Friday Movie Review: Personal Best starring Mariel Hemingway

I admitted a couple of weeks ago that I’m a sports junkie. I did several posts that revolved around sports related books to include biographies and a top ten LGBT related sports book list. After the top ten list, I vowed to not post anything sports related for a little while. I meant book…

I’ve never addressed any sports themed movies in the LGBT genre, and no, you can’t count But I’m a Cheerleader! True, the young woman in the lead role plays the part of a cheerleader but the movie isn’t about cheering. If you want to watch a something with queer cheerleaders that has more to do with cheer-leading (but only a little more…), watch the TV series Glee. Anyway, I digress. I watch sports movies – lots of them. Few are gay or lesbian themed though some have LGBT characters or subtext involving gay and lesbian themes or characters.

For me, one movie stands out as A) a great sports movie, B) a great drama, and C) a well done lesbian romance story. That movie is (as if you haven’t already checked out today’s title): Personal Best starring Mariel Hemingway, Olympic sprinter Patrice Donnelly and Scott Glenn. It was directed by the incomparable Robert Towne.

The Amazon.com Review:

It takes a lot to win. This movie is usually considered a classic of lesbian cinema, and that’s too bad: its true sensuality lies in powerful erotic associations with running and the sheer pain of competition. The film opens with a memorable close-up of sweat dripping on tarmac, an early glimpse of a visual style which evolves throughout the picture into almost pornographic slow-motion sequences of high jumps, shot puts, and running legs.

The story follows a young runner (Mariel Hemingway) from a clueless start in the 1976 Olympic trials through a vexed affair with her mentor-competitor (Olympic runner Patrice Donnelly) to a final, triumphant qualifying race for the boycotted 1980 Moscow games. The human elements are told in an almost documentary style, giving an honest, complicated look at the blossoming of friendship into love against the near-military backdrop of world-class competitive sports. Hemingway and Donnelly can act, and their drive to win is compelling, both on the field and in their personal lives. But what really makes the film worth watching are the races–stunning images, beautiful editing, and the timeless drama of athletic endeavor. –Grant Balfour

The only thing Mr. Balfour missed in his original review was a mention of the role of Scott Glenn who plays the coach who falls for Troy (Hemingway) himself and who does much to get in between the two lovers. His acting was also superb.

One other thing I would like to note, Patrice Donnelly is/was a trained world class runner. She was not a trained actress. You would never guess that watching this movie. Many actors could take lessons from Ms. Donnelly! There’s something to be said for playing characters that you know…much as there is to be said about writing what you know…

I love this movie. As for which shelf to put it on, “Sports” or “LGBT”, I haven’t decided. I don’t really need to. It stands up very well in either case.