Personal Best (film)
| Personal Best | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | Robert Towne |
| Produced by | Robert Towne |
| Written by | Robert Towne |
| Starring | |
| Music by |
Jill Fraser Jack Nitzsche |
| Cinematography | Michael Chapman |
| Edited by |
Jacqueline Cambas Jere Huggins Ned Humphreys Walt Mulconery Bud S. Smith |
|
Production
company |
|
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
|
Release date
|
February 5, 1982 |
|
Running time
|
124 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $5,672,311 |
Personal Best is a 1982 film centered on a group of women trying to qualify for the American track-and-field team bound for the 1980 Olympic Games. Despite their commitment to their training regimen, their dreams are thwarted when the United States announces its boycott of the Games for political reasons, leaving them with only the informal "personal best" marks they achieved during training to connote their achievements.
The movie starred Mariel Hemingway and real-life track star Patrice Donnelly, along with Scott Glenn as the coach of the track team. It was written, produced and directed by Robert Towne.
The film was praised by critics for providing a realistic look at the world of women's athletics, for exploring the complex relationships that can exist among teammates and their coach, and for its sensitive portrayal of the relationship between an older lesbian (Donnelly) and a younger bisexual woman (Hemingway). Despite good reviews, it flopped at the box-office.
Many of the scenes were filmed in San Luis Obispo County. While the sign on the track said "Cal Poly", which is a university in San Luis Obispo, it was filmed at the track at Morro Bay High School. There are also two scenes filmed at restaurants in downtown San Luis Obispo; the Cigar Factory and 1865. Filming locations in Eugene, Oregon, included Hayward Field and the nearby Track Town Pizza restaurant.
Chris Cahill is a young athlete who competes unsuccessfully in the 1976 U.S. Olympic trials. She meets a more experienced track and field competitor, Tory Skinner, and their friendship evolves into a romantic relationship.
Tory gives tips to Chris on how to improve as she trains for a shot at the 1980 Olympic team in the pentathlon, but their coach, Terry Tinghoff, insists on being the only one whose advice Chris follows. Anger and jealousy develop, more so when Chris begins a heterosexual relationship with Denny Stites, a swimmer.
Many elite track and field athletes of the day played in the film, including:
...
Wikipedia