It is one of the most iconic images of the 20th century. Even if you don’t know what it is, chances are you will remember seeing a picture of it. At the 1968 Mexico City summer Olympic Games, two black athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists in a black gloved salute and changed history forever. The clenched fist salutes were an expression, not of aggression but of sympathy with an African boycott of the Games and with the ongoing Civil Rights struggle around the world, which was at a very lively stage in 1968.
Yet, oddly, Smith and Carlos are not really the stars of this 2008 documentary. The focus throughout is fixed heavily on Peter Norman, a white Australian and reportedly the fastest Australian sprinter of all time. Norman didn’t actually salute but stood in front of the duo at the time. Although charismatic and undeniably in solidarity with the civil rights cause, the pushing of him to the centre stage of the story does seem odd and is perhaps explained by the fact that the film was directed by Norman’s nephew.
In fairness though, despite not receiving an Olympic ban as the other two did, Norman’s career suffered too. He was barred from the next Olympics at Munich and was not even invited to attend the Sydney Games in his own land in 2000. Although they tend to be regarded heroically now, the athletes were widely pilloried for introducing a political gesture to the Games. “Bizarre protest by Smith, Carlos tarnishes medals was a typical headline of the time.
The Olympics has provided fodder for good films before, of course. Paris 1924 led to Chariots of Fire and the disasters at Munich in 1972 led to One Day In September and Spielberg’s Munich. In truth, this isn’t really in that class. It often feels more like a TV documentary than a proper film with much of the footage coming from recent press conferences with the participants.
Still, it’s diverting enough and there is talk of a dramatised version of the story being made soon.
Overall Verdict: Competent documentary on sport and politics. In the bronze class, rather than gold though.
Reviewer: Chris Hallam