sanders
Jay Olcutt Sanders is an American character actor.Sanders was born in Austin, Texas, to Phyllis Rae and James Olcutt Sanders. He is noted for playing Mob lawyer character Steven Kordo in the 1986–88 NBC detective series Crime Story...
) returns to Elma, and finds in the bar the drunken father of Kate Douglas (Jessica Robertson
Jessica Robertson
Jessica Robertson is an American film actress. She is perhaps best-known for having portrayed the character of Kate Douglas in the 1995 film The Big Green.-Films:*Shuten Doji: The Star Hand Kid 1 - Hyoki, 1989, as Miyuki...
), one of the players, and he gives Hoffer information which leads to an investigation that ultimately forces Juan and his mother to flee for their safety.
On the day of the final, Sheriff Palmer goes looking for Juan to help the team in the final, and by halftime the team is down 2-0. With 10 minutes to play, there is an injury to a Knights player, and in this time Juan returns with Sheriff Palmer and his mother, and he is substituted into the game immediately. He sets up Elma's first goal, and with the last kick of the match, scores the equalizer himself. The game then goes into a shootout, and after the first three shots are scored by each team, both teams miss their fourth kick. In the final kick, the Knights captain, top scorer in the league and son of the coach, Jay Hoffer Jr., steps up to take the final kick. The Big Green goalie Larry Musgrove (Patrick Renna
Patrick Renna
Patrick Renna is an American actor who began his career in the film The Sandlot playing Hamilton "Ham" Porter. Since then, he has appeared in over 25 feature films as well as numerous guest-starring and recurring roles in award-winning television series such as Boston Legal and The X-Files among...
), who suffered from visions of the opposition players becoming "monsters," became a "monster" in his fantasy to psych out the opponent and save the kick. The final kick for the championship was to be taken by the Big Green's smallest, and youngest player, Newt Shaw (Bug Hall
Bug Hall
Brandon "Bug" Hall is an American actor, acting teacher and musician.-Biography:Brandon Hall, nicknamed "Bug" by his family, was born in Fort Worth, Texas on February 4, 1985. He is the second oldest in his family...
). As he runs in to take the kick, he slips but still sails the ball into the bottom left corner, giving the championship to the Big Green.
At the beginning of the movie, there was a billboard for the town's only other sporting success, in American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, but the end of the movie shows a new billboard, one documenting the success of the Big Green, and also a sticker saying they had the highest test scores in the state.