Les jeux olympiques, Paris 1924

This is a documentary of the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. The first recognizable face is the Duke of Windsor and then possibly Haile Selassie. This version shown on TCM is apparently re-edited from surviving footage. I suppose that this is important for archival footage's sake and for Olympic history's sake. It is six years after the great war and about the same before the Great Depression. It seems to be the middle of a general peace and non-tumultuous in historical terms. I am interested in looking at the crowds and the little special asides like the plane fly-by. Uruguay has an interesting salute although the connection may not be there. It's also interesting to see some sports done in the older ways. The particular names of athletes are meaningless to present-day regular viewers. This is great for history and a little fascinating to see like old city street life.

If you pay attention to Olympic field hockey, you can still see the main stadium from the 1924 games in use. Back in 1924, the Eighth modern Olympic games were a major draw -- although I suspect the predictions of how many tourists it would draw and what a boon it would be to Paris were as false as they are today.

Watching the various events is a pleasure. Several sequences are shown in slow motion, allowing the observer to see things spectators could not. There's no sign of the arts competitions, even though medals were awarded for sculpture, painting, and literature. In addition, Pierre de Coubertin personally awarded 21 gold medals to members of the 1922 Mount Everest Expedition.

Peacetime norms were being re-established, although Germany was not invited to compete. Finland surprised everyone by taking 14 gold medals, second most of any nation, while only fielding 90 athletes; nine countries sent more. Runner Paavo Nurmi accounted four five of those, one more than he had in 1920; in 1928 he would take one gold and two silver. In 1952 he would be one of the torch bearers. But Johnny Weissmuller shows up, too, although only in long distance. Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams are also shown, for anyone who admires CHARIOTS OF FIRE. We can see the world of today putting out tentative roots.