In 1909, when young paiute indian willie boy returns to his. Dating from 1969, downhill racer holds up remarkably well both as a character study and a visually impressive journey into the world of olympic skiing. Robert redford, in the title role, plays an egotistical loner aiming for olympic gold. Together they form a portrait of a man that is so complete, and so tragic, that downhill racer becomes the best movie ever made about sports without really being about sports. Aug, 2015 director michael ritchies the golden child debut film is a tense and taut look at the world of olympic skiing. Written by james salter, based on the 1963 novel the downhill racers by oakley hall, the film is about a talented downhill skier who joins the united states ski team in europe to compete in international skiing competitions. Downhill racer is a 1969 american sports drama film starring robert redford, gene hackman. Downhill racer, a 1969 movie about competitive skiing, is a sports movie that tweaks the formula just enough to make a personal, thoughtful film without refuting genre expectation.
Sylvester stallone as an extra in a 1970 film called pigeons. Dec, 2016 as a consolation, i rented downhill racer. The coldbloodedness of redfords character may have worked against downhill racer at the box office. His selfish behavior makes it difficult for his coach, eugene claire hackman, to select him for the squad. Downhill racer frustration led to sundance film festival. A story of two motorcycle racers, the inept, unsuspecting little fauss michael j. Redford has said he really wanted to make a movie featuring the type of character that david chappellet represents and what they produced is really a good film. Director michael ritchies the golden child debut film is a tense and taut look at the world of olympic skiing. The sort of somber, minimalist drama that can only be found in the cinema of the late 1960s and early 70s. Documentarian in style, downhill racer is a strangely dispassionate but.
Throughout the film we see examples of his failure to connect with people. Downhill racer 1969 michael ritchie releases allmovie. After our selection process, we watched downhill racer, a 1969 film starring robert redford and featuring gene hackman. Pollard and the opportunistic, womanizing halsey knox redford. With a subtle screenplay by acclaimed novelist james salter, downhill racer is a. Downhill racer was director michael ritchies first feature film. It may be the first film in history that starts at the top, goes steadily downhill, and still stays. An influential and extremely welldone sports film, worth watching even if you dont normally enjoy films of this type. Downhill racer takes the whole unlikable70shero thing a little too far. Downhill racer frustration led to sundance film festival on snow. An artful poster for one of the most acclaimed sports movies, michael ritchies downhill racer 1969, in which robert redford played an olympic skier whose competitiveness extends beyond the. The film focuses on the complex relationships between the matriarch of the family nana and her two sons james and alex who is darrens father. Aug 31, 2015 director michael ritchies the golden child debut film is a tense and taut look at the world of olympic skiing. Downhill racer unknown when a woman lets two men ejaculate on her breasts, usually a d size or larger.
They then race their ejaculate to see which one drips off first. We participated in our first two online gatherings this past week and i was surprised how. A smug and overly selfassured downhill skier, david chappellet robert redford, joins the american ski team and quickly makes waves with his arrogant. It actually came out in late 1969, but most of us didnt see it until 1970. Together they form a portrait of a man that is so complete, and so tragic, that downhill racer becomes the best movie ever made about sports without really. Downhill racer is a quite significant journey out of my comfort zone because, as ive mentioned once or twice, i hate sports movies. I have watched robert redfords movies over many years,and he has almost never turned in a bad one. Trailer for the 1969 classic downhill racer astonishing alpine location photography and a young robert redford in one of his earliest starring roles are just two of the visual splendors of michael ritchies visceral debut feature, downhill racer. This film is great if you like skiing or like to watch skiers.
