Tigereyes

I first saw this film when it came out and recently revisited it, 25 years later. I am awed by the sheer power of its spiritual vision, and its dedicated portrayal of a more innocent age when shallow narcissism took a back seat to honor, friendship, family, and above all, dedication to a higher goal. Although young, handsome, famous, and sometimes egotistical, the athletes are bound not by the desire for money, but by personal commitments to their families, beliefs, and societies. Even the most neurotic runner, Harold Abrahams, is a model of maturity and dignity compared to modern celebrity athletes, and the character of Eric Liddell is beyond inspirational. "Where does the power come from, to see the race to its end? From within." Magnificent.

If you don't like Saturday morning cartoons, children's adventure movies, and silly fun, then don't bother seeing this film. Otherwise, you'll have a good time.

The filmmakers take major liberties with history, human behavior, and the laws of physics, but it really doesn't matter. They're not going for realism. They wanted to make a flamboyant PG-rated kids' movie and succeeded. The characters all behave pretty much the way they do in kids' movies, and the cast is obviously having far too much fun.

Adults expecting a grown-up swashbuckler will be disappointed, but the adventurous kid in me really enjoyed it.

The old swashbuckling mythology in capital letters: King, Country, Duty, Courage, and Honor, featuring a handsome, fearless Hero; a beautiful and perfectly behaved Princess; a stalwart Elderly Advisor; a grasping Villain; his insinuating Right Hand; and so on. It's so stereotyped that it could take up a whole chapter of Carl Jung.

So it's amazing that this production manages to pull it off so well. Maybe it's the unusually effective screenplay, which doesn't waste a line, and somehow manages not to rehash creaky dialogue. Maybe it's the actors, who carry their roles with as much dignity as if this is the first time anyone's ever done them. Or maybe it's James Mason as the only recognizable human in the story, a charming and calculating psychopath with razor-sharp wit and stunning powers of manipulation.

However they did it, the results are a joy. Swordplay, love affairs, grand balls, royalty, and political intrigue - it all works. Put your brain in low gear, sit back, and enjoy the ride.