A Timeless Source of Inspiration to the Athlete, but a number of Inaccuracies

Rating: 10/10 (27 September 2005)

My comments will be of most interest to track & field enthusiasts. I agree with much of what has been written. The movie is gripping, brilliantly conceived and nearly flawlessly executed. It is a movie which I can watch a couple of times a year and get inspiration from.
As a lifetime track & field competitor, and currently a 'masters' decathlon competitor, I was fascinated by the historical accuracy of the movie. The movie industry virtually always makes changes for dramatic effect. The Buddy Holly Story - another one of my favorites - is filled with them, though they don't really spoil the positive effect of paying a tribute to his music.
In this case, as another reviewer has mentioned, the inaccuracies don't detract too much. However they are worth recounting. These are the ones I am aware of.
First, the characters of Lindsay and Montague - two compelling figures in the movie - appear to be entirely fictitious. The movie shows Lindsay getting a silver medal in the 400M intermediate hurdles, then gallantly stepping aside to let Eric Liddell run the 400M. No British runner won a medal in the 400 meter hurdles. In addition, the 100 meters is traditionally one of the first track & field finals in the Olympics. am not sure about this, but my guess is that this was true in 1924 as well, meaning that the 400 meter hurdles would have been later in the meet. My suspicion is that the reason for Montague and Lindsay appearing live in the opening scene at the church is so they don't have to account for their life stories in the closing tableau, which mentions the fate of both Abraham and Liddell.
Second, as others noted, Liddell knew months in advance of the Sunday 100M heats. He did forgo the race for the reasons mentioned and it did cause a furor in England. But the whole aspect of the pressured meeting in Paris was totally fictitious. Something NOT noted in the movie - and in my mind an amazing aspect of Liddell's accomplishment - is that he not only won the 400M by 5 yards - a race not his specialty - but also set a world record of 47.4 in the process. I don't know why this wasn't somehow worked into the movie - it would have made it more powerful than it already is, inmy opinion.
Third, the entire Abraham v. Liddell rivalry is likely exaggerated, at the least. There is NO record of their ever competing against each other before the Olympics - as was portrayed in the movie - with the scene of Harold being comforted by his girlfriend-someday-to-be-wife in the stands afterwards.
Fourth, the movie gives the impression that Liddell and Abrahams never squared off in the Olympics, leaving unsettled who was the better runner. In fact they both entered the 200 meters, with Liddell finishing 6th and Abrahams not making the final. Takes a little of the gloss off the accomplishments, which is why it was probably not mentioned.
Fifth, no mention is made of the fact that Abrahams had actually competed in the 1920 Olympics - in multiple events - not placing in any of them. The scene where Sam Mussabini is schooling Abraham about the 1920 Olympics makes no sense - Abraham was at that Olympics - he just didn't place.
Sixth, the movie shows Abraham losing out to Jackson Schultz in the semi-final of the 100 meters, by looking to the side. Abrahams actually dominated the 100 meter event - in the heats, quarterfinals and semifinals before winning the final. In fact, it was theorized that he might have expended himself unnecessarily out of anxiety and insecurity, risking losing the finals. But he also won the final, though not by a large margin.
Seventh, and I am not sure about this - the 200 meters is usually AFTEr the 100 meters, so Abrahams comment to Sam Mussabini about losing in the 200 meters would have been fictitious.
Eighth, Jackson Schultz has said he never gave Liddell a note about honoring God. In fact, it is hard for me to imagine that an athlete not in an event would have access to runners before an event final like that. This also applies to the scene where the British High Command are meeting the 100 meter finalists right before their race - no way that would have ever happened.
That having been said, the movie was still phenomenal - and I love it and always will. The soundtrack alone qualifies it for a special place in movie history.
Some other points of interest. Sam Mussabini was a very real character, and he was hired by Abraham as a professional. The race in which Liddell fell and got up and won is also based on a true event.
I hope my breakdown of these points is not mis-interpreted. The movie is the greatest portrayal ever of the great sport of track & field on film - and so well done that it told it's essentially true story in such a powerful way that it has been seen by millions, possibly even tens of millions, worldwide.