You’ve probably seen your fair share of basketball movies. Most follow the same blueprint: an underdog team, a gruelling practice montage, and a buzzer-beater that saves the day. But the spirit of the game film hits different because it isn't actually about the NBA or even high school playoffs. It’s about 1950s missionaries in Australia. Honestly, it's a weird premise on paper.
Released in 2016 and directed by Darran Scott, the movie tells the true story of the "Mormon Yankees." These were young missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who traveled to Australia during a time when the country was gearing up for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. Basketball wasn't exactly a national pastime in Australia back then. It was a niche sport, overshadowed by cricket and rugby. These kids changed that.
The film stars Kevin Sorbo and Aaron Jakubenko. It’s period-accurate, dusty, and surprisingly earnest. While it definitely targets a faith-based audience, it’s worth a look for anyone interested in how sports can bridge massive cultural gaps.
The Real History Behind the Mormon Yankees
History is often messier than Hollywood likes to admit. In the case of the spirit of the game film, the real-life events were a bit more strategic than just "guys playing hoops."
The missionaries arrived in a post-war Australia that was still finding its footing on the global stage. The 1956 Olympics were a massive deal. It was the first time the Games were held in the Southern Hemisphere. Australia had a basketball team, but they weren't exactly world-beaters. They needed high-level competition to practice against, and they needed it fast.
Enter the missionaries.
Many of these young men had played high-level college ball in the States. They were tall, disciplined, and technically proficient. They started playing local teams and absolutely demolished them. But they didn't just play to win; they played to promote their faith. It was basically the ultimate "soft power" move before that term was even a thing. They drew crowds of thousands. People didn't necessarily care about the theology at first—they just wanted to see these Americans dunk and run fast-break offenses that the locals had only read about in magazines.
👉 See also: The Entire History of You: What Most People Get Wrong About the Grain
Why 1956 Was a Turning Point
If you look at the trajectory of Australian basketball, you can trace a direct line back to this era. The spirit of the game film highlights how the "Mormon Yankees" actually helped coach the Australian national team. They weren't just rivals; they were mentors.
They brought the "jump shot." Think about that. Before these guys showed up, the set shot was king in the land down under. The Americans brought a verticality to the game that shifted the entire Australian sports landscape.
- They played over 20 matches across the country.
- The team remained undefeated for a significant stretch.
- They helped the Australian Olympic team prep for their debut on the world stage.
It’s a specific niche of sports history that usually gets buried under the highlights of the Dream Team or the 80s Lakers-Celtics rivalry.
Breaking Down the Production: What Works and What Doesn't
Let's talk about the actual filmmaking. Honestly, faith-based cinema can sometimes feel a bit "low-budget" or overly preachy. Darran Scott avoids some of those traps, but not all of them.
The cinematography captures the 1950s aesthetic quite well. The colors are warm, almost sepia-toned, which fits the nostalgia of the era. Aaron Jakubenko, playing DeLyle Condie, carries a lot of the emotional weight. Condie was a real person, a star player at the University of Utah who gave up a potential pro career to serve his mission. That’s a heavy internal conflict to portray. Do you chase the glory of the court or the "call" of your faith?
The movie focuses heavily on this "Spirit of the Game" concept—the idea that how you play matters more than the score. It’s a bit idealistic, sure. But in the context of 1956, where the world was still cold from the shadow of WWII, that kind of sportsmanship meant something.
✨ Don't miss: Shamea Morton and the Real Housewives of Atlanta: What Really Happened to Her Peach
The Kevin Sorbo Factor
Kevin Sorbo is a staple in this genre. In the spirit of the game film, he plays Parley Condie, DeLyle’s father. His performance is steady. He provides that "stern but loving" parental archetype that anchors the younger, more impulsive characters.
