Going for Gold

Showcases true grit and determination
I love inspirational stories and this credible portrayal of real-life events was an engaging watch. The drama focuses on the true story of Bert Bushnell (Matt Smith) and Richard "Dickie" Burnell (Sam Hoare), British sportsmen who became partners in the double sculling event at the 1948 Olympic Games. The backdrop is post-war Britain, a country and nation that had suffered much devastation. I found it interesting that in the drama, it is insinuated that the Americans were eager to help out England by hosting the games, but the powers that be in the British government decided to go ahead and host the Games, even at great cost because the bureaucrats and politicians believed the Games could bring in much needed revenue for the country's rebuilding efforts.

At heart though the story is about two young men, both from very different backgrounds. Bert is a boatbuilder's son, and finds himself under pressure from his father to qualify for the Olympics. Once Bert accomplishes this,...

An Olympic Period Piece With Its Heart In The Right Place: Uplifting, But Conventional
Capitalizing on the Olympic fever that surrounded London this year, BBC showcased this uplifting underdog story in July. It originally aired under the title of "Bert and Dickie" but as it makes its North American debut (both on TV and on the DVD market), it has conveniently been reborn as "Going For Gold." Now that's much more evocative and in keeping with Olympic branding! Set at the 1948 games, this unassuming picture has the innocence and appeal of a movie that had been made in the fifties. It is styled as an old-fashioned melodrama and plays out exactly as you might expect. While it appears that the movie has its ardent supporters, it is hardly a revelatory film experience. At best, this is a pleasant movie that lets the audience sit in comfort as it moves toward the predestined and rousing finale. Sure, it's easy to get caught up in the sweetness and the spirit. Heck, who doesn't love a story of human triumph? As others have pointed out, the template of "Going for Gold" has been...

`You don't win if you don't pull together!'
This bright and shining little film was made by BBC as a docudrama of sorts, likely produced to gain the attention of a story from England's history with the Olympic Games: it is a true story of an event form the 1948 Olympic Games but it is far more than that, and as such it deserves wide audience recognition as an exceptional, touching film about sportsmanship, friends, commitment, and father and son relationships. As written by William Ivory and directed by David Blair, this little BBC special, known in England by the title BERT & DICKIE, is a quiet homage to all that is good about human interaction.

The time is postwar 1948 London where despite lingering rationing and austerity measures the first Olympic Games after the war is to be held. The members of England's government quibble about not having sufficient funds to host the event while the treasury's public relations officers see the Games as a potential source of tourist income and a chance to demonstrate to the...

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