CHAMPIONS - A LOVE STORY

US, 1979, 100 minutes, Colour.
Tony Lo Bianco, Shirley Knight, Richard Jaeckel, Jennifer Warren, Jimmy Mc Nichol, Joy Le Duc.
Directed by John A. Alonzo.

Strongly reminiscent of the popular Ice Castles. It takes up the theme of professional skating, especially figure skating. It sets it in the context of the youthful love story. It also has tragedy in the death of the hero and the heroine rising to success on her own merits. (Ice Castles had the heroine going temporarily blind and succeeding.)

The young stars are excellent in their skating work and are quite good in acting, the strength of the performances lie with Tony Lo Bianco as the coach and especially with Shirley Knight as the heroine's dominating mother and Richard Jaeckel and Jennifer Warren as the hero's parents. They bring strength and a sense of realism to their scenes. The film does not underplay the hard work and constant practice and intensity for success. It also shows something of the financial and professional pressures of success in sport. There are some lyrical sequences, good skating sequences. The film was photographed and directed by John A. Alonso, an excellent cinematographer who made his directorial debut with F.M.

1. The appeal of this telemovie - youth, sport, skill, achievement?

2. Tragedy? Love story? The perennial appeal of these ingredients and their being presented to each generation? The American tradition of the sport achievement film, the love story? To the impact of the film as telemovie - interest, emotions, the emotional response shared by the home audience?

3. The quality of the screenplay, the strength of character delineation, sport, achievement, realism? Sadness and sentiment? Colour photography especially the skating sequences? The emotional musical score?

4. The two titles and their indication of tone? How well did they blend? Audience response to each? The wide range of appeal?

5. Carrie and Peter as real characters? Situating them with their age, their skills, drive? seeing them within the context of their families, conflicts, love? The long hours of their training, their failures, their endurance, clashes, reconciliations their winning? A more realistic presentation of such characters than is usual?

6. The presentation of the two at school, in their work, friends, dating, the length of time spent together practising, the importance of finding money and supporting their training?

7. The time element in the film - the focus on particular years, the sense of development. passing of time?

8. The presentation of skating and its requirements: physical skills, sense of balance and timing, art and beauty, exercise and strength? Mistakes, injury, pain and sense of responsibility for the partner? The sharing of achievement and success?

9. Carrie's mother and her push, her initial hardness, the coach and his reaction? her pushing Carrie when she was diffident, her relentlessness? Her being abandoned by her husband and the significance of the phone call. the appeal for money, her sense of being abandoned? The confrontation with Mrs Scoggins about the conditions for the partnership and their actually not being fulfilled? Her reaction to Carrie's injury? Her presence at the championships symbolised by the taxi ride to get the dress? The growing bond with her daughter? her friendship with Peter? her sharing in the grief of Peter's death? her holding back for Carrie's future career and Carrie’s asking for her help in the bedroom scene? The portrait of a pained and ambitious mother?

10. The Scoggins family? the home sequences? Peter, the daughters? Peter Scoggins senior and his hopes for his son, his pride in his hockey playing, his attitudes towards sissiness? His reaction to the figure skating? The bond with his son, his getting the various jobs to support him, growing appreciation? The harsh sequences of refusal compared with the taking of photos and his pride? His grief in not seeing his son skate? The sequence of his receiving the news? Peter's mother and her love for her husband, her interest in her son, her appreciation of his potential, listening to Carrie's mother's conditions and not accepting them? Working? Her helping her son, the importance of the illness and the operation? The authentic discussion between husband and wife about illness, family? Her grief at her son's death? The Scoggins family supporting Carrie in her career?

11. The coach and his skill, his explaining his life story and injury to Carrie? His relationship with the other coach and her help with Carrie and Peter? His insight into the pair, his realisation they could work together? his presence at the competitions? His support of Carrie and her success?

12. The portrait of Carrie as a young girl, teenager, diffidence, the encounters with Peter, the dates with his friends, her relationship with her mother, irritation with Peter, the injury and the hospitalisation, the long training? The bond growing between the two? The final sequence at the airport and her grief? her option and her decision to go on? The final sequences of her success, well merited?

13. Peter as a genial teenager, hockey skill, friends, his drive to succeed. his exercises, training with Carrie, his cheerfulness? The impact on the audience of the suddenness of his death?

14. Goals, skills, gifts, competitiveness, sacrifice?

15. The old myths of training, achievement and success? The values of success? How important are they and the response of the home audience, being inspired by such images of dedication?