Personal Best (1982)

Director:

Robert Towne

Writer:

Robert Towne (written by)

Release Date:

26 May 1983 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Plot:

The intertwined lives and loves of three highly-ranked athletes striving for the national team; Chris bounces between the beds of male coach Terry and her female friend, competitor, and role model Tory. |

Plot Keywords:

Lesbianism | Running | Lesbian Athlete | Drugs | Injury

Cast

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
Allan Feuerbach	...	Zenk
Jane Frederick	...	Fern Wadkins
Cindy Gilbert	...	Charlene Benveniste
Marlene Harmon	...	Pam Burnside
Linda Waltman	...	Debbie Floyd
Cindy Banks	...	Kim Stone
Milan Tiff	...	Willie Lee
Earl Bell	...	Randy Van Zile
Larry Pennell	...	Rick Cahill
Luana Anders	...	Rita Cahill
George De La Pena	...	Raoul
Robert Patten	...	Colin Sales
Margaret Ellison	...	Nellie Bowdeen
Charlie Jones	...	Television Announcer #1
Frank Shorter	...	Television Announcer #2
Jim Tracy	...	Duane
Janet Hake	...	Waitress
Sharon Brazell	...	Hostess
Susan Brownell	...	Women's Team Member
Desiree Gauthier	...	Women's Team Member
Sharon Hatfield	...	Women's Team Member
Linda Hightower	...	Women's Team Member
Joan Russell	...	Women's Team Member
Themis Zambrzycki	...	Women's Team Member
Clim Jackson	...	Men's Team Member
John Smith	...	Men's Team Member
Chuck DeBus	...	Coach
Gregory Clayton	...	Trainer
David Edington	...	Waiter
Robert Horn	...	Water Polo Coach
Wendell Ray	...	P.A. Announcer
Len Dawson	...	Football Announcer
Leroy R. Perry Jr.	...	Chiropractor (as Dr. Leroy R. Perry Jr.)
Richard Martini	...	Meet Manager
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rick Dodele	...	Track Fan (uncredited)
John Kopack	...	Track Fan (uncredited)
Andrew Traister	...	Olympic Official (uncredited)
Jim Vitti	...	Track Fan (uncredited)
Dave Wong	...	Track Fan (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Towne

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Robert Towne		written by

Produced by
David Geffen	....	executive producer
Peter Peyton	....	associate producer
Robert Towne	....	producer

Original Music by
Jill Fraser
Jack Nitzsche

Cinematography by
Michael Chapman

Film Editing by
Jacqueline Cambas
Jere Huggins
Ned Humphreys
Walt Mulconery
Bud S. Smith

Production Design by
Ron Hobbs

Set Decoration by
Rick Simpson

Costume Design by
Ron Heilman
Linda Henrikson

Makeup Department
Susan Germaine	....	hair stylist
Karl Silvera	....	makeup artist
Christina Smith	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Richard H. Prince	....	production manager
Richard H. Prince	....	unit production manager
William L. Young	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William S. Beasley	....	assistant director
Robert J. Doherty	....	second assistant director
Regina Gordon	....	dga trainee
Jerry Grandey	....	assistant director
Daniel J. Heffner	....	second assistant director
Nikita Knatz	....	second unit director
Michael Green	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Barbara Adamski	....	assistant property master
Howard McCormick II	....	lead man
Keith McCormick	....	swing gang
Paul Rylander	....	assistant property master
George Stokes	....	construction coordinator
Richard Valdez	....	swing gang
Steven Westlund	....	property master

Sound Department
Gary Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Gary D. Alexander)
Bruce Bisenz	....	sound mixer
Norval D. Crutcher	....	sound editor
Samuel C. Crutcher	....	sound editor
J. Paul Huntsman	....	adr supervisor
Chris Jenkins	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Christopher Jenkins)
John A. Larsen	....	sound editor
David Pettijohn	....	supervising sound editor
Michael P. Redbourn	....	sound editor (as Michael Redborn)
Eric Shrader	....	adr editor
Jack Snyder	....	boom operator
Ben Sobin	....	utility sound
Larry Stensvold	....	sound re-recording mixer
Douglas J. Schulman	....	cable person (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Dale Newkirk	....	special effects
Ken Speed	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Eric D. Andersen	....	camera operator
John Boccaccio	....	assistant camera
Doug Dale	....	best boy
Don E. FauntLeRoy	....	assistant camera
Michael Genne	....	assistant camera
Allan Gornick Jr.	....	underwater camera operator
Cary Griffith	....	key grip
Don Stott	....	gaffer
Stephen Vaughan	....	still photographer (as Steve Vaughan)
Johnny Walker	....	assistant camera (as John Walker)
Lance Williams	....	camera operator
Bob Winger	....	second grip
Kenneth Zunder	....	assistant camera
Mike Chevalier	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Robert Marta	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Michael E. Matteson	....	key grip (uncredited)
Randall Robinson	....	first assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Jeff Parguer	....	location casting

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Mike Dobie	....	assistant editor
Seth Flaum	....	assistant editor
Robert Lederman	....	assistant editor
Richard Ritchie	....	color timer
Bud S. Smith	....	supervising editor
Michael Tompane	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Craig Harris	....	composer: additional music
Curt Sobel	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Alan Collis	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Leah Brown	....	production coordinator
Chuck DeBus	....	technical advisor
Patrice Donnelly	....	technical advisor
Jane Frederick	....	technical advisor
Jeff Freedman	....	unit publicist
Mitch Lewis	....	technical advisor
Richard Martini	....	assistant: Mr. Towne
Leroy R. Perry Jr.	....	technical advisor
Ray Quiroz	....	script supervisor
Ron Rapiel	....	production consultant
Kate Schmidt	....	technical advisor
B.J. Smith	....	first aid
Edward M. Taylor	....	executive associate
Sheila A. Warner	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Geffen Company, The

Distributors

• Geffen Company, The (1982) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros (through)
• Warner Home Video (1988) (Germany) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2013) (USA) (DVD) (DVD-R)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Atmosphere Agency  location casting
• La Da Productions  music editing
• Optical House, The  opticals
• Pacific Title  titles

Also Known As:

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 | USA:R | Iceland:L | Australia:R | Portugal:M/16 | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

1305 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, USA

Company:

Geffen Company, The

Trivia:

Robert Towne performed a number of duties on this movie. Towne was writer, director and producer. This was the first feature film directed by writer Towne and the film was also Towne's first as a producer.

Goofs:

Continuity: At 2:00:00, the runners are more spread out than when seen in preceding or following shots.

Quotes:

Terry Tingloff:The high jump is a masochists event-it always ends on failure.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema (2006)

Soundtrack:

DIANABOL

Personal Fave.

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.