Nov 27, 2010 downhill racer 1969 directed by michael ritchie, starring robert redford and gene hackman. The images displayed on this page are recent additions to the movie title stills collection, a website containing screen captures of titles from feature films. Downhill racer plunges the viewer thrillingly into the action of the sport and continues to hold the attention as a thoughtful drama. I could make another comparison to steve mcqueens racing film le mans which basically dispensed with a plot. This time, in addition to getting my redford fix, i realized for the first time how accurately the film portrays downhill, as a lifestyle and a sport. Coming from a background of rural poverty, he is fiercely determined to achieve fame and fortune. His roommate sums up his goals when he observes of david, hes not for the team, and he never will be. In a beautifully understated performance, redford is david chappellet, a ruthlessly ambitious skier competing for olympic gold with an underdog american team in europe, and gene hackman. Cast and crew credits for downhill racer, 1969, directed by michael ritchie, with robert redford, gene hackman, camilla sparv, at turner classic movies. He would go on to direct a wide variety of movies, including the candidate, the bad news bears, and fletch.
The rudiments of a plot are present in downhill racer, but just barely. Regular titles as well as some ending credits and titles from trailers. Downhill racer 1969 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Le film the adventures of panda warrior 2016 vostf. Some of the best moments in downhill racer are moments during which nothing special seems to be happening. Find release information for downhill racer 1969 michael ritchie on allmovie. Astonishing alpine location photography and a young robert redford in one of his earliest starring roles are just two of the visual splendors of downhill racer, the visceral debut feature of michael ritchie. David chappellet is a meanspirited skier, who profits from another skiers injury to gain a spot on the american olympic team. This movie is also called the sidelong glances of a pigeon kicker, but the dvd release from scorpion has been trimmed from 106 minutes to a little less than 90 minutes. Robert redford won the 1971 bafta film award for best actor for his portrayal of the stubborn ski star. Watching downhill racer is not unlike watching a routine ski race on television, impersonal and voyeuristic. Downhill racer 1969 robert redford christian annyas. Downhill racer plunges the viewer thrillingly into the action of the sport and.
The film accentuates the competition, the spectacle, with a main character that is not likable, and a story that is impersonal and lacks thematic depth. Downhill racer is a 1969 american sports drama film starring robert redford, gene hackman and camilla sparv, and was the directorial debut of michael ritchie. He visits his dad on his ranch and is received with complete coldness and indifference. The downhill racer is the name of a ride that alex bought against the wishes of the rest of the family and proved the catalyst for dividing the family and ultimately losing everything. But i can get the same from watching the kirk douglas world war ii era film heroes of telemark. With a subtle screenplay by acclaimed novelist james salter, downhill racer is a vivid character portrait buoyed by breathtakingly fast and furious imagery that brings the viewer directly into.
Downhill racer 1969 a smug and overly selfassured downhill skier, david chappellet robert redford, joins the american ski team and quickly makes waves with his arrogant behavior and even. Le film downhill racer 1969 vostfr admin 20170521t02. Apr 07, 2012 with a subtle screenplay by acclaimed novelist james salter, downhill racer is a vivid character portrait buoyed by breathtakingly fast and furious imagery that brings the viewer directly into. Quietly cocky david chappellet robert redford joins the u. Downhill racer 1969 directed by michael ritchie, starring robert redford and gene hackman. Speed racer is a 2008 sports action comedy film written, coproduced and directed by the wachowskis and based on the 1960s anime and manga series of the same name. Theyre moments devoted to capturing the angle of a glance, the curve of a smile, an embarrassed silence. It may be the first film in history that starts at the top, goes steadily downhill, and still stays interesting along the way. I had seen the 1969 film several times as a youngster in the theater and on tv, but never after actually being a downhill racer myself. The first usa skier to win an olympic downhill medal was bill johnson, who won gold in 1984, 15 years after the release of the movie. Johnson was the first racer from a nonalpine country to win an olympic downhill race. May 21, 2017 le film downhill racer 1969 vostfr admin 20170521t02.
Stylish opening in the alps, from director michael ritchie in a project driven mostly by star robert redford, downhill racer, 1969, also starring gene hackman and camilla sparv. This is a great film about skiing,its very exciting,and it. Big rental films of 1970, variety, january 6, 1971, p. Written by james salter, based on the 1963 novel the downhill racers by oakley hall, the film is about a talented downhill skier who joins the united states ski team in europe to compete.
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