Movies about the Olympics can be quite a challenge because 1) the event has already taken place and we know the ending, and 2) most of the events are over within a matter of minutes, or even seconds, so there’s not a whole lot of material to work with. The athletes themselves are very normal people who spend much of their lives preparing for the games, which makes their routine b-o-r-i-n-g. Simply put, there’s not much to work with.
Munich which can be defined as THE Olympic movie is about a historical event rather than an athletic event, so it doesn’t qualify for this list. The one that did make the list is one that features an event within an event, and is one of the classic Olympic movies of all time.
1. Personal Best (track and field)
This is Mariel Hemingway’s personal best as an actress, and she does a remarkable performance portraying the dilemma of being a female athlete in a world event that is largely dominated by men. There is some groundbreaking stuff here given the movie was made in 1982, but the sex and nudity are really distractions from an otherwise important movie about the decisions women have to make to get a spot on an Olympic team.
Eddie The Eagle (ski-jumping)
This very recent 2016 British movie about British ski jumper Michael Edwards could have been titled “Against All Odds” — but that was already taken. This is the ultimate Olympic story about believing in yourself. It’s one thing to be counted out by the media and your competitors, quite another to be publicly counted out by your entire country. Hugh Jackman fans will see him play Edwards’ coach, and yes, he did make the Olympic team but you’ll have to find out the year of the Olympics on your own. (Hint: it was 30 years ago.)
Miracle (ice hockey)
This is the story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that defeated the heavily favored Russia team in the finals. Some make the case that this is an example of Kurt Russell being snubbed over and over again in the awards department as an actor, as he plays the overbearing and over-demanding coach. But this is definitely an American feel-good story about grit and determination. If you like U.S. Basketball team blowouts, you will not want to watch this movie.
Olympia (1938 – sprinting)
This is the movie that is an event in an event. The historical backdrop is that Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler were to sponsor the Olympic Games just before the start of World War 2. As we all know, Hitler was not a big fan of Jews and blacks, but he also firmly believed in the superiority of the German race. Enter Jesse Owens, the star of the Olympics who won not one, but four gold medals in this 1936 Olympics. The film is in black and white, but it does not matter because it is the real story of Jesse Owens — not a biopic.
Chariots of Fire (track and field)
The music of this film is still very well known throughout the world. When your movie is nominated 19 times and picks up 14 wins, that says something. Like Olympia, this is a movie about a pre-1960 Olympics and based on a true story. In contrast to Olympia there is a competition between Christian and Jew in their quest to earn a spot for their country in the 1924 Olympics. Both are from Britain yet they come from two very opposite upbringings. It is one of the few movies that is able to touch on some very untouchable themes and do it with class.
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