Alain Mimoun was an Algerian runner who competed for France in various international competitions during the 1940s to the 1960s. He competed in two Olympic games before the Melbourne games in 1956, but only received silver medals, as he was constantly bested by his friend/rival Emil Zatopek. For the 1956 games, he decided to participate in the marathon, a race he had never officially competed in. Since it is a matter of historical record, I don't suppose it is a spoiler to say that he won. His success made him one of the biggest celebrities in France and there are numerous stadiums named after him there.
This movie is a short account of his victory. It uses footage from the race itself, intercut with reenactments of events from his life. The movie does a good job of showing how grueling the race was and the various twists and turns of his life that led him to that point. Plus, it has a nice jazz-inflected soundtrack.
Interestingly, even though Mimoun continued to compete (he even ran the marathon again in the next Olympics), he never again came in first place in a major competition. But that did not diminish the love his countrymen had for him. In 1999, a magazine poll named him France's greatest 20th century athlete.
This movie is a short account of his victory. It uses footage from the race itself, intercut with reenactments of events from his life. The movie does a good job of showing how grueling the race was and the various twists and turns of his life that led him to that point. Plus, it has a nice jazz-inflected soundtrack.
Interestingly, even though Mimoun continued to compete (he even ran the marathon again in the next Olympics), he never again came in first place in a major competition. But that did not diminish the love his countrymen had for him. In 1999, a magazine poll named him France's greatest 20th century athlete.
