Barbara Hershey...Hoosiers...The Natural. pure evil

[bucknersrevenge]

I just finished watching The Natural again and I forgot the role of Harriet Byrd was played by Barbara Hershey. Harriet Byrd was for all intents and purposes completely out her ****' mind. She was a woman obsessed with Gods and Titans and was convinced the modern day athlete was the closest thing to it. But her obsession drove her to kill and martyr those same "would-be Gods" she obsessed over.

She stalked great sports figures, lured them to her bed under false pretenses and then shot them dead. She used silver bullets specifically in the guns as if she were disposing of vampires of werewolves or some creature. Symbolically I guess because these athletes were not fit to roam the countryside unchecked and free. They could never be allowed to take the place of the Gods she grew up reading about.

After shooting Roy, like the cowardly dog she was she jumped out the window and plummeted to her death leaving tons of questions.

Later Hershey would go on to play dried up ol bitty Myra Fleener Jimmy Chitwood's overprotective guardian. It was enough for her to be rude and judgemental right off the bat to Coach Norman Dale who only tried to be nice. But she tried to lay down the law on Coach Dale all the while attempting to make Jimmy's every decision for him. It's no wonder that boy had but 4 lines in the entire movie. Barbara Hershey wouldn't let him speak for himself. Who is she to assume what Coach Dale is thinking? He did her a favor by even kissing her dried up chapped lips. Couldn't understand why he kept coming back to her. She is Kalypso to men. She distractss, lures and the submarines men's hopes and dreams...and she must be stopped. I'm surprised she didn't play Rocky's wife in the Rocky movies "ROCKY YOU CAN'T WIN!!!!" Just an inspirer of confidence.

So anyways thats y story and I'm sticking to it. Barbara Hershey is the Anti-Christ. She is evil and she must be stopped. If you see her even now turn and go the other way. She will try to murder your soul. You've seen it in The Natural. You've seen it in Hoosiers. You know it to be true.













...yes I really am this bored.

[ACF]

Don't forget about
The Last Temptaton of Christ 

[bucknersrevenge]

Don't forget about
The Last Temptaton of Christ 

Right! Mary Magdalene herself...it's a shame.

[cavman]

And she was in a movie of note how long ago?  You're working on a 20-year grudge dude.

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800017355/filmography

Apparently she is still making movies- though not any you've heard of.  But she has some interesting movies to her credit:
Falling Down
Tin Men
Hannah and Her Sisters
The Right Stuff
The Stunt Man
and the immortal (tongue in cheek) With 6 You Get Eggroll

A good actress you played roles that people didn't like.

[Redz]

I think I'll defer my opinion to own Mr. Hobbs on this one.  He's an authority on both movies

[blackbird]

It's just like Jessica Rabbit- she's not bad, she's just drawn that way.

You should direct your anger toward the screenwriters and the unimaginative casting agents. Its time to post my YouTube video, "LEAVE BARBARA HERSHEY ALONE!!!!!"

[Roy Hobbs]

I think I'll defer my opinion to own Mr. Hobbs on this one.  He's an authority on both movies

It's a conundrum.  She's definitely pure evil in The Natural, although psychologically interesting.  Almost like Estella in Great Expectations, in a way; she's been conditioned to tear down greatness.

Myra...  well, she's a bit of a shrew at first, but heck, Dale is a little crusty himself.  They both want what's best for the boys.  Now, one could argue that she's a bit of a bandwagoner (if they had pink hats in Hickory, she'd be wearing one), but since Coach Dale ultimately gives her the seal of approval, she's okay in my book.

So, that leaves it as a coin flip.  Plus, who knows, if not for Harriet Byrd, Hobbs might have grown into a cocky superstar driven by his ego.  Who knows, he could have turned into the next Barry Bonds.  Instead, the career-crippling injury kept him humble, and led to one hell of a fine story.

[bucknersrevenge]

I think I'll defer my opinion to own Mr. Hobbs on this one.  He's an authority on both movies

It's a conundrum.  She's definitely pure evil in The Natural, although psychologically interesting.  Almost like Estella in Great Expectations, in a way; she's been conditioned to tear down greatness.

Myra...  well, she's a bit of a shrew at first, but heck, Dale is a little crusty himself.  They both want what's best for the boys.  Now, one could argue that she's a bit of a bandwagoner (if they had pink hats in Hickory, she'd be wearing one), but since Coach Dale ultimately gives her the seal of approval, she's okay in my book.

So, that leaves it as a coin flip.  Plus, who knows, if not for Harriet Byrd, Hobbs might have grown into a cocky superstar driven by his ego.  Who knows, he could have turned into the next Barry Bonds.  Instead, the career-crippling injury kept him humble, and led to one hell of a fine story.

Think of this. If Sam Simpson the scout hadn't made that bet with Max Mercy the kid probably would've made it okay to Chicago and it would be The Whammer that would've ended up dead. Hobbs could've had a 20 year career as a pitcher. Imagine a healthy Sandy Koufax for 20 years instead of 5. I'm sure Hobbs would have never found his way into Pop Fisher's life and Pop would've almost certainly lost the team and been pushed out. But Hershey just ruins men. Ya know Coach Dale could've just as easy told Myra Fleener to sit on it when she was so rude to him on the stairs and could've still had the same conversation with Jimmy about "not caring whether he played or not"(wasn't much of a convo since Jimmy never spoke). But simply tell Jimmy that he is his own man and to listen to his own heart and not what busybody's like Fleener have in store for him.

