IMDb > Personal Best (1982)
Personal Best
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Personal Best (1982) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
6.3/10   1,042 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 28% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer:
Robert Towne (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Personal Best on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
26 May 1983 (Australia) more
Genre:
Plot:
The intertwined lives and loves of three highly-ranked athletes striving for the national team; Chris... more | add synopsis
NewsDesk:
Robert Towne: The Hollywood Interview
 (From The Hollywood Interview. 4 November 2009, 12:49 PM, PST)

User Comments:
Personal Fave. more (22 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Mariel Hemingway ... Chris Cahill

Scott Glenn ... Terry Tingloff
Patrice Donnelly ... Tory Skinner
Kenny Moore ... Denny Stites
Jim Moody ... Roscoe Travis
Kari G. Peyton ... Penny Brill (as Kari Gosswiller)
Jodi Anderson ... Nadia 'Pooch' Anderson
Maren Seidler ... Tanya
Martha Watson ... Sheila
Emily Dole ... Maureen
Pam Spencer ... Jan
Deby Laplante ... Trish
Mitzi McMillin ... Laura
Jan Glotzer ... Karen
Jan Van Reenen ... Yelovitch
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
124 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Writer and director Robert Towne researched the project by hanging out with many track stars of both genders. The original plan was to show runners training for the 1980 Moscow Olympics. When the U.S. boycotted those games, some lines in the script had to be altered. more
Quotes:
Terry Tingloff: The high jump is a masochists event-it always ends on failure. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Sex at 24 Frames Per Second (2003) (V) more
Soundtrack:
THE THUNDERER more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
11 out of 13 people found the following comment useful.
Personal Fave., 23 September 2004
Author: Buck Aroo

Some of the posts here are very critical of this film, accusing it of being slow and exploitative. But I think it should be taken into account that this is essentially a film about people's relationship to each other, and not about car chases and explosions. I found it to be understated, realistic, and very watchable. Okay, there are a few nude scenes which may appear gratuitous. But as highly trained athletes, I think they would feel pretty secure about their bodies, and the camaraderie between them all which is apparent in the movie, would suggest that none of them would be embarrassed at being undressed together. Mariel is ultra believable as the confused young protagonist, which is not surprising as she said in a documentary that she actually trained like an athlete every day for almost a year, in order to prepare for the role. It's a shame to see how far downhill her acting career has gone since.

My one criticism is about Scott Glen, who is his usual wooden self, and not a character at all...He looks the part, but doesn't deliver the goods. But hey, it's such a cool watchable movie, I'll overlook that gripe.

It's weird to note that a lot of the sports fashions in the film are now back in style.

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