Downhill Racer

Name: Downhill Racer
Genre: Drama, Sport
Released: November 7, 1969
Duration: 101 min
Rating: 89
Cast: Camilla Sparv, Dabney Coleman, Gene Hackman, Jerry Dexter, Jim McMullan

1969

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 15 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 6 Ratings

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8.0	Your Score
8.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 6 Ratings

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Downhill Racer

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: November 7, 1969 | PG

Starring: Camilla Sparv, Dabney Coleman, Gene Hackman, Jerry Dexter, Jim McMullan, Karl Michael Vogler, Kathleen Crowley, Kenneth Kirk, Oren Stevens, Robert Redford

Summary: Quietly cocky David Chappellet (Robert Redford) joins the U.S. ski team as downhill racer and clashes with the team's coach, played by Gene Hackman.

Director: Michael Ritchie

Genre(s): Drama, Sport

Rating: PG

Runtime: 101 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Roger Ebert

Some of the best moments in Downhill Racer are moments during which nothing special seems to be happening. They're moments devoted to capturing the angle of a glance, the curve of a smile, an embarrassed silence. Together they form a portrait of a man that is so complete, and so tragic, that "Downhill Racer" becomes the best movie ever made about sports -- without really being about sports at all. Read full review

100

MTV News Amanda Meyncke

Is it possible that the great American sports film is not about football, baseball, or boxing, but instead about downhill ski racing? Likely not, but Downhill Racer makes a strong case for the possibility, filled to the brim with heart-pounding slides down snow-covered ravines, the quiet contemplation of an athlete competing against himself, and a realistic scorn for coming in second. Read full review

100

Chris Nashawaty

One of the great unheralded films of the late ’60s. Read full review

Nelson Maddaloni

With Downhill Racer Michael Ritchie did for sports films what Two-Lane Blacktop did for road films. He created an existentialist sports film that is as tense as it is harrowing, and brought the genre into the realm of the bleak. Read full review

Time Out London Staff (Not Credited)

The understated performances and reluctance to emphasise plot result in convincing characterisations, to such an extent that the often narcissistic Redford actually allows himself to come across as a dislikeably selfish, arrogant and icy man. And the location skiing sequences, revealing Ritchie's background and interest in documentary styles, are simply astounding, even for those with little interest in the sport. Read full review

Chuck Bowen

Redford ultimately holds Downhill Racer together with the performance of his career. Read full review

Mike D'Angelo

Nobody can accuse Downhill Racer of lacking artistic integrity. Trouble is, artistic integrity is all it has to offer. Read full review

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User Reviews

Proteus

Apr 24, 2018

There is one reason this movie is so great and his name is James Salter. Salter is one of the most brilliant writers we have. He was a military pilot and writes about flying better than any writer in history. Salter is just pure talent pure class purely beautiful feelings and expression.There is one reason this movie is so great and his name is James Salter. Salter is one of the most brilliant writers we have. He was a military pilot and writes about flying better than any writer in history. Salter is just pure talent pure class purely beautiful feelings and expression. Redford is good and the directing is good but the highest quality comes from Salter. See the movie and enjoy. When you are done find Salter books on flying and read every one. They will blow you away.… Expand

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LamontRaymond

Feb 15, 2018

This movie gets me all jazzed up like Max Meyer. Just the thought of that final run, with one skier remaining - gives me the chills just thinking about it. And I love the 912 Porsche that he drives.

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amheretojudge

Dec 30, 2018

To Absorb Humility Over Art.

Downhill Racer Ritchie's eerie camera work and sharp editing manages to keep the drama enthralling as much as the chills of the race does. And with stunning locations and clean rich production design, the film endorses the quality to its peak. Even though theTo Absorb Humility Over Art.

Downhill Racer

Ritchie's eerie camera work and sharp editing manages to keep the drama enthralling as much as the chills of the race does. And with stunning locations and clean rich production design, the film endorses the quality to its peak. Even though the entire script is directed towards the build up of the nail biting competition, personally, I feel the dramatic bits of the film oozes more energy. With stillness projected like never before, Redford charges you with his cold inhuman looks to fabricate his persona as more human. Frankly, his character isn't likeable. There is very little skin for Redford to sugar top the senses, but his conviction on his deep dark intuitions is something that we all connect to easily.

The first act is undoubtedly one of the wittiest weaved out sequence by the writers in here. Without uttering much verbal sparring, the daily routine and the places our protagonist visits, is depicted with a smoothness of "documentary" in here, it does feel real. After such a boost, the film denses up with multiple complex equations of Redford with others and milks out the three dimensional aspect out of them. The film is way too mature for its genre, or it definitely is the "first" of all, for things never do go as anticipated, and armed with such intentions, Ritchie fiddles with his viewers subconsciously.

There is no doubt on performance level, Redford on the front is a charming flawed ambitious boy that is sculpted as a man over this almost hundred minutes of journey. His persuasion on keeping the stats accurate is what attracts you even though the figures are misleading. And Hackman as the mentor, does not follow your usual arc of sweet and bitter relationship of his, his methods are effective, always. Downhill Racer is Redford surfing over eye popping locations and jaw dropping realizations of nature.… Expand

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