Where Was The Natural Filmed? Robert Redford’s Classic Sports Drama Film!

One doesn’t have to be a sports lover to watch a good sports drama film. If you’ve already watched the movie The Natural (1984) then you know it is an astounding film that narrates a wonderful story. Many people who’ve seen the movie are quite curious about its filming locations. So, in this article, I’ll discuss the movie and tell you where was The Natural filmed.

The Natural follows Roy Hobbs, who was once a rookie baseball player, returns after several years and becomes one of the best and most successful baseball players in America. The sports drama film features a brilliant cast including several veteran performers like Robert Redford, Glenn Close, Robert Duvall, Kim Basinger, and Wilford Brimley. If you happen to be a serious film buff then you probably know that most of these actors are critically acclaimed and have won numerous accolades.

Now let’s discuss where was The Natural filmed, the classic sports drama movie was shot in New York, United States of America.

From senior director Barry Levinson and screenwriter Roger Towne and Phil Dusenberry, The Natural was released in America on 11th May 1984. It was released on digital platforms on 16th April 2012. The sports drama film is a Delphie II Productions and was distributed in the United States by Tri-Star Pictures. However, let’s dive into the details of the filming location.

Where Was The Natural Filmed? The Natural Filming Locations!

Barry Levinson’s The Natural garnered positive response from critics. American critic James Berardinelli gave the movie a constructive review, calling it “the best baseball movie ever made”. Whereas, some film critics weren’t quite satisfied with the movie’s adaptation and screenplay. Not to mention, the sports drama film received four Oscar nominations and one Golden Globe Award nomination.

Levinson, who is not only a filmmaker, is also a screenplay writer and producer. He is best known for his comedy dramas and black comedies. The Natural scored 83% on Rotten Tomatoes and got a high rating of 7.4 on IMDb. However, let’s get into the details of where was The Natural filmed.

New York, United States of America

The majority of the classic sports drama movie, The Natural, was filmed in and around the state of New York. Only a handful of scenes were shot in California. A major part of the movie was filmed in Buffalo, particularly at War Memorial Stadium which was built in 1937. The famous All-High Stadium also served as an important location for filming the movie. 

The All-High Stadium was used as a stand-in for Chicago’s Wrigley Field stadium, which is situated at 50 Mercer Avenue, Buffalo, New York. The scene in which Roy and Iris walk outside a brick building was shot just outside the stadium. 

Hobbs’ family farm that we see in the movie is actually located at 6772 West Main Road, Le Roy, New York. The village of Fredonia and New York City also served as a filming location. Remember the carnival scene where Roy strikes out The Whammer? That specific scene was shot on Cherry Lane, South Daytona, New York.

The Hotel Ellicott scenes were filmed at the Ellicott Square Building, which is located at 283 Main Street, Buffalo. The Buffalo Psychiatric Center was used as a stand-in for filming the Tower Maternity Hospital scenes. It is situated at 400 Forest Avenue.

The Chicago Union Station that we see in the movie is actually the Buffalo Central Terminal at 495 Paderewski Drive, Buffalo, New York. A number of crucial scenes were filmed at Masten Avenue Armory which is located at 27 Masten Avenue, Buffalo. 

The Italian Restaurant scene involving Roy and Red was shot at 206 Allen Street, Buffalo, New York. Apart from filming in New York, the cast and crew shot a few sequences in California at  Culver Studios and on Queens Highway in Long Beach.

Plot Of The Natural (1984) | From A Rookie To A Legend!

The story of The Natural revolves around Roy Hobbs, played by Robert Redford. Roy always wanted to be a baseball player, but at a very young age he lost his father. His father was the only person to teach him how to play baseball, so he made it his goal to become a successful player. 

When Roy finally turned 19, he went to a tryout with the Chicago cubs. After showcasing his mind blowing talent on the field, he gets shot by a mentally unstable woman named Harriet Bird, played by Barbara Hershey.

After sixteen long years, Roy returns and joins the New York Knights as a rookie. Soon, when he shows his exceptional talent on the field everyone is astonished and taken aback. Eventually he becomes one of the best players in the league and turns out to be the most famous baseball player in America.

Final Words

The Natural is a highly recommended movie, especially for those who are a sucker for well-directed sports dramas. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, you can watch it on a number of streaming platforms. However, if you liked reading the article then do not forget to let me know in the comments section.