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The Olympic season has started! Just 2-3 weeks back, I watched a couple of movies based on Olympic games. One was 'Race' which was based on the famous Jesse Owens, the track and field athlete, the American player.
The original Jesse Owens is shown in the above pictures. He was an American track & field athlete and four-time Olympic gold medal winner in the 1936 games. Owens specialized in the sprints and the long jump. He was recognized in his lifetime as "perhaps the greatest and most famous athlete in track and field history''. Owens was the youngest of ten children, three girls and seven boys, born to Henry Cleveland Owens and Mary Emma Fitzgerald in Oakville, Alabama, on September 12, 1913.(Read more in the wiki link).The Olympic season has started! Just 2-3 weeks back, I watched a couple of movies based on Olympic games. One was 'Race' which was based on the famous Jesse Owens, the track and field athlete, the American player.
He became famous for his talent plus for participating in the 1936 Berlin Olympics during Adolf Hitler's rule. I read about him after seeing the movie. The movie was very well-made. They show how he improved his talent step by step with good, sincere coaches. His coach during the Olympics was Larry Snyder, a track & field coach at Ohio University, where Jesse studied. Jesse's real name is J.C. Owens...he was nick named Jesse by his school teacher! Now, to a clipping from the 1936 Olympics where the great Jesse could be seen!
He has got such an innocent happy face. The crowd loved him. Hitler was not happy because a non-Aryan race black man was leading in most of the athletic events. He wanted his Germans to win an show the world that their race is supreme. So, some controversy was there. He was not there for the 'medal awarding' ceremony. He ordered not to film the event, etc. You can see how much ordeal Jesse went through in the film. The American camera woman was given lot of trouble, but she did film his final event which got him the Gold medal. Asked him to pose (running pose) after the event separately, for her and the picture became very famous. The Germans didn't like it at all.
His coach gave his 100% in pushing him, encouraging him throughout. He even went out at midnight to get a pair of new shoes for Jesse (with all the army questionings). Really, Jesse as well as the coach are great! I can write pages and pages about this person and the movie. But it will be toooo long. So, some videos now from the event as well as the movie. First, to a link where the real Jesse, his coach and the movie castings can be seen here!
Now, to the real Olympic games scene and the real HITLER!
Everywhere in Berlin he was discriminated because of his colour. A controversy is there that Hitler didn't shake his hands after he won the gold medal. But Jesse said that The Chancellor waved his hand at him before leaving the stadium! He said further "Hitler didn't snub me – it was our president who snubbed me. The president didn't even send me a telegram." Roosewelt was the President then.
Yes, the American President didn't even bother to congratulate him even after he came back from Berlin. The colour always dominated them. One good act was from Lutz, a German athlete who helped during the Olympics, stayed Jesse's friend till his death during WW II. The movie shows the friendship beautifully! You can see the friend in this video clip!
Stephan James as Jesse and Jason Sudelkis as his coach did a memorable job! I liked the American Camerawoman too (Carice van Houten). Now, to the 'Race' movie trailer:
Owens was quoted saying, the secret behind his success was "I let my feet spend as little time on the ground as possible. From the air, fast down, and from the ground, fast up."
Jessi The fastest man on Earth!
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12 comments :
I studied the story of friendship between the German athlete and Jesse Owens in my English book. It seems, initially Jesse Owens was making fouls by overstepping the line. But lulz noticed that Jesse was jumping much ahead of everyone else. So he suggested that Jesse draw a line one feet behind the actual line, and try jumping from there. It was that trick that brought Jesse the Gold. Lulz was the Gold medal favorite and was his biggest competitor!
Destination Infinity
Jesse Owens is one of the greatest athletes in the world. He was born in Alabama, a Southern state. People from South speak English with a different slang. Many people consider that slang very sexy. His original name was James Cleveland Owens. His family called him JC. After his family moved to Ohio State, on the first day in his elementary school, his teacher asked his name. He said, in his own Southern drawl, JC. The teacher heard that as “Jesse” and he became known as Jesse from then onwards.
DESTINATION INFINITY: Yes, this incident is mentioned in wiki as well as the movie, 'Race'. The movie shows it very nicely! People hated the German for helping Jesse. But Jesse had his own fans even in Germany! Thanks for the first comment, Rajesh! The movie is very good. Try to watch!
SG: His slang was difficult to understand in the movie too, though it is not very pronounced. Loved the movie. A very good movie. It is nice to know people like him...hard work always pays!
Americans love the way people from South (southern states of USA) talk. Especially the way a Southern girl talk.
SG: I have watched the movie 'Gone with the wind'...I still remember Scarlett's nanny speaking in that movie! Loved the book and the movie! Thank you, SG!
Quite inspiring athlete... and from your narrative I understand how different he was from others and he seems to be there for the pure sports and not for the politics behind the show. I really want to watch this movie to learn more about his challenges. Will do soon
I read about the friendship of Jesse and his German friend during the last Olympics! Isn't it incredible how a fellow competitor helped him clinch a gold medal?
I have always loved watching the games especially the gymnastic events. I never watched the movie, but would love to...
He was indeed a great athlete..
We also had one MILKHA SINGH.. who had a good rapport with others.. and Also the hockey champ Dhyanchand who was offered job by hitler himself but refused ..
if only we can get politics out of our sports ..
Bikram's
MANOGNA M: I too watch gymnastics, swimming and athletics. And wherever Indians are participating! Rajesh says that he had a lesson in school about this friendship. Great, isn't it?This movie was good!
BIKRAM: I know about Milkha Singh and have watched the movie too! Farhan Akhtar had done a great job. Liked Pan Singh Tomar too!
Politicians are spoiling everything!
This is really inspiring. Another one I would recommend is "Pele: the making of a legend"
Loved reading this post and watching the videos, Sandhya :)
ONKAR: Yes! I haven't yet seen that movie but I know about the player! They are real legends!
SHAIL MOHAN: Thank you, Shail! The real videos were unique!
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