Champions: A Love Story

I saw this when it originally aired on 1/13/79 as the CBS Saturday Night Movie and it's never left me after all these years. One of the best made-for-tv movies ever produced. It has tons of heart and oozes sincerity. It is, in my view, a MUCH better film that a similar picture made around the same time starring Robbie Benson known as Ice Castles. If you are child of the late 70's and love a good romance, do yourself a favor and buy this on DVD because that's the only way you'll ever see it. It hasn't been aired on TV in decades.

This TV movie has stayed with me for decades but not just for the standard teens-in-love story. In the late Seventies figure skating had become an extremely popular spectator sport, with the skaters' personal stories as important as their athletic prowess (e.g. Scott Hamilton, the Carruthers siblings, Tai and Randy). This movie gives the viewer a glimpse behind the glitter. "It's work!" the hockey-playing son insists to his macho dad. Top-level figure skating is also expensive, especially for his ordinary middle-class family. Most of all, however, what has stayed with me is the acting by Richard Jaeckel who plays the boy's father. His stunned demeanor when he has to drive to a hospital after a tragic loss is a master class in acting. Tony Lo Bianco is great as the veteran coach as well. If you love figure skating, check this out if you can.

I saw this film when it first aired on t.v. in 1979. Since then I check my listings every week to try and catch it being aired again. Somehow I manage to miss it. I loved this movie and cant wait to see it again.

This film in it's time was and is one of my all time favorites. I have search the internet over looking for the quality of acting i found to be so real when i was a child watching this film. I loved the beginning, the middle, and the end. It helped me realize that love only lasts as long as it is supposed to. The time you are given you should appreciate. I wished that there was a channel out there that only played the classic tv movies that i have never forgotten and still want to see today. Boy loved hockey, wanted to continue to skate and the girl snotty as always getting rid of partners like dirty clothes. And the time and effort they put into working together, was so well worth it because it turned into love. In the end she stood alone and continued for the love that they had together.

Well worth seeing.

I love this movie! I was and still am a big fan of Jimmy McNichol and this movie was the one that got me hooked, on him and ice skating! Although the ending is very sad, I have watched this movie over and over again! They did a great job.