Mr. Movie: The Olympics In Film

Most everybody I talk to has been watching the Olympics from Paris. Last time, in Tokyo, it was during the pandemic and there were No Fans At All. It has been lots of fun and our American athletes have done so well. So it’s time for Mr. Movie to weigh in with the best movies that involve the Olympics.

I’ll start with the very best. Chariots Of Fire (1981) is a wonderful movie that won every award in sight. It deserved and won four Oscars, including Best Film. Ben Cross portrays Harold Abrahams, a Jewish student at Cambridge. He overcomes intense anti-semitism and is named to the 1924 British Olympics team. Ian Charleson portrays Eric Lidell, a devout Scottish Christian who stuns the world when he refuses to run on the Sabbath. The running shots and the celestial music by Vangelis are just great!

Miracle (2004) is about exactly that. The entire United States is transported into ecstacy when an underdog bunch of American college kids unite to take down the juggernaut Russian squad, winner of four consecutive gold medals. We hear Al Michaels’ famous call: “Do you believe in miracles? Yes.” Then they go on to win the gold medal by defeating heavily favored Finland. Kurt Russell is very good as Herb Brooks, the legendary American coach. Patricia Clarkson, good as always, plays Herb’s wife.

Munich (2005) goes well beyond the closing ceremony, but is a dramatic film about revenge and redemption. At the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany, 11 Israeli athletes are systematically murdered by Black September, a Palestinian terrorist group. Two are killed at first. After 9 of the Israelis are taken hostage and we hoped against hope, they were all killed. I still remember Jim McKay saying: “They’re all gone. Every one.” The story does not end there, as most of the movie covers the action of Mossad and its cohorts tracking down and killing every known Palestinian participant.

Icarus (2017) won Best Documentary at the 2014 Academy Awards. Brian Fogel, a talented American cyclist, begins a study of athletic doping. He befriends and works with Grigory Rodchenkov, head of Russian testing. The Russian turns on his bosses and defects to America. He and Fogel disclose the Russians’ total and complete doping of their athletes, revealing how they do it and have been doing it for many years. The Russian goes into Witness Protection and the Russian government denies any knowledge of the scandal. What a surprise!

The Boys In The Boat (2023) is one of the best books I’ve ever read about sports. It details the University of Washington rowing team competing for gold at the 1936 Olympics. The movie, alas, is just so-so. What a waste! The movie isn’t bad, it’s just mediocre and could have been so great. Oh, well. Read the book!

I am also recommending Tokyo Olympiad (1965), a Japanese doc about as good as it gets in filming the games. Some might like Hitler’s Olympics (2016), a good documentary about how Jesse Owens and others spoiled the 1936 Olympics for The Fuhrher.

The first two films herein are fine for all ages. The rest are for adults. All of these films are available for streaming, most at a price. Google the title and click on “watch movie.”