GOLDEN GIRL
US, 1979, 100 minutes, Colour.
Susan Anton, James Coburn, Curt Jurgens, Leslie Caron, Harry Guardino, Robert Culp.
Directed by Joseph Sargent.
Golden Girl concerns Americans at the Moscow Olympics. If a lot of what happens in this film is true, there are reasons for not participating, for Golden Girl is about experimentation with humans, intensive physical training and psychological behaviour modifications. The themes are interesting and their implications frightening. The treatment is popular and, sometimes, corny. Susan Anton (a taller Farrah look-alike, but with intelligence) carries the film well. James Coburn leads an international supporting cast ranging from Leslie Caron to a parody of a German doctor by Curt Jurgens - and even John Newcombe for some minutes. Huge sums invested for the commercial use of athletes, public lies and the success ethic are criticised.
1. The significance and tone of the title? Expectations? The focus on the Olympics and the athlete? A glossy drama thriller? Critics' comments that it looked as programmed as its heroine - a just comment?
2. The contribution of the stars and their styles, the international touch? The world of sport, professionalism, training, the Olympics and the various games? The world of big business and success? The media? The musical score?
3. The use of training for the Moscow Olympics and the ironies of the events of 1980?
4. The introduction to Golden Girl - the credits and her initial training programme, her being tired, relentlessness in her goals? The illustration of programmes in training, the elaborate plant for her to practise (and the later denials of all this)? Golden Girl as a person, her origins, her relationship with her father? Her special aide? The seeing of her in action and the agent promoting her? As illustrated by the rehearsed press conference with her superficial answers, her lack of readiness to answer true questions? A woman being programmed both physically and psychologically for success? The irony of the promotion of her own success and her father's scientific advancement?
5. The effect of the training on her as a person? The impact of the various training sequences? The competitiveness, the various heats, her placement, her collapse when ousted? (And the irony of a buying of a place for further competition?)
6. The build-up to the Moscow Olympics? Psychological training, the physical studies, the various heats, the encounters with the other athletes, coverage by the media, the agent and his connections with the business world? Her motivation, discussions with the agent and her mellowing? The deterioration of her health and the discovery of diabetes, the need for medication? Her clash with her father, her disgust at the truth, her knowledge about her state of health and her reaction, her wanting to win? Her moving to success despite all clashes Her ultimate winning? The price of success with the final conference?
7. James Coburn as the agent - a man of the world, his introduction to Golden Girl, watching her train, buying her opportunities, his links with deals and businessmen, the implications of advertising and the revenue for the amateur sportswoman becoming professional? His falling in love with her? His witness to her health crisis, to her clash with her father, to her reliance on her aide? The encounters in Moscow, trying to tell her the truth when she was with the doctor? The clashes? His final concern about her? His disgust at the final press conference?
8. Dr. Serafin and his Germanic fanaticism, the Nazi overtones? His explanations, his scientific writing, his lies? His using his daughter? His relying on his aide to help and control her? His pride? Television interviews? His emotional outbursts after her rejection of him, chasing her at the Olympics, the insanity of his TV interviews?
9. Leslie Caron as the aide - her continual watching of Golden Girl, care, bonds? Her being caught up in the mystique of Golden Girl's success? Her care for her, her bond with the promoter?
10. The TV interviewer and his investigations, his probing questions, the cover-up by the agent? The interviews with Dr. Serafin?
11. The business group and their interests, personalities, their presence at all the heats, in Moscow, the lies told? Their final success financially?
12. Golden Girl's trainer and his relentless attitudes, blackmailing her, working in collusion with the aide? His reaction to her success in the races?
13. The picture of the Olympic athletes? The German girl and the photo to Golden Girl? The American rivals? The black girl in the shared room? The winning of the medals and the clash - the exhibition of diabetes and the change of personality?
14. The running of the races, the way Golden Girl was photographed, the excitement of the races and audience participation? Golden Girl's wins - use of fast and slow motion? The build-up of the various races during the practice - the range of races run, her lack of tiredness and people marvelling at this? Her success in Moscow? The winning of the medals?
15. The finale with Golden Girl succeeding by herself, defying her father, getting a certain amount of freedom - but succumbing to the pretaped answers at the press conference?
16. A satisfying sports film? The science fiction overtones of brainwashing and human programming?
