Is it really a spoiler article if the film has been promoted as the true story of the USA rowing eight winning the gold medal in the 1936 Olympics — but here’s the “in case you missed it” stuff, picking up just before they take part in the Poughkeepsie Regatta... (If you’re after my review, it’s here.)
During training, Joe is told off by Coach Al for poor rowing and lack of concentration — he is asked if he wants to stay and says he doesn’t care, so Al calls over the team sub and Joe is out. Later Morris tries to reason with him to no avail; Joe says he will manage as he always has.
George Pocock appears, telling Joe the Husky Clipper need another coat of varnish. Joe goes to help him, and as they prepare the boat George tells him a story about his own father, also a boatmaker, and that for the boat as for the crew, perfection is coming together as one.
Joe has a rethink, and on the morning of the Poughkeepsie Regatta finds Al and asks for his seat in the boat back. Al agrees. They win the race, giving them an automatic right to a place in the Berlin Olympics, and Al finally cracks a smile.
Low income underdogs winning the race has not gone down well everywhere however, with US Rowing, the sport’s governing body, informing Al that it doesn’t have enough money to send the team to Berlin. They are not the only sport affected though he believes it is because they have upset the applecart, as they were not expected to win.
Al is told they have only a week to raise $5,000 if they want to go to the Olympics (that’s over $114,000/£89,000 in today’s money). He instantly gets the story into the newspapers, and sends his crew out collecting from locals and businesses. Washington University students set up collection drives, individuals, including Joe Rance’s dad, contribute small donations, while the home towns of every crew member hold collections. With only four hours to go they are still $300 dollars short — then into their “war room” walks Ky Ebright, coach for the Cal Bears, one of their greatest rivals, who writes out an IOU for the remaining money.
The rowers head to Berlin with the rest of the USA team, including Jesse Owens. They arrive to swastika flags everywhere. Their quarters are impressive compared to what they are used to, though US crew member Don Hume is feeling unwell. He misses the opening ceremony, with George Pocock staying behind to nurse him. At the ceremony, the Americans refuse to salute Hitler.
Hume does row in their heat — they have a good starting spot in Lane 2, which is protected from wind gusts. Al delivers a pep talk before the start: “they don’t give gold medals for style. All that matters is how fast you are in the water.” It won’t be like Poughkeepsie, and he reminds them they must to aim to win, as the winner gets an automatic spot in the final.
They win the heat with a new Olympic record, though Al tells them no one will remember that, just that they got into the final. They then watch the Germans winning their own heat, though afterwards Don seems to collapse. He has an infection, and Al tells everyone to stay away from him for 48 hours lest they too fall ill.
The lanes are revealed for the final. As fastest qualifiers the USA should be able to pick their lane, however instead they have been given one of the worst lanes which is susceptible to wind gusts. It gives a two length disadvantage, but while they complain it gets them nowhere.
Their fellow finalists are Hungary, Great Britain, Switzerland, Germany and Italy. As the boys wait in their boat for the start, Al tells them that for the last 500 metres they will be protected from the wind. He also tells them he is proud of them.
The crew miss the beginning of the race, not hearing the shout to start, and have to play catch-up from the first. Poor Don Hume looks as if he’s not really there, and the team and Moch desperately try to encourage him. Eventually Moch takes off his loudhailer — he is sitting directly opposite Don — and encourages him personally. Don seems to wake up and starts rowing strongly, and they move up the field. They catch the Hungarian and Swiss teams and overtake both, then overtake Great Britain into third place and a medal position.
With only 300 metres to go they catch up with the Germans and Italians. With shouts of “Deustchland, Deutchland” the spectators are on their feet, including Hitler. Neck and neck, the three teams cross the line in a photo finish. (A photo is literally taken and rushed off to be developed.) The men wait, nervous and exhausted, in their boats. The photo comes back and America are announced as the winners.
Listening to the race on the radio back in America, Joe’s girlfriend Joyce and their Washington friends shout and jump for joy.
Moch is given the huge winners’ wreath. He tries it on then hands it back through the boat so everyone can wear it. Coach Al says they are the finest he’s ever seen seated in a shell, and Joe punches the air and grins.
In modern times, we see the elderly Joe Rance helping his young grandson bring his single scull up from the river. The boy asks if he could crew eight, and if Joe had enjoyed it. “We were never eight. We were one,” says Joe. They walk across the sun-dappled water meadow to a family house.
A black and white photo of the crew from the movie changes into an original photo of the actual rowers from 1936.
Note: Apart from Charles Day, who died of lung cancer in his forties, all the crew lived to ripe old ages, with Joe Rantz dying in 2007 aged 93, and Roger Morris, the last surviving member of the crew, dying in 2009 aged 94.
George Pocock was a real person, from a highly skilled family of boatmakers and rowers who moved from England to Canada and founded a successful boatmaking business — he was instrumental in many key developments in rowing shell building. If you want to go down an internet rabbit hole on this one, he is a great place to start.
Read my review of The Boys In The Boat here. The film was released in UK cinemas on 12 January 2024.
Shirley McFadden says
Loved this movie. It was very touching, even though you knew the outcome of them winning. It shows the strength and willpower of the boys rowing and winning the Gold, especially against Germany. We need more movies like this.
Brenda Lawyer says
This was a positive, feel good movie. I loved it and the back story behind how they won.