However, the film sometimes leans too heavily into the "clash of cultures" tropes. You have the rough-and-tumble Australians who don't understand these "clean-cut" Americans. It’s a bit predictable. But the basketball sequences? They’re actually decent. You can tell the actors put in the work to look like they actually know how to handle a ball, which is more than I can say for some big-budget sports flicks.
The Impact on Australian Basketball Culture
It’s easy to dismiss a movie like this as a footnote. But if you talk to basketball historians in Melbourne or Sydney, they know the name DeLyle Condie.
The spirit of the game film accurately portrays how these exhibition matches became a sensation. The missionaries were eventually invited to play as a "demonstration team." They were so good that they actually beat several of the Olympic teams in unofficial scrimmages.
This isn't just a movie for LDS members. It’s a movie for people who love the "origins" of things. Australia is now a global powerhouse in basketball, producing NBA stars like Ben Simmons, Josh Giddey, and Patty Mills. That foundation was laid in the 50s by guys wearing suits during the day and jerseys at night.
Dealing With the "Preachy" Label
Is the spirit of the game film preachy? Kinda. It's a movie about missionaries, so you have to expect a certain amount of religious dialogue.
🔗 Read more: Who is Really in the Enola Holmes 2 Cast? A Look at the Faces Behind the Mystery
But it’s not just a sermon on film. It tackles doubt. It tackles the physical toll of the mission. It shows the tension between wanting to be a "normal" athlete and wanting to serve a higher purpose. That’s a human struggle. You don't have to be religious to understand the feeling of being pulled in two different directions by your passions and your duties.
Critics often point out that the film simplifies the complexities of the time. The 1950s weren't all sunshine and basketball. There were deep-seated social issues in Australia that the film mostly glosses over. It chooses to focus on the "inspiring" angle, which is fine for what it is, but it does leave some historical meat on the bone.
Key Characters and Their Roles
- DeLyle Condie: The protagonist. His journey from a Utah star to a missionary in the Australian outback is the heart of the story.
- Parley Condie: The father figure. Represents the tradition and expectations of the church.
- The Australian Teammates: Represent the "everyman" of 1950s sports culture, skeptical but eventually won over by the skill and character of the Americans.
Why You Should Care About This Movie Now
In an era of hyper-commercialized sports, the spirit of the game film reminds us of a time when the game was purely about the game. There were no sneaker deals. There was no social media. It was just guys playing in drafty gyms for the love of the sport and a belief in their message.
The film has found a second life on streaming platforms. It pops up on Amazon Prime and Tubi quite often. For people looking for "clean" family entertainment that actually has a bit of historical grit, it fits the bill perfectly.
It’s also a great case study in how international sports relations work. We see the Olympics today as a massive corporate machine. In 1956, it was a way for a young nation like Australia to say, "We’re here." The Mormon Yankees were a small but vital part of that coming-out party.
Actionable Insights for Viewers and Researchers
If you're planning to watch the movie or want to dig deeper into the history, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Check the History: Look up the "Mormon Yankees" on the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame website. The real stats are actually more impressive than the movie suggests.
- Watch for the Technique: If you’re a basketball nerd, pay attention to the shooting forms in the movie. They did a great job replicating the 50s style of play.
- Context Matters: Watch the film alongside a documentary about the 1956 Melbourne Olympics to get the full picture of the atmosphere in Australia at the time.
- Discuss the Themes: It’s a great conversation starter for groups discussing the intersection of personal ambition and community service.
The spirit of the game film isn't going to win an Oscar for Best Picture, but it doesn't need to. It serves its purpose as a tribute to a forgotten group of athletes who changed the sports culture of an entire continent. It’s a quiet, sincere look at what happens when you take your talents to the other side of the world for something bigger than yourself.
To get the most out of the experience, try to find the behind-the-scenes interviews with Darran Scott. He spent years researching the archives to make sure the "feel" of the basketball games was authentic. That dedication shows on screen. Whether you're there for the faith, the hoops, or the history, there's a certain charm here that's hard to find in modern, slicker productions.