Downhill Racer 1969 123movies

Watch: Downhill Racer 1969 123movies, Full Movie Online – David Chappellet is a mean-spirited skier, who profits from another skier’s injury to gain a spot on the American Olympic team. His roommate sums up his goals when he observes of David, “He’s not for the team, and he never will be”; but precisely who the David is that David is so fiendishly striving for we’re never to learn. He develops a short-lived relationship with Carole Stahl, a glamorous European woman even more capricious than himself. Chappellet’s identity trouble are exacerbated by the fact that he is an “Event” as well as a personality; and more astute minds than his own have difficulty where the one leaves off and the other takes over. Director Michael Ritchie’s (“The Candidate”) feature film debut..
Plot: An ambitious young skier, determined to break all existing records, is contemptuous of the teamwork advocated by the US coach when they go to Europe for the Olympics.
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Ratings:

	6.3/10 Votes: 4,921
	85% | RottenTomatoes
	89/100 | MetaCritic
	N/A Votes: 66 Popularity: 7.087 | TMDB

Reviews:

_**The best (and only) major film about downhill ski racing**_

Robert Redford was in his prime as David Chappellet, a taciturn loner from Colorado, who competes with an underdog American team for Olympic gold in Europe. Gene Hackman co-stars as the coach who tries to temper Chappellet’s narcissistic and reckless drive for glory.

“Downhill Racer” came out late in 1969 hot on the heels of Redford’s success with “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” Unfortunately it wasn’t marketed properly and failed at the box office, but don’t let that deter you ’cause this is a great film well worthy of your time.

Although the movie is from ’69 and therefore has obvious dated aspects, “Downhill Racer” was very innovative in it’s time and holds up well to this day. In fact, aside from the ski paraphernalia & styles, I don’t find the film dated at all. It somehow has a fresh quality and plays out like a docudrama similar to, say, “Saving Private Ryan,” which was made nigh three decades later(!).

“Downhill Racer” is reminiscent of 1966’s “The Blue Max” in that both films are about an unlikable loner who is ruthlessly ambitious in his area of skill and functions as a fish out of water in the social circles to which he’s thrust. It goes without saying that if you liked “The Blue Max” you’ll probably like this one too. Both rank with my favorite films of all time.

Downhill racing is an insanely hazardous sport in that the skier can reach speeds of 80-90 mph(!). Needless to say, one bad fall could take you out for life. Downhill is also an extremely individualistic sport, which is well pointed out in the story when a teammate criticizes Chappellet for not being a team player and another guy responds, “Well, it isn’t exactly a team sport, is it?” Needless to say, it takes a very certain kind of individual to be successful at downhill — someone who’s ultra-daring and bold; someone with a wild, reckless edge balanced by the necessary discipline to train and compete.

Redford effectively plays such a person here. He rises up in the ranks to become the American team’s only true hopeful; the coach attempts to somewhat keep him under reigns and criticizes his individualism and recklessness even while he knows these are the very qualities that makes him a winner. Throughout the picture Chappellet and the coach act like they don’t like each other at all, and it’s true because Chappellet is a loner in the truest sense, but ultimately the coach is squarely on the young racer’s side: When it comes time for the vital Olympic run the coach looks into Chappellet’s eyes and confidently states, “You can win this.”

Take note of the stark contrast of Chappellet’s plain hometown in Colorado and the glitz of the European ski resorts where he races. Also contrasted is Chappellet’s throw-away hometown girl (“Do ya have some more of that gum”) and the glamorous self-absorbed babe he hooks up with in Europe (Camilla Sparv of “Mackenna’s Gold” fame); she gives him a good taste of his own bad self, if you know what I mean. Also of interest is his ‘relationship’ with his distant father, a simple country man who doesn’t understand his son’s preoccupation with skiing and the lack of financial gain thereof.

While watching, I couldn’t help but think of Bill Johnson, the unlikely downhill gold medal winner for the USA in the ’84 Olympics. Like Chappellet he was cocky & reckless and irked the European snobs with his bold predictions of Olympic victory. I have no doubt that “Downhill Racer” was one of Bill’s favorite films. Unfortunately Mr. Johnson staged an improbable comeback bid for the 2002 Olympics that ended abruptly with a horrible downhill crash in March, 2001, leaving him permanently brain-damaged and in need of constant care. How the mighty have fallen!

One cavil I have with “Downhill Racer” is that Redford is playing a person in his early 20s while he was 32 years-old during filming and looks it. But this is just nitpicking. Besides, Redford looks great at 32 or any age (and I say that with a staunch record of heterosexuality).

The film runs 1 hour, 41 minutes.

If ANY film I have ever seen comes the closest to taking a sophisticated look at what most of the world would consider to be the spoiled-rotten, prima donna, mega-talented amateur athlete (I would add ‘American’, but I believe they would be like Redford’s characterization even if they weren’t), Michael Ritchie nails it. Way underrated. And it makes you wonder, especially with the poster pictured here, if the title’s a double entendre (and not just slickly-marketed sex-advertising), not merely for various OTHER curves Redford’s character wants to/succeeds in navigating, but also the possible crash-and-burn Chappellet may have, if he continues his wild, burn-the-candle-at-both-ends lifestyle while participating in quite a dangerous sport. Sonny Bono-jokes aside, this kind of thing happens.

Simply marvelous work by Redford, Gene Hackman, Ritchie and cinematographer Brian Probyn. Essential purchase and rewatches for sports fans and the work of Redford, Hackman and Ritchie especially. Easily my favourite of Ritchie’s work, next to, sentimentally, ‘The Bad News Bears’ (which is a whole different kettle of fish altogether).

Timeless because it’s dated
For anybody who follows international sports, the characters and organizations in this movie ring true. Whether you follow skating, gymnastics, skiing, or any other essentially solo international sports, you have seen the loners, the chosen stars, the politics, fund raising, and everything else that goes on behind and in front of the scenes.

This movie captures those people and circumstances exceptionally well. As has been noted in the coverage of the Olympics, the parallels to the 2006 US downhill team are stunning. The fact that this movie was made in 1969, with the film style of the day, makes it quite dated. But it is exactly the dated fashions, music, cinematography, skiing equipment, and attitudes that make it a keeper.

Downhill Racer remains the seminal skiing movie (unless one prefers the slob humor of Hot Dog: The Movie), but it’s also about bigger themes. Redford is the quintessential American loner, out for his own goals and not interested in serving the needs of his sport, his team, or the international press. It’s a character we’ve seen a thousand times in real life, and it’s one who gets deified or demonized depending on his success in the field of sport.

So, view this very dated movie in today’s context. You’ll be surprised how relevant it is.

Other Information:

Original Language en
Runtime 1 hr 41 min (101 min)
Budget 16500000
Revenue 0
Status Released
Rated M
Genre Drama, Sport
Director Michael Ritchie
Writer James Salter, Oakley Hall
Actors Robert Redford, Gene Hackman, Camilla Sparv
Country United States
Awards Won 1 BAFTA Award1 win & 5 nominations total
Production Company N/A
Website N/A

Technical Information:

Sound Mix Mono
Aspect Ratio 1.85 : 1
Camera N/A
Laboratory Technicolor, Hollywood (CA), USA (color)
Film Length 2,775 m (Sweden)
Negative Format 35 mm
Cinematographic Process Spherical
Printed Film Format 35 mm