Brian's Song

In times of racial trouble, inner family strife, and complete distrust of your fellow man, this movie showed what the world would really be like if people got rid of "oneupmanship" and lived life for life itself.

I HIGHLY recommend the original version (1971)

The acting was not campy, there was nothing to be really showy about, the football clips were some of the best ever incorporated (they actually became part of the plot), and other male leads were extremely believable in their roles.

The females weren't too bad, either.

I still remember sitting down with my family to watch "Brian's Song", the made for TV movie in 1971. I was 13 years of age, and my 3 brothers and I thought we were going to watch a sports movie. It's funny thinking back to that night, as all the brothers fought back tears during the final scenes. We jumped up at the end, and tried to act macho and pretended we all had colds and runny noses. Watching the movie today, it doesn't have quite the same impact, but it remains touching and dramatic. James Caan and Billy D Williams work well together. They act without any arrogance and tough-guy attributes they picked up later in their careers. The movie score wraps around the scenes to add to the poignancy without disrupting the mood. Shelly Fabarase is the perfect wife. It is a touching tribute to a ordinary football player, Brian Piccolo, who lead a extraordinary life. A updated version of "Brian's Song" attempted to capture the magic of 1971's version, but as is usually the case, the attempt falls short of the goal. The original does the best at mourning Piccolo's death, but most importantly, celebrating his life. It is a touchdown!

......emotional and tear-jerking movie ever made! Brian's Song will have you weeping and an emotional wreck regardless of how many times you see it! Simply put, the greatest TV movie ever made and some of the finest performances ever put on film. "Nuff said!

The 1970's gave rise to the "made for TV" movie on a regular basis, and a lot of them were pretty disappointing, with weak stories and poor acting. But then there's "Brian's Song" - which 40 years later still has to rank as one of the best (if not the best) TV movies ever made. It's a "football" movie to an extent, but it's far more than a football movie. It's a story about a friendship that known no bounds and that overcomes a lot of odds. In 1965, Gayle Sayers and Brian Piccolo were rookie running backs for the Chicago Bears. The should have been rivals and not friends. They were competing for starting positions; Sayers was black and Piccolo was white. There should have been too many divides for them to cross to build a friendship, and yet they did build a friendship.

Billy Dee Williams and James Caan were wonderful in these title roles. For I would say two thirds of its short run time (minus TV commercials, it comes in at a little under an hour and a quarter) this is essentially a football movie. The friendship is well developed, but there's a heavy emphasis on training shots and a lot of really good real football footage, mostly of some spectacular runs by Sayers. The movie really takes off though once Sayers suffers a knee injury that knocks him out of the lineup. Piccolo takes his place, and Piccolo wants him back and helps him get back into game shape. For a while they share the backfield, and then the movie becomes a powerful tearjerker, as Piccolo is diagnosed with cancer, and Sayers sees him through his final illness.

Yes, this is a made for TV movie. It's not flashy, but it's good - very good. And it's very moving. You can't help but feel sad as it comes to an end. Let's face it. 26 years olds (football players or not) shouldn't die, but they sometimes do - and it's very sad. But sad though it is, in the end you have to feel uplifted by this movie about the power of a friendship that overcomes all the odds against it. The movie also features a pretty strong performance from Jack Warden as the legendary Chicago bears coach George Halas. You can't ask for much more than this. (9/10)

I just love this movie! It is a story of 2 men--Gale and Brian...2 unlikely people to become the best of friends...The actors were well cast--James Caan and Billy Dee Sayers fit their roles to a tee. It is a film not only of friendship but also of love...a film of triumph of the human spirit. It is a story that transcends time and overcomes barriers to relationships, whatever they might be--racial, religious, or political. It challenges the viewer to assess his/her own prejudices and why it must be overcome. It is as timely as it was when it was first shown. A real winner but be prepared with a box of Kleenex when watching this very touching film. I saw a remake of this film quite recently but I think the original movie was much better than the remake.