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Post by lonesomepolecat on Jul 27, 2024 18:28:16 GMT
It’s Olympic Time!  I love the Olympics but naturally I’m mostly thinking about Olympic movies. Which ones can you guys think of? The most fitting one that comes to mind is CHARIOTS OF FIRE which is the Paris Olympics of exactly 100 years ago:  I’m also thinking about Classic Movie Stars & Actors who were Olympians. For example, Nat Pendleton—  This movie tough guy won a silver medal in wrestling at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics:  So here is your Olympic Zone to discuss sports in movies and athlete actors, and even Paris movies! GO TEAM USA! |
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Post by BunnyWhit on Jul 27, 2024 18:52:38 GMT
Walk, Don't Run (1966) -- 1964 summer Olympics in Tokyo
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Post by christine on Jul 27, 2024 22:44:38 GMT
WALK, DON'T RUN 1966 was Cary Grant's last film. He retired to spend more time raising his only daughter.
He also felt he was getting too old to play the love interests of younger actresses.
He left us with many film treasures!
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Post by NoShear on Jul 28, 2024 0:26:06 GMT
It was the United States women's water polo squad versus Murray Lerner's "FESTIVAL!" (1967) on T CM this morning... Of film and water polo, the infamous "Blood in the Water" match, which occurred during the 1956 Summer Olympics between Hungary and the Soviet team, has been referenced for at least three movies.  |
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Post by christine on Jul 28, 2024 0:40:15 GMT
I'm so glad lonesomepolecat started this thread! I was moved and in aww of the opening ceremonies of this Olympic Game 2024 in Paris - for the obvious reasons I'm sure that others were moved by them. However, I have another reason - when I was in my 20's I visited the City of lights twice. The first time I traveled with one of my college professors and her family. We experienced towns and cities all over France - from Strasbourg to Antibes along the Cote d'Azur. Then up to Paris and the Sorbonne University. While we were in Paris - I became friends with the interpreter in our hotel. He showed me the City of Paris from a Parisian's perspective. I experienced everything from Notre Dame, Jardin de Tuileries, Montmartre and the Sacre-Coeur. Also the small patisseries and cafe's. I learned how to eat pizza with ham on it (that's what they put on their pizzas. They don't put sausage). I learned how to travel on the Metro like a pro! - after getting lost just a couple of times - hey Paris is a big city! I also learned to love the smells in the air of the chestnut trees and how the water ponded on the cobble sidewalks and side roads. I went back my second time the next winter. It was wonderful to experience that city in two different seasons! I stayed with my new friend and his brother and family. We celebrated the holidays together. New Years is fabulous in Paris! I spent more time at the Louvre Museum on this trip. I remember going back for several days in a row - I don't think you could ever stay long enough to see the whole museum! I do remember seeing the Mona Lisa and being astonished at how small the painting is. Up until then somehow I thought it a bigger piece of art. It's behind glass that's behind another glass bullet proof case that's behind guards that's behind velvet dividers that rope off tourists so they are standing pretty far away! These are memories that I'll have forever! I always say that I'd like to go back but, I don't know if I will ever make it back. I'm glad I traveled when I was young! These opening ceremonies opened my mind and heart as I watched. I love the way Steven Speilberg began the welcoming presentation that became the perfect link between cinema and history. The parade of athletes down the Seine, the performances at the breathtaking points of history along the river, the theatrics involved, the light show at the Eiffel Tower or as the French call it Tour Eiffel (named after its designer, Gustave Eiffel), and the wonderful performance by Celine Dion!!! I realized that apart from every other Olympic Ceremony - the French were not celebrating in a venue but celebrating with their whole city - they were giving of themselves and offering to the world everything they have!!! So let's all enjoy the Olympics, the Olympiads, the city of Paris and the Olympic spirit - it's what dreams are made of (to quote Bogart)!!! Go team USA!  One of my own pictures of Paris |
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Post by lonesomepolecat on Jul 28, 2024 1:55:31 GMT
Walk, Don't Run (1966) -- 1964 summer Olympics in Tokyo
