The Legend of Bagger Vance
Short description
Set in Savannah, Georgia, after the First World War, this drama follows Rannulph Junuh, once the area's finest golfer, who returns from combat a changed man and retreats from the life and people he knew. Adele Invergordon, his former sweetheart, stages a tournament to draw attention to a golf course tied to her family's fortunes, and Junuh is asked to take part alongside two celebrated professionals of the era. Having lost the swing that once came naturally to him, he accepts the help of Bagger Vance, a mysterious caddie who guides him toward something more than technique.
Robert Redford directed from a screenplay by Jeremy Leven. It is the fifth film he directed, following The Horse Whisperer, and it preceded Lions for Lambs by seven years. Matt Damon plays Junuh, with Will Smith as Bagger Vance and Charlize Theron as Adele Invergordon; Bruce McGill, Joel Gretsch and J. Michael Moncrief are also credited. The production was mounted on a budget of 80 million dollars and returned about 39 million dollars worldwide. On IMDb it holds a critics' rating of 5.3 from 130 reviews, while on TMDB it averages 6.6 from 1,027 votes, suggesting viewers responded more warmly than reviewers did.
What's left behind the scenes
- Parallels with the Bhagavad Gita can be traced in both the novel and the film. Similar to the ancient Indian treatise, the plot follows a similar trajectory: after the protagonist falls into a depression, a philosophical dialogue begins regarding duty, the meaning of life, and self-realization. In the Bhagavad Gita, this is a conversation between Arjuna and Krishna, the Supreme Being (Bhagavan). In the film, the protagonist's interlocutor is the mysterious Bagger Vance. There is also a similarity in the names: Junuh for Arjuna, and Bagger Vance for Bhagavan (Sanskrit for "Lord").
- Brad Pitt also auditioned for the role of Rannulph Junnah.
- Since Matt Damon had no experience playing golf, he trained for a month to prepare for the role.
- The film draws clear parallels with the "Bhagavad Gita". Like the ancient Indian treatise, it features a similar plot: after the protagonist falls into depression, a philosophical dialogue begins about duty, the meaning of life, and self-realization. In the "Bhagavad Gita", this is a conversation between the main character Arjuna and Krishna, the Supreme Lord (Bhagavan). In the film, the hero's interlocutor is the mysterious Bagger Vance. Similarities can also be traced at the level of names: Junuh – Arjuna, Bagger Vance – Bhagavan (from Sanskrit – "Lord"). In the film, Bagger Vance is a black man. Krishna, as is well known, is often depicted in art with dark or black skin.
- The film is based on Steven Pressfield's novel «The Legend of Bagger Vance» (1995).
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
