Last Olympics Post. We Promise.

Those suffering Olympics withdrawal might alleviate their distress by picking up a few Olympics-theme films at their friendly DVD dream pharmacy.

There have been more movies with Olympics settings than one might think (or fewer. depending on who one is).  From these, the Digressions panel has selected three it deems worthy of viewing, from--in this order--the years 1982, 1969 and 1965.

1.  "Personal Best."  Written and directed by Robert Towne, better known for writing "Chinatown" and "Shampoo."  Mariel Hemingway stars as a runner training for the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow (subsequently boycotted by the US, to the bitter disappointment of American athletes).  Co-star is Patrice Donnelly, an All-American hurdler who represented the US at the 1976 Olympics.  Music score by Team Dresch, an early punk rock group.

2.  "Downhill Racer."  Directed by Michael Ritchie ("The Candidate") from a script by novelist ("A Sport and a Pastime") James Salter.  No one has ever captured competition, whether athletic or political, better than Ritchie.  The downhill racer of the title, a rather scruffy and self-centred skier, is played by Robert Redford (Roger Angell, writing about baseball films, said that Redford is one of the few actors who has the moves of an athlete).  The ever reliable Gene Hackman and Dabney Coleman turn up as coaches.  Filmed in the Austrian Alps.

3.  "Walk, Don't Run."  Lightest of the three, and the most fun, this lark is set in Tokyo, site of the 1964 Summer Games.  Stars Cary Grant, Jim Hutton and Samantha Eggar as three people who end up sharing a small apartment in a very crowded city.  The sport under examination is race walking, which looks like a lot of work.  Music score by Quincy Jones, with songs by Peggy Lee (including the appropriately titled "Happy Feet") and fine contributions by Toots Thielemans and Harry "Sweets" Edison. 

You decide who gets the gold.