Race

In terms of racism-themed films, you can organize them along a feel-good/feel-sorry spectrum. On one side, you have a film like "Remember the Titans" that makes you feel good as you watch it and on the other side of the spectrum, you have a movie like "The Butler" that makes you feel sorry for the protagonist. An example of a film in the middle of the spectrum is "The Help". I tend to like movies that make me feel good and "Race" made me feel good. Its narrative structure effectively built up to a strong climax. The movie had a few flaws with its storytelling but I can understand that.

I realized on the day I saw this movie that the title has a double meaning because we are watching the true story of an athletic racer who is being discriminated against because of his racial background. The film does a pretty good job of establishing Jesse Owens and the scene leading up to Berlin are pretty good. There were some moments that felt forced or artificial in terms of storytelling but not to the point that the movie overall was ruined. Everything good about the show was saved until the last third of the movie and that is vital for the sake of drama. I was surprised when the NAACP advises Jesse not to go to the Olympics. Also, previous to seeing this film, I did not know that the US almost boycotted the 1936 Olympics. Today, it seems like a no brainer for Owens to compete. It seems like the most powerful statement he could make against the racist Nazi government. However, things weren't so simple back then. There is sincere drama in the movie as Owens tries to decide if he should go or stay. Either choice, there is a possibility that he may not change anything. Ultimately, he ships off to the Olympic Games. I took note of the long shot when Jesse enters the stadium in Germany. We suddenly see why it was so important for him to come. Because of this shot and the use of music, Owens becomes the underdog and a stranger in a foreign land that doesn't want him. The special effects in the film appear a little below par when compared to other movies but considering the budget; I can overlook that minor flaw. The biggest flaw in "Race" was the use of text to translate German or established the setting. I found it quite distracting.

I love historical accuracy but I also understand when fictional licensing has to be taken in order to make a better story on film. The Olympic Games in 1936 were noteworthy for other reasons beyond the accomplishments of Jesse Owens. They were the first games to be televised and to have a torch relay from Greece to the Olympic stadium. The Nazis probably did these things for propaganda purposes but as a result, it provided the best setting where Jesse Owens could shine. Leni Riefenstahl is an important character in this story because she is a pioneer in the filming of sports. Luz Long appears to be portrayed accurately. He was recognized for his sportsmanship after his death in World War II. The bonding scene between Luz and Jesse in the apartment was quite poignant when Luz informs Jesse that his government is after his genes. They don't care about him personally; all they care about is the Aryan race and the future. The film seems to suggest that Luz was sent to die in the front lines in World War II because of what he did at the 1936 games but I haven't been able to confirm that from another source. What is historically accurate is his friendship with Owens. The 4x100 relay controversy is important to include in the film because it shows Owens making a statement on behave of another oppressed people, at least in the eyes of Nazi Germany. While the Jewish runners are denied the opportunity to compete, it allows Owens to still prove to the host nation that their government's ideology as a whole is defective by helping to win a fourth gold medal. Hitler's "snub" after the 100 meters isn't historically accurate. Hitler did leave early but it was either because of a pre-determined schedule or to allegedly prevent the events from going on too long and being rained out by oncoming clouds. Either story hardly rules out the possibility that Hitler wanted to avoid a meeting with Owens but according to several witnesses, including Owens himself, Hitler did in fact shake hands with the athlete away from press. I'm not trying to defend one of the most evil men in modern history. We all know that Hitler was racist but the point I am making is that the film exaggerated a few things. If Hitler acknowledged Owens privately, I think it is important for that to be known. A private audience is still a cold shoulder in this case and that is also important to be aware of. The media at the time and for many years since has embellished the story and embellishment of facts in any case isn't right. Anyways, Hitler's actions after the Olympics speak for themselves. While Hitler may have privately met with Owens, FDR did not meet at all with Owens as indicated at the end of the film. This adds to the irony that we see at the end of the story. Owens is now famous and he made a powerful statement but it has not changed the equality issues in his home country. Here is a fun fact. The character Mack Robinson, who is the 200-meter silver medal in this movie, is the brother of baseball legend Jackie Robinson.

The actors did their jobs pretty well. John Boyega was supposed to play Owens but dropped out to be in another movie. I think we all would have made the same choice. Stephan James was in "Selma" but I don't remember him in that movie. There was acting chemistry between James and Jason Sudeikis and that is important. It was great to see Jeremy Irons in "Race". I enjoy inspirational movies and while this movie was inspirational, it fell short of achieving greatness. That is the result of a few faults in the telling of the story but because there were only a few flaws and because the Berlin scenes were great, I enjoyed this movie. This was a true story that I was aware of previous to seeing this movie but I hadn't experienced a dramatized version of the story until now so I am grateful for "Race".

3.5 Stars