Movie spotlight
Olympics 40
The film deals with the a clandestine Olympiade held in a German POW camp during WW II, housing many Poles, but also French and Brits. A spit and a Polish German lieutenant is added to the staff of a prison camp. He sees a Pole, the acknowledged leader of the Polish prisoners, against whom he had competed during the Berlin Olympics in 1936. He asks the Pole to train with him but is refused; the Pole points out out that he is a prisoner and nothing more. But that plants the seed and the Pole proposes and Olympics 40 to be held among the prisoners. They ingeniously make a flag and medals, set up a number of races; a croaching hop race is unwittingly organized by a German prison guard who uses it as a torture. The German lieutenant knows that something is going on but cannot find out. Finally the Germans realize the idea and the Polish chief is sent to concentration camp but the others disobey the orders.
Insights
Plot Summary
This documentary likely covers the events, athletes, and cultural impact of the 1980 Summer Olympics held in Moscow. It would have showcased the athletic competitions, the political climate surrounding the games, and the broader significance of this particular Olympic event.
Critical Reception
As a documentary from 1980 focusing on a specific sporting event, detailed critical reception is difficult to ascertain through standard databases. However, documentaries of this nature were often evaluated on their technical quality, archival footage, and narrative coherence in capturing the essence of the games.
What Reviewers Say
Likely praised for its sports coverage.
May have touched upon the political boycott's impact.
Assessed for its historical documentation of the games.
Google audience: Information regarding specific Google user reviews for this documentary is not readily available.
Fun Fact
The 1980 Moscow Olympics were notably affected by a boycott led by the United States and other Western nations in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
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