Film Review: The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (1979) A Bizarre, Bouncy Basketball Time Capsule

If you’re looking for polished storytelling or Oscar-worthy performances, The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh won’t be your game-winner. But if you’re in the mood for a psychedelic, disco-drenched, basketball-laced fever dream of a movie, then buckle up — because this 1979 oddity is the kind of lovable mess that’s impossible to hate.

Frankie Bleu – Moses’ Theme

Directed by Gilbert Moses and featuring a script that feels like it was written during a late-night astrology binge, the film centers around the fictional Pittsburgh Pythons — a struggling ABA-style basketball team in desperate need of a miracle. That miracle comes in the form of astrology, as a teenage water sign and a flamboyant cosmic consultant (Stockard Channing, decked in sequins and sass) suggest the team rebuild its roster around players who are all Pisces. Yes, Pisces. Hence, the team is reborn as the Pittsburgh Pisces. Logic takes a backseat to lunacy.

The film doesn’t really try to make much sense — and it’s better for it. This is a sports movie where basketball is more of a setting than a subject, and character arcs are replaced with afros, funk music, and glittery uniforms. What The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh lacks in narrative coherence, it makes up for in sheer commitment to its vibe.

And what a cast it has. NBA legend Julius “Dr. J” Erving stars as Moses Guthrie, the team’s only original bright spot, bringing real charisma and athleticism to the role. He’s not just phoning it in — he’s having fun, and it shows. Joining him are an eclectic group of co-stars, including Meadowlark Lemon of Harlem Globetrotters fame, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (in a brief but memorable cameo), Flip Wilson, and Jonathan Winters playing dual roles as both the team’s owner and his own twin brother. Even Harry Shearer (future Simpsons legend) pops up.

Musically, the film is a time capsule of late-’70s funk and disco. The soundtrack — featuring The Spinners, Phyllis Hyman, and even the original theme song by Thom Bell — grooves harder than most of the plot ever does. Combined with the rainbow-lit basketball sequences and psychedelic dance numbers, it’s a sensory overload in the most charming way.

To call The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh a “good movie” by traditional standards would be generous. It’s disjointed, ridiculous, and at times cringe-inducing. But that’s hardly the point. This is a cult classic born not of excellence, but of audacity. It’s weird, it’s wild, and it never takes itself seriously — which is exactly why it still has fans decades later.

Final Verdict:

★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ (2 out of 5) A cosmic misfire that shoots for the stars and lands somewhere in funky, fishy fun. So bad it’s good? Maybe. So weird it’s unforgettable? Absolutely.