WALK DON’T RUN is such a great Olympic movie! It’s a brilliant update of THE MORE THE MERRIER, using the Olympics for the housing shortage for the MacGuffin. I love the big reveal of his Olympic event. They spend the whole movie wondering what his event is, then when you find out, you understand why he was so cagey about it. When we see Olympic Race walking in competition, we quote Cary Grant: “ This is the most ridiculous race!” |
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Post by lonesomepolecat on Jul 28, 2024 2:03:41 GMT
I'm so glad lonesomepolecat started this thread! I was moved and in aww of the opening ceremonies of this Olympic Game 2024 in Paris - for the obvious reasons I'm sure that others were moved by them. However, I have another reason - when I was in my 20's I visited the City of lights twice. The first time I traveled with one of my college professors and her family. We experienced towns and cities all over France - from Strasbourg to Antibes along the Cote d'Azur. Then up to Paris and the Sorbonne University. While we were in Paris - I became friends with the interpreter in our hotel. He showed me the City of Paris from a Parisian's perspective. I experienced everything from Notre Dame, Jardin de Tuileries, Montmartre and the Sacre-Coeur. Also the small patisseries and cafe's. I learned how to eat pizza with ham on it (that's what they put on their pizzas. They don't put sausage). I learned how to travel on the Metro like a pro! - after getting lost just a couple of times - hey Paris is a big city! I also learned to love the smells in the air of the chestnut trees and how the water ponded on the cobble sidewalks and side roads. I went back my second time the next winter. It was wonderful to experience that city in two different seasons! I stayed with my new friend and his brother and family. We celebrated the holidays together. New Years is fabulous in Paris! I spent more time at the Louvre Museum on this trip. I remember going back for several days in a row - I don't think you could ever stay long enough to see the whole museum! I do remember seeing the Mona Lisa and being astonished at how small the painting is. Up until then somehow I thought it a bigger piece of art. It's behind glass that's behind another glass bullet proof case that's behind guards that's behind velvet dividers that rope off tourists so they are standing pretty far away! These are memories that I'll have forever! I always say that I'd like to go back but, I don't know if I will ever make it back. I'm glad I traveled when I was young! These opening ceremonies opened my mind and heart as I watched. I love the way Steven Speilberg began the welcoming presentation that became the perfect link between cinema and history. The parade of athletes down the Seine, the performances at the breathtaking points of history along the river, the theatrics involved, the light show at the Eiffel Tower or as the French call it Tour Eiffel (named after its designer, Gustave Eiffel), and the wonderful performance by Celine Dion!!! I realized that apart from every other Olympic Ceremony - the French were not celebrating in a venue but celebrating with their whole city - they were giving of themselves and offering to the world everything they have!!! So let's all enjoy the Olympics, the Olympiads, the city of Paris and the Olympic spirit - it's what dreams are made of (to quote Bogart)!!! Go team USA! One of my own pictures of Paris I love this story. I went to Paris as well, but it was with my show choir so I didn’t have freedom, but it was still great. One very special memory was being on top of the Eiffel Tower as France won a major World Cup game. From the top of the Eiffel Tower, you could hear the entire city celebrating. It was so loud that on top of the Eiffel Tower you could hear them cheering all over town. It was incredible! When we came down they were still celebrating. They even crowded on the last metro with us singing the whole time. I have to say this opening ceremony Has been my absolute favorite. I love the idea of going out in the city instead of being cooped up in the stadium. It’s like they were really welcoming the athletes into the city. It’s awesome too because the most beautiful thing about Paris is the whole city. I love the singing and dancing all over the whole riverbank and using All the famous landmarks. And I got to say that was the coolest Olympic tour of all time! I love the bridging of all the new like heavy metal with Carmen, breakdancing in Commedia Dell’arte costumes, etc. The production of Les Miz was my favorite though.  |
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Post by christine on Jul 28, 2024 3:02:18 GMT
I agree lonesomepolecat.
