Legends time

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Movie
German title Legends time
Original title Race
Country of production France ,
Germany ,
Canada
original language English
Publishing year 2016
length 117 minutes
Age rating FSK 0
Rod
Director Stephen Hopkins
script Joe Shrapnel ,
Anna Waterhouse
music Rachel Portman
camera Peter Levy
cut John Smith
occupation

Time for Legends (original title Race ) is a biography by Stephen Hopkins about the American athlete Jesse Owens and his participation in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin . The film premiered on February 19, 2016 in the USA and was released in German cinemas on July 28, 2016.

action

In 1933, African American Jesse Owens left his hometown of Cleveland , leaving behind his girlfriend Ruth and their daughter, and began studying at Ohio State University . The local trainer Larry Snyder quickly discovers Owens' exceptional athletic talent in his enormous speed. Owens soon became an athletics superstar and broke all records. However, the hustle and bustle around his person keeps bothering him.

In 1936 the Olympic Games in Germany are also coming up, but Owens is undecided whether he really wants to take part. He trains under the guidance of his coach Larry Snyder and is really approved. While Owens is now looking forward to it, a boycott of the games in Nazi Germany is being discussed. However, the head of the Olympic Committee, Avery Brundage , is campaigning against the boycott in order to show the Germans that athletes from other nations and skin colors can also achieve great results, and wants to hold up a mirror to the dictatorship, especially the organizer of the games , Joseph Goebbels . Brundage travels to Berlin to sound out the political situation on site and to discuss talks with the responsible organizers and officials. On the basis of his observations, Brundage submitted a report to his committee in which he expressly recommended the participation of the United States in the games. The country then promises to participate.

When the games begin and Owens wins a gold medal in the 100-meter run in front of 100,000 spectators in Berlin's Olympic Stadium , he becomes a political symbol because he proves that the Nazis' racial teaching is wrong. This moment is captured by the director Leni Riefenstahl , who documents the sporting events in Berlin with her camera and creates her propaganda film Olympia from the recordings .

Historical background

The story of the film is based on real events. Jesse Owens , who grew up in poor circumstances and picked cotton as a child, stood out at Ohio State University for his great talent for running. Owens soon developed into one of the most outstanding athletes in the United States in several sporting disciplines and was also supposed to take part in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin , but these were controversial due to the political situation in Nazi Germany at the time. In November 1935, Owens said in a radio interview: If there is discrimination against minorities in Germany, we should withdraw our participation in the Olympic Games.

The President of the American Olympic Committee , Avery Brundage, fought in the run-up to the games for the participation of the USA to show the Germans that athletes of other nations and skin colors, especially African-Americans, can produce great achievements. For their part, the National Socialist leadership was in good spirits, as Max Schmeling had defeated the brown bomber Joe Louis on June 19, 1936 in New York shortly before the opening of the Games . She wanted to demonstrate the “racial superiority of Nordic people” during the Games of the World, and the Reich Ministry for Propaganda urged the population to behave courteously towards the guests. The Reich Ministry issued the slogan for the duration of the games: "The racial standpoint should in no way apply to the discussion of sporting results;

Luz Long stands behind Jesse Owens at the award ceremony in the long jump

When Owens arrived at the venue for the Games in July 1936, a large fan base was waiting for him in Berlin. Owens was besieged by reporters, amateur photographers and autograph hunters at every turn throughout the game, and in the stadium, too, he was loved and cheered by the spectators. In the course of the games he helped his team to victory in the 4 x 100 meter relay , won the 100 and 200 meter run and emerged victorious from the long jump duel with the German Carl Ludwig Luz Long , where he set a new Olympic record in this discipline and was the most successful athlete of the games with a total of four gold medals. National Socialist propaganda justified the defeat of German athletes in some disciplines, especially in the competitions against Owens, with the fact that blacks might be particularly athletic, but this was justified by the fact that they were closer to animals than whites.

