Ahead of the Opening Ceremony for the 2012 London Olympics (this Friday), I decided to dig through the archives for a film that may have gotten lost over the years. What I came up with is a television movie from the 1980s that I remember well – mainly because as a child I was made to sit down and watch the film due to its historical subject matter.
The Jesse Owens Story is just that – a biopic of the Olympian which chronicles his life and times. The highlight (of course) is his triumph at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.
While it does follow many of the standard televisual tropes, I recall it being an entertaining movie with a solid dramatic turn by Dorian Harewood.
There is not much multimedia I can find for this film, save for the following clip:
This title is available for purchase at Amazon
* Be sure to read about additional titles over at Todd Mason’s blog, Sweet Freedom.
Not sure if I saw this or not.
Hi, iluv and company:
Good catch for an overlooked gem!
I really liked the chemistry between Dorian Harewood and his mentor and coach, Charley Riley. Very well played by George Kennedy. Also enjoyed the execution of the stock footage of the 1936 Olympics and Jesse’s wins.
Very well done for the time and considering it was a TV movie. Long gone are those days where the big networks produced quality like this.
A seminal film during my childhood 4sho! Dorian Harewood has never been better, save perhaps his small role in the harrowing Full Metal Jacket.
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For me, centuries will pass yet the story of Jesse Owens will still be remembered for the enduring themes around his career.