Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 (2008)

89% of critics liked it
(38 reviews)
75% of users liked it
(472 ratings)

Kevin Rafferty's documentary Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 looks at this historic 1968 matchup between those two longtime college football rivals. Many recall that year's edition of this annual grudge match as it was the first time in almost six decades that both schools were undefeated going into the… More Kevin Rafferty's documentary Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 looks at this historic 1968 matchup between those two longtime college football rivals. Many recall that year's edition of this annual grudge match as it was the first time in almost six decades that both schools were undefeated going into the game. The filmmakers utilize archival footage, and intercut it with new interview footage provided by many of those who played a part in that memorable game. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 45 min.
Directed By: Kevin Rafferty
Genres: Documentary, Sports & Fitness

In Theaters: Sep 5, 2008 Wide
On DVD: Aug 4, 2009
Studio: Emerging Pictures

Critic Reviews

Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post
Rafferty uses interviews with the former players, most now in their 60s and nearly all of them touchingly philosophical, to reveal the cultural issues buffeting their campuses, but not necessarily their locker rooms.
Leba Hertz, San Francisco Chronicle
What makes the movie so effective is that Rafferty uses game footage instead of interspersing the movie with cliched scenes of Vietnam protests, campus mayhem, etc. The effective use of this footage builds suspense, even though we know the result.
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor
The aura of shock-and-awe surrounding this game is laid on a bit thick, and sometimes you feel like you're just watching an ESPN special. Still, it's fun.
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune
Simply by letting the onetime gridiron stars talk about the game they played and the era it was played in, the capsule cracks open and you're sucked inside and you cannot believe, even if you know the details, how that game turned out the way it did.
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
Not just a great sports movie, Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 captures a pivotal moment in recent history.
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
Rafferty keeps the structure so blandly standard, the title is nearly the most intriguing element of the whole film.
Sonny Bunch, Washington Times
There's something oddly dissonant about listening to a gaggle of Harvard graduates talk about being scrappy, blue-collar underdogs.
Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews
If the film meanders at times, reaching for significance in the wrong places, football fans will nevertheless find it charming. [Blu-ray]
Joe Holleman, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The best part of this film is the affection with which both sides recall the contest -- not as a loss or a win, but as a commitment to their teammates and respect for the game.
Jennifer Merin, About.com
This 'replay' of a legendary football game between undefeated Harvard and Yale teams for the 1968 championship is terrific sport. The title may reveal the results, but the plays, commentaries and remembrances are gripping--even if you're not a football fa
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
A most entertaining straightforward no-frills documentary by Harvard grad and then Harvard undergrad Kevin Rafferty.
Marc Savlov, Austin Chronicle
Even if you're familiar with the details of the game, Rafferty's suspenseful editing draws you to the edge of your seat and beyond, back into 1968 itself.
Shawn Levy, Oregonian
An engaging chronicle not only of a memorable game but also of an era that seems at once more innocent and combustible than our own.
Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
More than just a not-so-instant replay...even for viewers who regularly skip the Super Bowl it will be something to cheer.
Sean Means, Salt Lake Tribune
Rafferty's static interviews seem better suited for the radio show This American Life than for a movie documentary, but the riveting game footage recaptures the game's drama.
Emily S. Mendel, culturevulture.net
Made on a shoestring budget, but with vision, heart and talent, Rafferty has created an action-packed, yet thoughtful film.
Tom Keogh, Seattle Times
Harvard Beats Yale 29-29, a mosaic of storytelling told by former college-level gridiron athletes, pieces together the remarkable story of a fateful 1968 match between the titular Ivy League teams.
Tony Medley, tonymedley.com
(W)hen Tommy Lee Jones...tells how funny his roommate, Al Gore, was, is asked for specifics, and gives them totally deadpan, I was laughing uncontrollably.
Rossiter Drake, San Francisco Examiner
The memories the game evokes in its stars, now well into middle age but clearly moved when recalling that November's consummation of one of America's oldest sports rivalries, weave a narrative that transcends football.