Owens later said that after his return to the United States, which at the time was not only in the midst of a severe economic crisis , but also characterized by racial segregation , he felt more discriminated against in his home country than in Germany, and was far here too been exposed to major racist hostility. Owens cultivated a close friendship with his competitor Luz Long after the games . After the war Owens visited Berlin three more times and said that in the summer of 1936 he had had the happiest days of his life.

production

occupation

Stephan James took on the role of Jesse Owens in the film

After John Boyega was initially discussed for the lead role, the African-American Canadian actor Stephan James was given the role of Jesse Owens while he was still in the making of the film Selma . James, who initially knew only the name of Owens, but not the circumstances in which this 1936 four gold medals won, looked after their own statements in preparation for his role the film Olympia by Leni Riefenstahl at, trained directly after the role had received, at Georgia Tech with running coaches Owens 'very special and now outdated running style of the time, in which one started from a crouch, and practiced Owens' facial expression and speech. James also met with Owens' two daughters to find out more about his personality off the beaten track. James said in an interview with the Huffington Post , "After that I really felt like I had more to bring to the movie than just the fast-running guy." James later said he was honored to do the role to be allowed to take over from Owens.

The role of Owens' trainer Larry Snyder was cast with the American actor Jason Sudeikis . Eli Goree took on the role of Dave Albritton , a high jumper who was in the same fraternity as Owens, who was also from Alabama and who participated in the 1936 Olympics. The role of Lawson Robertson , the head coach of the US athletics selection at the Games, was played by Tony Curran , while that of Dean Cromwell , the head coach of the entire US team, Jonathan Higgins . German actor David Kross played the role of Luz Long , Owens' initial opponent and later friend. The British Oscar and Golden Globe winner Jeremy Irons slipped into the role of sports official Avery Brundage , the Berlin-born actor Barnaby Metschurat into that of his sports-political opponent Joseph Goebbels and Carice van Houten into the role of his in-house photographer Leni Riefenstahl . Actress Shanice Banton makes her feature film debut in the film and plays Ruth Solomon, Owens' new wife, and Yvanna-Rose Leblanc their daughter Gloria. William Hurt can be seen in the role of the sports official Jeremiah Mahoney , who called for a boycott of the Olympic Games in Germany in advance.

Filming

The Berlin Olympic Stadium today

Filming began on July 24, 2014 in Montreal , Canada , two weeks after filming Selma , in which James also starred, was completed.

Large parts of the film were later shot in the Olympiastadion in Berlin-Charlottenburg , where the 1936 Olympic Games actually took place. However, the seating area in which the Nazi leadership sat down in 1936 had meanwhile been removed and the stadium had a new roof. Owens had not yet run on tennis courts during training and competitions , but on sandy tracks and without the starting blocks that were introduced later . These details were also taken into account during the shooting and most of the elements that did not correspond to the time were subsequently removed from the resulting film material. For director Stephen Hopkins , Berlin was still a mandatory location because it gave the film an indispensable authenticity that could never have been achieved if the film sets of the historic location had been recreated.

Because there are few historical photos or film footage showing Owens at the games or how he spoke or moved, the filming was accompanied by one of his daughters and granddaughters. The Canadian sprinter Hank Palmer , who participated in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing , acted as a double for the Owens actor Stephan James in running scenes .

Film music

The score was composed by Rachel Portman . Back Lot Music released the soundtrack for the film on February 19, 2016 . This comprises 23 songs and is 94 minutes long. Only the last song of the soundtrack Let The Games Begin (Engl. For Let the games begin ) has not been written by Rachel Portman, but comes from the Grammy -nominated singer and songwriter Aloe Blacc .

In December 2016, Portman's soundtrack was included in the list of candidates (longlist) from which the members of the Academy selected the official nominations as a contender at the 2017 Academy Awards in the category Best Film Music . The song Let The Games Begin on the soundtrack was included in the longlist for Best Movie Song . In the end, neither the soundtrack nor the song was nominated for an Oscar.