It's funny, but what you said about the Eiffel Tower jogged another memory of mine. When I was there the tower was in repair and we could only go as far as the second level. We saw quite a view from there though.
Anyway, it's so hard to pick a favorite moment from the opening ceremony. I too loved the way they mixed the old and new - the classic with the modern! I loved Lady Gaga's performance! Also when the torch traveled through the Louvre. I would have to say for me it was the light show at the Eiffel Tower near the end of the ceremony! Breathtaking!!!
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Post by lonesomepolecat on Jul 28, 2024 6:27:42 GMT
Sometimes Olympic movies are not about winners, but about what it means just to be an Olympian. One example is COOL RUNNINGS in which the Jamaican Bobsled Team's crash doesn't dash their hopes:
Another is EDDIE THE EAGLE who went into Olympic Ski Jumping, not to win a medal, but because it was the only way he could become an Olympian
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Post by lonesomepolecat on Jul 28, 2024 6:37:27 GMT
Today was Team USA's first gold in swimming thanks to another great freestyle swimming relay:
So it's only fitting to mention another classic movie Olympian, swimmer Johnny Weismuller, also known as Tarzan:
Before he was Tarzan, he won 5 gold medals and 1 bronze between two Olympics, most of them in Paris 1924!
Here is Johnny Weismuller at the 1924 Paris Olympics alongside another swimmer who went to Hollywood, Duke Kahanamoku, who won 5 medals over 3 Olympics, then played character parts in a few movies
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Post by christine on Jul 28, 2024 6:59:46 GMT
What great pictures of Weismuller and his medal!
Especially back at the 1924 Olympics. 😃 🗼 🥇
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Post by BunnyWhit on Jul 28, 2024 15:50:50 GMT
Jim Thorpe -- All American (1951)
Jim Thorpe
Burt Lancaster plays Jim Thorpe in the film that tells the story of the Native-American athlete. Thorpe won the decathlon and pentathlon at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm. Thorpe was subsequently stripped of his medals due to violation of extremely harsh ameature status rules of the time. The mechanicians involved in that were ugly. Thorpe was reinstated as sole winner of the two races in 2022.
Lancaster as Thorpe
(Incidentally, Duke Kahanamoku was also at the 1912 Olympics as well. Headlines often referred to them as two "dark skinned" athletes. Their reception by the king of Sweden seems to have been better than that of many Americans. Sad.)
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Post by lonesomepolecat on Jul 28, 2024 20:29:26 GMT
Fantatic post, BunnyWhit! That archaic rule about amateurism was ridiculous. Can you believe it stood til the 80s?! I like to think that CHARIOTS OF FIRE had something to do with the change— that conversation between Harold Abrahams and the heads of the college, shocked he would hire a coach like a professional. Abrahams’ great response must have resonated with the athletes at the time:
“ Gentlemen, you yearn for victory just as I do. But achieved with the apparent effortlessness of gods. Yours are the archaic values of the prep-school playground. You deceive no one but yourselves. I believe in the pursuit of excellence - and I'll carry the future with me.”
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Post by lonesomepolecat on Jul 28, 2024 20:37:10 GMT
 Watching USA go 1-2 on women’s swimming today reminded me of another classic movie about an Olympic swimmer— Neil Simon’s THE STAR SPANGLED GIRL.  Sandy Duncan plays the title role as a swimmer who lost her race in the last Olympics due to “getting tense” and comes to LA to train for next time. However Todd Sussman keeps chasing her around in funny ways, including bringing a duck to the pool.  |
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Post by lonesomepolecat on Jul 29, 2024 7:21:27 GMT
MILLION DOLLAR LEGS (1932) — WC Fields enters his tiny fictional country into the Olympics   |
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