Miracle (movie)
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The movie chronicles the journey of the 1980 US Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team. It begins with a montage of the 70s. Then University of Minnesota head coach Herb Brooks is interviewed by the USOC in Colorado Springs, in which they are very skeptical of his philosophies. He then tells his wife Patti Brooks that he does not believe that he will get the job and that the only reason he was interviewed was because some coaches had already rejected it. He does indeed get the job and his first move is to hire Craig Patrick as assistant coach. He then has tryouts in Colorado Springs, where the USOC builds their own preliminary roster. However, Herb has already preselected a preliminary roster of 26, indifferent of what the USOC wants. He manages to convince Walter Bush, the executive director of the USOC Hockey committee that he has the best interests at heart. Herb says, "I'm not looking for the best players, I'm looking for the right ones." Brooks says that he selected these 26 players through preparation in advance, talking with coaches and scouts about the players. Bush sides with Brooks and allows him to keep his own 26. The team has brutal conditioning in cutting 6 players to get the team down to 20. But during practice, forward Rob McClanahan and defenseman Jack O'Callahan get into a fight, causing Herb to do some team bonding with introductions, asking them what their name is, where they are from and who they play for. In fact after an exhibition game, which is a tie against Norway, 3-3, Herb notices the players are not playing up to their potential. He makes them run a drill where the players skate from the blue line to the other blue line after the game as a punishment for their lack of effort and drives them to the point where some cannot stand up, but eventual captain Mike Eruzione does an act of patriotism by saying, "Mike Eruzione, (from) Winthrop, Massachusetts," after Brooks asks him "Who do you play for?" Eruzione responds by saying "I play for the United States of America!" (answer Herb wanted all along) Brooks concludes the drill. Brooks also brings in Tim Harren, a star from Brooks' University of Minnesota team, to test the players commitment, however, some feel Harren as an obstacle to them making the final roster. Just before the Olympic Games, the final roster against most of the committee members and the assistant coaches judgement, play the Soviets. They get demolished 10-3, however the event focuses on goalie Jim Craig and just shows reputious, "He shoots, He scores" clip. During the game, O'Callahan is severely injured and Craig is told he will be benched in favor of the back-up, Steve Janaszak, another member of the University of Minnesota Gophers. The job has taken a toll on Patti, and after the game, you see Herb and his wife getting along better. Craig ends up retaining his starting job.
At the start of the Olympic tournament, the Americans shock everyone by tying Sweden, 2-2. They follow that up with a 7-3 win over Czechoslovakia, then a 7-2 win over Romania. The United States then defeats West Germany 4-2 to finish the round robin at 3-0-1. When the medal round begins, the Americans are paired with the Soviets in the semifinals. Team USA once again shocks everyone by ending the first period tied 2-2 with the USSR and down only one goal, 3-2, at the end of the second (the Soviets normally blowout their competition). The US ties the game 3-3 with Mark Johnson's second goal of the game early in the final period, before Eruzione scored the game winner with 10 minutes left in the third. The final score was United States 4, Soviet Union 3, and Al Michaels ends the game with his famous call, "Do you believe in miracles?" (exclaimed). The Americans go on to defeat Finland 4-2 to claim the gold medal, another game where Team USA had to comeback to win.
[edit] Social Context
This story is of the US Olympic hockey team who wins the gold against all odds. The true power of this event is in the historical context. Reeling from the disappointments of the Vietnam war, Watergate, and the Iran hostage situation the American spirit is rekindled by the impossible task of beating the Soviets, and the world, at a sport dominated by others. The true event that inspired a nation disenfranchised by so many failures.
[edit] Dedication
Herb Brooks died in a car accident during principal photography of this film (August 11, 2003). A dedication is made for him before the ending credits. It states at the end, "He never saw it. He lived it."
[edit] Trivia
- Over 280 miles of film were shot, more than any other Disney movie.
- Buzz Schneider was portrayed by his son, Billy Schneider.
- The World Trade Center is shown in 1980, a digital recreation of the Twin Towers was used, being the first time they have been created (instead of just filmed) for a movie since the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001.
- Before the match against Norway, the sentence "Seier'n er vår" (Victory is ours) is heard as the stadium is shown. This is a popular sports related "song" in Norway.
- The scene where Herb Brooks makes the team skate back and forth on the ice all night, after their 3-3 tie with Norway, was actually done by the real actors over a span of three days - 12 hours a day. The director wanted the moment to be as realistic as possible.
- The movie was filmed in Canada. Thus, the extras who are shouting "USA, USA" are really Canadians.
- During filming at a residence of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, rowdy residents disturbed filming by hanging USSR flags in the residence windows, reporting the shoot to the fire marshal, yelling distracting taunts at the actors, and even stealing Kurt Russell's chair.
- Much of Al Michaels' play-by-play during the "Miracle on Ice" game was re-created for the movie; however, for effect, the final actual taped "Do you believe in miracles?" call from the real 1980 game was preserved and edited into the film where appropriate.
[edit] Awards
ESPY Awards
- Best Sports Movie (2004)