Title list of the soundtrack

  1. Race opening titles
  2. Three World Records
  3. The Men's Broad Jump Final
  4. On the bus to USC
  5. Us Olympic Vote
  6. training
  7. A business proposal
  8. Avery Visits Berlin
  9. Hope you don't go
  10. The 200M Final
  11. I came here to run
  12. Fresh Blood
  13. Arrival at the Games
  14. Meeting with Goebbels
  15. Meters Are Longer Than Yards
  16. The Olympic Stadium
  17. It's not your race
  18. The final event
  19. Those are the rules
  20. Waiting for Ruth
  21. Please take your last jump
  22. You Made History
  23. Let The Games Begin - Aloe Blacc

The songs not included on the soundtrack but played in the film also include two pieces by the German composer Richard Wagner :

  1. Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey - Hughie Cannon Wycliffe Gordon
  2. Swing Baby Drums - Philippe Saisse
  3. Andante Appassionato - Panocha Quartet
  4. Bitter Sweet New Orleans - Jonathan Neal
  5. Gotta Get Loose - Amy Keys
  6. Sweet Sugar - Amy Keys
  7. The Two Step - Gary Lawrence
  8. A Kiss In the Dark - Alexis Cole
  9. There's a Broken Heart for Every Light on Broadway - Alexis Cole
  10. Jungle Jazz Room - Steve Gray
  11. Overture from The Flying Dutchman - Richard Wagner
  12. Star Sprangled Banner - Philippe Saisse
  13. Beginning of the 3rd act from Lohengrin - Richard Wagner
  14. Germany - Jan Hansen , Ossi Bashiri and Tommy Stig Hansso
  15. Bimini Bay - Alexis Cole
  16. I Lost My Soul - Carl King
  17. Let The Games Begin - Aloe Blacc

publication

A first trailer for the film was released in October 2015. It celebrated its premiere in the USA on February 19, 2016 under the title Race . After a theatrical release in Germany was initially planned for May 5, 2016, the date was later postponed to July 28, 2016. The film will be shown in Germany under the title Time for Legends .

reception

Age rating

In Germany, where the film is rated 0, the release certificate says: “The film is largely calmly told and focuses on the topics of sport, friendship and solidarity. At the same time, he repeatedly takes a clear stand against all forms of racism. Occasionally there are threatening situations that are not overly dramatic and are always resolved in a positive way. Even the youngest spectators will find a strong role model in the athlete who defies all hostility in a positive way. "

Reviews

The film was able to convince 61 percent of the Rotten Tomatoes critics (out of 131 critics, as of August 25, 2016). Norell Sherman is particularly convinced of the acting performance of Stephan James , who realistically portrays the frustration, determination, anger and passion Owens must have felt during and after the attempted boycott of the NAACP . It also expresses the tension under which Owens must have stood as a black participant in a country that was under the rule of Adolf Hitler. The film also brilliantly captures the close relationship between Owens and his trainer Larry Snyder. Sherman also criticizes that the film tells very little about Owens' family and that too much time is spent shedding light on politics and showing long meetings between the head of the Olympic Committee and German officials. Sherman had also spoken to Owens' relatives about the film after the film premiered. Marlene Dortch, the daughter of Gloria Owens and thus the granddaughter of Jesse Owens, who had also visited the filming in the Berlin Olympic Stadium, was also impressed by James' acting achievements, especially because of the kindness that her grandfather had, would have captured well.

Susanne Burg from Deutschlandradio Kultur thinks that time for legends follows the usual narrative pattern of black athletes' biographies, and that Jesse Owen is not designed as a really complex and certainly not controversial figure. She speaks of a feelgood movie that suggests that there is a higher level of justice somewhere. According to Burg, the retro look of the film makes it clear every second that history is in the past and has nothing to do with the present.

The Huffington Post , on the other hand, makes references to current events. Shortly before the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro , the film is reminiscent of the black heroes of the USA, even if it is not always historically correct, and thus clearly appeals to humanity. The film is important and not only worth seeing for all sports fans because, despite the events in the past, it seems to be more topical than ever, as the film raises questions of racial segregation, equal treatment of blacks and foreigners. The Huffington Post recalls the question of how sport actually relates to politics and vice versa, and refers to the discussion with the hashtag #blacklivesmatter , which translates as “The life of blacks also counts”.

Gross profit

The film grossed $ 7.4 million in North American cinemas on its opening weekend. Worldwide revenues are currently $ 25.1 million.

