The Bad News Bears -

The score, composed by Jerry Fielding, cleverly adapts themes from Bizet's opera Carmen , juxtaposing high-art sophistication with the "low-brow" behavior of the kids and coach. Casting:

was paid $750,000 plus a share of rentals to bring his signature "crotchety but lovable" persona to Buttermaker. The Bad News Bears

Director Michael Ritchie and screenwriter Bill Lancaster (son of Burt Lancaster) aimed for a documentary-like authenticity. The score, composed by Jerry Fielding, cleverly adapts

The film follows (Walter Matthau), an alcoholic ex-minor league pitcher who is hired to coach a team of "misfits" in a competitive Southern California Little League. The film follows (Walter Matthau), an alcoholic ex-minor

The 1976 film The Bad News Bears is widely considered a masterpiece of the sports comedy genre because it replaced the typical "wholesome" underdog tropes with gritty realism and cynical humor.

Upon its release on , the film was both a critical and commercial smash, earning over $42 million against a $9 million budget.