Either way I think the greatest trick Barbara Hershey ever pulled was making the world think she didn't exist.   

[Andy Jick]

every time i see her name i want a candy bar...

[dannyboy35]

I just finished watching The Natural again and I forgot the role of Harriet Byrd was played by Barbara Hershey. Harriet Byrd was for all intents and purposes completely out her ****' mind. She was a woman obsessed with Gods and Titans and was convinced the modern day athlete was the closest thing to it. But her obsession drove her to kill and martyr those same "would-be Gods" she obsessed over.

She stalked great sports figures, lured them to her bed under false pretenses and then shot them dead. She used silver bullets specifically in the guns as if she were disposing of vampires of werewolves or some creature. Symbolically I guess because these athletes were not fit to roam the countryside unchecked and free. They could never be allowed to take the place of the Gods she grew up reading about.

After shooting Roy, like the cowardly dog she was she jumped out the window and plummeted to her death leaving tons of questions.

Later Hershey would go on to play dried up ol bitty Myra Fleener Jimmy Chitwood's overprotective guardian. It was enough for her to be rude and judgemental right off the bat to Coach Norman Dale who only tried to be nice. But she tried to lay down the law on Coach Dale all the while attempting to make Jimmy's every decision for him. It's no wonder that boy had but 4 lines in the entire movie. Barbara Hershey wouldn't let him speak for himself. Who is she to assume what Coach Dale is thinking? He did her a favor by even kissing her dried up chapped lips. Couldn't understand why he kept coming back to her. She is Kalypso to men. She distractss, lures and the submarines men's hopes and dreams...and she must be stopped. I'm surprised she didn't play Rocky's wife in the Rocky movies "ROCKY YOU CAN'T WIN!!!!" Just an inspirer of confidence.

So anyways thats y story and I'm sticking to it. Barbara Hershey is the Anti-Christ. She is evil and she must be stopped. If you see her even now turn and go the other way. She will try to murder your soul. You've seen it in The Natural. You've seen it in Hoosiers. You know it to be true.













...yes I really am this bored.

     This was hilarious. Thanks. I’m a huge movie buff. This cracked me up. Funny observations!!!

[dannyboy35]

I think I'll defer my opinion to own Mr. Hobbs on this one.  He's an authority on both movies

It's a conundrum.  She's definitely pure evil in The Natural, although psychologically interesting.  Almost like Estella in Great Expectations, in a way; she's been conditioned to tear down greatness.

Myra...  well, she's a bit of a shrew at first, but heck, Dale is a little crusty himself.  They both want what's best for the boys.  Now, one could argue that she's a bit of a bandwagoner (if they had pink hats in Hickory, she'd be wearing one), but since Coach Dale ultimately gives her the seal of approval, she's okay in my book.

So, that leaves it as a coin flip.  Plus, who knows, if not for Harriet Byrd, Hobbs might have grown into a cocky superstar driven by his ego.  Who knows, he could have turned into the next Barry Bonds.  Instead, the career-crippling injury kept him humble, and led to one hell of a fine story.

Think of this. If Sam Simpson the scout hadn't made that bet with Max Mercy the kid probably would've made it okay to Chicago and it would be The Whammer that would've ended up dead. Hobbs could've had a 20 year career as a pitcher. Imagine a healthy Sandy Koufax for 20 years instead of 5. I'm sure Hobbs would have never found his way into Pop Fisher's life and Pop would've almost certainly lost the team and been pushed out. But Hershey just ruins men. Ya know Coach Dale could've just as easy told Myra Fleener to sit on it when she was so rude to him on the stairs and could've still had the same conversation with Jimmy about "not caring whether he played or not"(wasn't much of a convo since Jimmy never spoke). But simply tell Jimmy that he is his own man and to listen to his own heart and not what busybody's like Fleener have in store for him.

Either way I think the greatest trick Barbara Hershey ever pulled was making the world think she didn't exist.   

   Hahahaha!!! Ok. You’ve convinced me. I voted anti-Christ.

[Roy H.]

Wow...  resurrected after almost 13 years. 

Dang, I was way sharper and wittier back then.  Now I’m just bitter and old. 

[Moranis]

Wow...  resurrected after almost 13 years. 

Dang, I was way sharper and wittier back then.  Now I’m just bitter and old.

aren't we all?

[todd_days_41]

She's not exactly a walk in the park in Hannah and Her Sisters, either....

(see what i did there? walk in the park? oy vey)

[boscel33]

And she was in a movie of note how long ago?  You're working on a 20-year grudge dude.

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800017355/filmography

Apparently she is still making movies- though not any you've heard of.  But she has some interesting movies to her credit:
Falling Down
Tin Men
Hannah and Her Sisters
The Right Stuff
The Stunt Man
and the immortal (tongue in cheek) With 6 You Get Eggroll

A good actress you played roles that people didn't like.

I saw "With 6 You Get Eggroll" at a drive-in as part of a triple feature, I was probably only six.  "Yellow Submarine" and I think the original "Love Bug" were the other two. 

I know this is an anti-Barbara thread, but darn was she good in Beaches!