Awards

Canadian Screen Awards 2017

NAACP Image Awards 2017

Trivia

  • The original title of the film is obviously ambiguous, because race in English not only describes a race , but also the race as a biological category.
  • The German dubbed version has been shortened by around 15 minutes compared to the original.
  • The film Olympia, made by Leni Riefenstahl, glorified National Socialist Germany as the heir of antiquity, but it also shows an aesthetic idealization of the black participants in the 1936 Olympic Games, above all that of Owens, whom she encountered impartially.
Memorial plaque at the Olympic Stadium Berlin , in Berlin-Westend
  • Owens had left his running shoes in the American preliminary rounds for the Olympic Games in New York. His trainer Larry Snyder then rummaged through sports stores in Berlin for several days until he found an adequate replacement. Owens won his first gold on the second day of competition in the new shoes.
  • Owens was the most successful, but only one of a total of 18 African Americans who took part in the 1936 Olympics. He was never honored by the White House for his athletic achievements.
  • Owens died of lung cancer in 1980 at the age of 66. He was a chain smoker all his life.
  • In the Berlin Olympic Stadium there is now a Jesse-Owens Lounge, in front of it a Jesse-Owens-Allee. There is also a plaque on the building showing Owens' achievements in the 1936 Olympics.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Release certificate for Time for Legends . Voluntary self-regulation of the film industry (PDF; test number: 159434 / K). Template: FSK / maintenance / type not set and Par. 1 longer than 4 characters
  2. ↑ a b c d e Charlottenburg: The Olympiastadion - Black Athletes in National Socialism In: dhm.de. Retrieved March 15, 2016 (PDF)
  3. ↑ a b c d e Sven Goldmann: Forever a hit In: Der Tagesspiegel Online, September 12, 2013.
  4. ↑ Avery Brundage In: nolympia.de. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  5. ↑ a b c Olympic Summer Games in Berlin 1936 In: Federal Agency for Civic Education, August 1, 2012.
  6. ^ Arnd Krüger: Theodor Lewald - sports guide in the Third Reich . Berlin and Munich, 1975.
  7. ↑ Peter Martin: Race war in sport . In: Peter Martin and Christine Alonzo (eds.): Between Charleston and goose-step. Blacks under National Socialism . Munich and Hamburg, 2004. p. 332.
  8. ↑ Stephan James in conversation with Alisha Grauso: Capturing Jesse Owens: An Interview With Stephan James Of 'Race' ( Memento from March 25, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) In: moviepilot.com, February 20, 2016.
  9. ↑ a b c Oskar Beck: Geschichte Olympia 1936: 'Never hug a negro again!' In: DIE WELT Online, May 1, 2013.
  10. ^ Christian Gödecke: Olympic Moments. Victory over Hitler's racial madness In: Spiegel Online, July 16, 2012.
  11. ↑ Stephan James in conversation with Emma Brown: Discovery: Stephan James In: interviewmagazine.com, February 18, 2016.
  12. ↑ Leni Riefenstahl Captures Jesse Owens Dashing Nazi Dreams at the 1936 Olympics In: openculture.com, July 27, 2012.
  13. ↑ a b c Stephan James in conversation with Jennie Punter: TIFF Rising Star Stephan James Talks Jesse Owens Biopic 'Race' In: Variety, September 14, 2015.
  14. ↑ a b c d e Stephan James in conversation with Alisha Grauso: Capturing Jesse Owens: An Interview With Stephan James Of 'Race' ( Memento from March 25, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) In: moviepilot.com, February 20, 2016.
  15. ↑ TIFF Rising Star Stephan James Talks Jesse Owens Biopic 'Race' In: Variety, September 14, 2015.
  16. ↑ Stephan James in conversation with Emma Brown: Discovery: Stephan James In: interviewmagazine.com, February 18, 2016.
  17. ↑ Tommy Cook: 'Race' Interview: Running Tips Stephan James Picked up While Playing Jesse Owens In: collider.com, February 17, 2016.
