hasheart
If one reads Wikapedia about teach in real life she died in 1963, so the movie was so wrong about the fact that she and Little Mo made up. It's crazy that teach narrated Little's Mo's death then, Also Little Mo and Norman's daughters were really 12 and 9 when she died.They made the girls look much younger and in reality Tracey Gold was really 9 and Missy Gold was only 7. With these distortions, I wonder how much was actually true, except for Little Mo's sports victories and her marriage. In fact, they make it that teach walked out on Little Mo, but Little Mo actually fired teach herself.It was very entertaining, but not very factual.
Gary Lewin
Last night while on a search on the internet for information about Maureen Connolly, I was lucky enough to find this movie. And wow, what a surprise it was. As a life long follower of tennis and especially of the women's game, I was thrilled to come across this seemingly almost forgotten film biopic of the fabled Little Mo.I can say here and now it's one of the finest if not the finest made for TV movies ever made. Depicting the life of Maureen, her success's and struggles on and off the court, it does a wonderful job.Glynnis O'Connor is positively luminous as Maureen. And gives, in my opinion, one of the great acting performances in a female lead. The many action scenes on the court are fantastic and add a gritty realism to the movie as it concentrates on her battles to defeat certain players at different stages of her career.Michael Learned is equally stirring as the genius but ultra-strict coach, Eleanor "Teach" Tennant, who guides her to the top, falls out with her, but is movingly reconciled with her at the end. The rest of the cast are good too. And this is definitely a film worth seeing for any serious tennis fan and especially of the women's game as it reveals the life and times of one it's most iconic and cherished competitors.
bobbi-babcock
I absolutely love this movie! Glynnis O'Connor's performance was spectacular. And the story is at once inspiring and heartbreaking. I saw it in 1978 and it has stuck with me for all these years. Unfortunately, I've been unable to locate a DVD or video, nor have I seen it replayed on television. I have seen a documentary in which friends and family of Little Mo refer to the movie. Everyone seems pleased with both the content, and the performances.Please, someone tell me how I can find a copy of this movie to share with my daughter? Thank you, Bobbi
Sylvia Stoddard
Every year when Wimbledon is on, I wonder why this movie is not shown on TV. Maureen Connolly was the first woman to win all grand slam titles in one calendar year yet there is no book about her. Connolly's life is the stuff of drama and O'Connor gives us a real feel for how working your way up the ranks of tennis worked then. Disfunctional families now seem almost mandatory for a top-seeded player, but during Connolly's time, the public didn't know such things. Though the Wimbledon segments were not shot there, the film reproduces the landmarks and signage faithfully. I know, I went to Wimbledon in 1993 and saw her name on the sign by Centre Court.I can only assume the film is basically factual as I've never found any book with enough information about this fascinating woman to know. All I know is that the film works very well and O'Connor is radiant. I really love this movie!
AD