Read all 19 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Melvin W

Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 is weirdly entertaining. It somehow pulls off something that I didn't believe it could. It's actually suspenseful hearing how this game played out, which is ridiculous since the final score is already known. Also there are no gimmicks here. It's… More
Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 is weirdly entertaining. It somehow pulls off something that I didn't believe it could. It's actually suspenseful hearing how this game played out, which is ridiculous since the final score is already known. Also there are no gimmicks here. It's game footage and interviews with dull Yale and Harvard graduates. There's no slick filmmaking involved and the documentary is better for it. The director just let the players tell the story and it's entertaining to listen to. We can hear the pain in some of the Yale players voices when they talk about mistakes that they made that effected the outcome of the game. We see the joy in the Harvard players as they recall the comeback. This game has stuck with them and they remember every detail and now we get to learn about the details.
Walter M

"Harvard Beats Yale 29-29" is an entertaining [font=Comic Sans MS]documentary[/font] about the Harvard-Yale football game played on November 23, 1968. While at the time both teams were undefeated, Yale was a powerhouse, ranked #16 in the country behind the offense led by… More
"Harvard Beats Yale 29-29" is an entertaining [font=Comic Sans MS]documentary[/font] about the Harvard-Yale football game played on November 23, 1968. While at the time both teams were undefeated, Yale was a powerhouse, ranked #16 in the country behind the offense led by Brian Dowling and Calvin Hill. Brian Dowling was the inspiration for the character B.D. in "Doonesbury." While most of the players involved are interviewed for the film(Calvin Hill is a notable exception), it still would have been nice to have heard from Garry Trudeau to get his viewpoint. What these interviews show is a diverse group of players from many different backgrounds and parts of the country. These recollections serve as the heart of the movie as they are compared to the game film and it is very interesting to see how a player's team might affect his particular viewpoint.(That having been said, one Yale player is very, very honest.) And since this is 1968 that is being discussed, this could also serve as a microcosm of a society that was divided for and against the Vietnam War. However, the players in the film all were united in their opposition, even with some having served there. What the documentary is lacking is putting this game into the context of Ivy League football history. For example, I remember reading a New York Times article a while back on how Ivy League football now does not matter anywhere near as much it once did when the campuses of Harvard and Yale were all male. In 1968 there were still ties in college football, allowing both teams to celebrate a game well played. Note: My normal computer is not currently working, so there may be technical difficulties for the near future.
Jeff T

While not the most incisive doc ever, this is enormously entertaining stuff. Following the game from top to bottom with constant intercutting of interviews with the players 40 years later is the most fascinating color play by play ever!
Nate H

A fascinating sports documentary which, if nothing else, is demonstrable proof that Harvard is cooler than Yale. The game itself had a great narrative but the most interesting stuff here is about the culture of the era and the incredibly important people associated with both schools… More
A fascinating sports documentary which, if nothing else, is demonstrable proof that Harvard is cooler than Yale. The game itself had a great narrative but the most interesting stuff here is about the culture of the era and the incredibly important people associated with both schools that would come to shape our world.
cody f

Great documentary about a football game that took place in 1968 between, you guessed it, Harvard and Yale. This is a great film about sports, friendship, and the turmoil of the late sixties.This Doc. is pure enjoyment even if you don't care for football, but it is a added bonus… More
Great documentary about a football game that took place in 1968 between, you guessed it, Harvard and Yale. This is a great film about sports, friendship, and the turmoil of the late sixties.This Doc. is pure enjoyment even if you don't care for football, but it is a added bonus if your a sports fan. The whole film shows the game as it unfolds while throwing in interviews with the players who were there including Mr.Personality Tommy Lee Jones. Even though you know the outcome the viewer is on the edge of his seat and is awe struck with the outcome. I only wish I could have seen this with a bigger audience, because the few people who were there(myself included) were gasping, laughing, and snickering at the screen. It had a King Of Kong feeling to it and I was impressed with how it was put together.

Cast
            
            Tommy Lee Jones
            
            Brian Dowling
            
            Vic Gatto
            
            Frank Champi
            
            J.P. Goldsmith
            
            Mike Bouscaren
            
            Pat Conway
            
            Bruce Weinstein
            
            Fritz Reed
            
            Del Marting
            
            Bruce Freeman
            
            Kyle Gee
            
            Pete Varney
            
            Bob Levin
            
            George Lalich
            
            Nick Davidson
            
            Mick Kleber
            
            Bill Kelly
            
            John Ignacio
            
            Gus Crim
            
            Dick Anthony Williams
            
            Rick Frisbie
            
            Jim Gallagher
            
            Fran Gallagher
            
            Don Gillis
            
See full cast