  18. ↑ Stephan James in conversation with Nell Minow: Interview: Stephan James on Playing Jesse Owens in 'Race' In: Huffington Post, February 9, 2016.
  19. ↑ C. Molly Smith: Casting Net: Jason Sudeikis and Jeremy Irons join 'Race', Jacki Weaver eyes 'Equals' In: Entertainment Weekly, July 16, 2014.
  20. ↑ Stephan James in conversation with Emma Brown: Discovery: Stephan James In: interviewmagazine.com, February 18, 2016.
  21. ↑ Hollywood is also shooting a film about Jesse Owens in Berlin In: Focus Online, July 17, 2014.
  22. ↑ Stephan James in conversation with Nell Minow: Interview: Stephan James on Playing Jesse Owens in 'Race' In: Huffington Post, February 9, 2016.
  23. ↑ Christoph Drösser: Athletics In: DIE ZEIT Online, May 12, 2010.
  24. ↑ Stephan James in conversation with Tom Hoffarth: As Jesse Owens, Stephan James finds his stride in 'Race' In: dailynews.com, February 24, 2016.
  25. ↑ a b Andreas Conrad: Berlin's history - not entirely correct In: Der Tagesspiegel, July 25, 2016.
  26. ↑ Stephan James in conversation with Jennie Punter: TIFF Rising Star Stephan James Talks Jesse Owens Biopic 'Race' In: Variety, September 14, 2015.
  27. ↑ 'Race' soundtrack details In: filmmusicreporter.com, January 9, 2016.
  28. ↑ 145 Original Scores In 2016 Oscar Race In: oscars.org, December 13, 2016.
  29. ↑ 91 Original Songs Vie for 2016 Oscar In: oscars.org, December 13, 2016.
  30. ↑ Nominees In: oscars.org, February 26, 2017.
  31. ↑ Rachel Portman In: soundtrack-movie.com. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  32. ↑ 'Race' trailer. Run, Jesse, run! Biopic 'Race' triumphs with first trailer In: moviejones.de, October 16, 2015.
  33. ↑ cinema starts. July 28, 2016, archived from the original on April 7, 2016 ; accessed on September 30, 2018 ( scroll to Zeit für Legenden (2016) ).
  34. ↑ Time for Legends . Reason for release In: Voluntary self-regulation of the film industry. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  35. ↑ Race In: Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  36. ^ Norell Sherman: Race "powerfully captures the life and impact of Jesse Owens ( Memento of March 21, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) In: theblackandwhite.net, March 17, 2016.
  37. ^ Daughter of Jesse Owens in the Olympiastadion Berlin ( Memento from March 13, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) In: olympiastadion-berlin.de, February 6, 2014.
  38. ↑ Marlene Dortch in conversation with Norell Sherman: Q&A with Owens' granddaughter ( Memento from March 21, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) In: theblackandwhite.net, March 17, 2016.
  39. ↑ Susanne Burg: Jesse Owens and the higher justice In: Deutschlandradio Kultur, July 27, 2016.
  40. ↑ 'Time for Legends': When the Olympics Meets Politics In: The Huffington Post, July 27, 2016.
  41. ^ Race In: boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  42. ^ Race In: boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  43. ↑ 2017 Film Nominees In: academy.ca. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
  44. ↑ Ruth Kinane: Beyoncé leads the pack of 2017 NAACP Image Awards nominees In: Entertainment Weekly, December 13, 2016.
  45. ↑ Stephanie Zacharek: Review: Jesse Owens Biopic Race Fails Before the Finish Line In: time.com, February 19, 2016.
  46. ^ Race In: leo.org. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
  47. ↑ Frank Jürgens: Biopic about Jesse Owens not always successful . ( noz.de [accessed November 1, 2018]).
  48. ↑ Leni Riefenstahl Captures Jesse Owens Dashing Nazi Dreams at the 1936 Olympics In: openculture.com, July 27, 2012.
  49. ↑ Rainer Rother in conversation with Andreas Kötzing: Rainer Rother on Leni Riefenstahl: 'Political and aesthetic aspects' In: goethe.de, February 2015.
  50. ↑ Stephanie Zacharek: Review: Jesse Owens Biopic Race Fails Before the Finish Line In: time.com, February 19, 2016.
  51. ^ Race (2016) In: historyvshollywood.com. Retrieved March 22, 2016.