Nominated for 2 Academy Awards, this triumphant tale of a high school basketball team's long-shot attempt to win the state championship is filled with edge-of-your-seat suspense and breathless excitement! Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) is a high school basketball coach whose checkered past has led him to a position with a last-chance team. Made to feel unwelcome by squad members, an icy fellow teacher (Barbara Hershey), and townspeople who nearly have him fired, Dale perseveres with an unwavering passion for the game.