The New York Times best-seller ``3 Nights in August,'' based on a 2003 series against the Chicago Cubs and delving into La Russa's managing style, may soon be made into a screenplay.

Producers Kevin Pollak and Kevin Frakes, inspired by the book, were in town during the World Series to witness the culmination of perhaps La Russa's finest managing job. They spent time with the manager and kicked around screenplay ideas as the Cardinals put a late-season swoon behind them and won the franchise's first World Series in 24 years.

The Cardinals' magical October would make a good book, but La Russa doesn't mind the realism surrounding his team's ultimate failure in 2003, though.

``The thing about '03 is there was no Hollywood ending,'' La Russa said. ``The series ended like Hollywood, but we got beat.''

Coincidentally, 2003 is the one season this decade in which the Cardinals didn't make the post-season.

``It's a different kind of sports book and I'm hoping it's a different kind of sports movie,'' Pollak said. ``It's one thing for me to love going to see Field of Dreams or Bull Durham, and it's one thing to want to emulate certain emotions or aspects of other baseball movies.

``This is an insider's view to a world that has never really been known or told.''

Pollak envisions a behind-the-scenes biopic using an actor portraying Buzz Bissinger, the book's author, as a vehicle that'll help viewers get to know the manager.

La Russa is a co-producer in the venture. The movie lacks a director and a lead actor, although Frakes said there's a short list for both jobs.

They won't reveal their top choice for the lead role, the only certainty is that La Russa won't play himself. Frakes said he was thinking a ``little bit bigger'' than, for instance, Tom Sizemore, who recently portrayed Pete Rose, and though Billy Bob Thornton also was seen hanging out with La Russa during the World Series, he said that was just a coincidence.

The movie makers plan on using existing footage whenever possible. They're uncertain which stadium would come close to old Busch Stadium, which was demolished to make way for the new Busch before this season.

``One of the difficult things is this doesn't look anything like the old Busch,'' Frakes said. ``We're trying to find an old stadium that we can cheat with.''

The film makers hope to begin rolling by the end of next season, and Cardinals players will be recruited for on-field roles. But probably not former reserve outfielder Kerry Robinson, whose clashes with La Russa were well-documented in the book.

``I don't think we're going to get Kerry to participate,'' Pollak said.