`Sports On Silver Screen': Games Are Big Business
In some ways, diver Greg Louganis' story would seem to be the perfect example of what a new HBO special, "Sports on the Silver Screen," is talking about: the saga of the athlete who overcomes great odds to win the trophy, the medal, the game, the status of hero.
"Sports on the Silver Screen," which HBO is repeating at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow and 9:30 p.m. Thursday, as well as March 24, 28 and April 6, is filled with clips from movies about real and fictional sports stars, whether it's Jackie Robinson playing himself in "The Jackie Robinson Story" or Anthony Perkins playing Jimmy Piersall in "Fear Strikes Out" or the Olympic champions in "Chariots of Fire," as well as such recent fictional hits as "White Men Can't Jump," "Field of Dreams" and the current Oscar-nominated hit "Jerry Maguire." Make no mistake: Sports are big business, and so are movies about sports.
One of the most popular sports films was done for TV: 1970s "Brian's Song," about the friendship between two Chicago Bear football players. Somehow I doubt that USA's "Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story" (9 p.m. Wednesday) will be as great a hit.
True, Louganis overcame obstacles to become a four-time Olympic diving gold medalist, but one of those obstacles was the fact he is gay, a fact that upsets the macho world of sports. But instead of treating this fact forthrightly, the movie is so timid in this area that it never seems to be of great importance.
If USA was worried that "Breaking the Surface" might offend anyone, their cares are over. Louganis spends more time in the film with his good friend, Megan (played by Megan Leitch), than anyone else.
Although Louganis, who narrates the film, identifies on the soundtrack two of the men who have been important to him, Keith (Jonathan Scarfe), a student he met in college in Florida, and Tom (Jeff Meek), who became not only his opportunistic business manager but an abusive lover, the scenes between them and Louganis, as played by Mario Lopez, couldn't be more circumspect - no kissing, some gentle hugging. Telecasts of football games routinely show a great deal more affection and emotion between straight players.
In the film, Louganis' torment over concealing his gayness (and his HIV-positive status) from other athletes pales in comparison with his troubled relationship with his father, which Alan Hines' script makes the central conflict. Fortunately, the role is played by Michael Murphy, who is outstanding, while Rosemary Dunsmore, as Greg's overcompensating mom, gives an equally accomplished performance.
Bruce Weitz plays Louganis' coach, and Lopez, who looks amazingly like Louganis, does a credible job of communicating his subject's fears. In fact, Lopez does that better through his visual and body language than Hines does in the script.
Louganis not only narrates the film but does the diving sequences as well - and they are wonderful. Whether Louganis re-created his dives for the movie or whether actual Olympic footage was used, those scenes are breathtaking. The man is indeed a champion.
While Louganis' story is too new to be included in HBO's "Sports on the Silver Screen," surely no other movie ever made about sports was left out of this 90-minute compilation, which includes not only a cornucopia of film clips but also comments from sports figures, directors, actors and critics. For the diehard sports fans, this special will trigger a great many good memories. Those who can take sports or leave them alone may feel there's a bit too much of a good thing here. Less would certainly have been more.
New series
With "I.M. Pei," PBS is launching a new documentary series, "First Person Singular, in the vein of "American Masters" in that it focuses on someone who has made a substantial contribution to the world, usually in the area of creativity. "I.M. Pei" is a profile of one of the most talented and celebrated architects still working. (He celebrates his 80th birthday next month.)
In addition to a guided tour of some of Pei's best-known buildings, including the pyramid entrance to the Louvre, the film also has important scenes where Pei, in his modest and unassuming way, talks about his life and about architecture, what he thinks it should be and what role it should play in our lives. It's a program that is both instructional and inspirational.
John Voorhees column appears Sunday, Monday and Thursday in The Seattle Times.