Last night I watched the world premiere of "The Jesse Owens Story" at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham. On my long run today, I pondered the film and sought to make a connection between my life and my running and his. I concluded that would be a stretch and diminish the value of the film. Instead, I will provide the synopsis from the program guide. I will say this film should have wide appeal among sports enthusiasts, runners, and those who value American History and the often untold and unrecognized African-American experience. Viewing the film footage of Owens running was a pleasure. The story itself was both inspirational and sad. I was ignorant of what Owens endured after earning his four gold medals.
"Jesse Owens was a model of technical perfection the way he ran…That was in such opposition of what African Americans were supposed to be." Writer William Rhoden's powerful statement opens this dynamic history of the track and field star. Owens was discovered in junior high and quickly ascended from high school star to college sensation to national celebrity. The 1936 Olympics in Berlin would be the pinnacle of his career -- to the dismay of Nazi Germany, Owens triumphed, winning four gold medals. He returned a hero, only to find that achieving success at home would be more difficult than he'd imagined.
This beautiful tribute is woven from archival footage, recollections by Owens's friends and daughters, and interviews with writer and scholars like Jeremy Schaap and Harry Edwards. In exploring Owens's legacy, the film highlights the intersections between racism and sports, and in doing so, tells us as much about the past as it does the present." -- from the 2012 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Program Guide
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