The Cup (2011)

The 2002 Melbourne Cup horse race, brotherly love and the triumph of the human spirit. A true story.

Director:

Simon Wincer

Writers:

Eric O'Keefe (screenplay), Simon Wincer (screenplay)

Stars:

Bryan Martin, Stephen Curry, Jodi Gordon

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bryan Martin	...	MC Jockey's Presentation
Stephen Curry	...	Damien Oliver
Jodi Gordon	...	Trish Oliver
Daniel MacPherson	...	Jason Oliver
Alice Parkinson	...	Jenny
Shaun Micallef	...	Lee Freedman (as Shaun Micaleff)
Martin Sacks	...	Neil Pinner
Colleen Hewett	...	Pat Oliver
Andrew Curry	...	Ray Oliver
Meredith Penman	...	Young Pat Oliver
Brendan Gleeson	...	Dermot Weld
Kate Bell	...	Claire
Tom Burlinson	...	Dave Phillips
Nick Simpson-Deeks	...	Pat Smullen
Lewis Fitz-Gerald	...	Sir Michael Smurfit

Storyline

Born into a legendary racing family, jockeys Damien Oliver and his brother, Jason, followed in their father's footsteps. Ray Oliver died tragically in a racing accident when the boys were young. But racing was in their blood, and Damien in particular inherited his father's gifts. His eye was on the greatest championship of them all, the prestigious Melbourne Cup. After years of training, he was ready. Damien would ride the powerful but temperamental Media Puzzle, under the watch of the great Irish trainer Dermot Weld. Some were not so sure about Media Puzzle's chances, but Weld was confident that the great jockey and spirited horse would make an unbeatable combination. As racing day approached, horses, jockeys, trainers, owners, fans and the media from around the globe descended on Melbourne. Weld's fiercest rival, Sheikh Mohammed, the Crown prince of Dubai, sent his best horses, anxious for a Melbourne Cup win. The news channels were filled with talk and speculation about Damien and ...

---

Plot Keywords:

horse | horse race | grief | death of brother | racing accident | 

---

Genres:

Biography | Drama | Sport

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements and language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Before the end credits, there is a short bit of archive footage of the real Dermot K. Weld making his speech and accepting the Melbourne Cup after Media Puzzle's win in 2002. The following caption appears on the screen while Mr. Weld is seen and heard: "In the 150 year history of the Melbourne Cup, Dermot Weld remains the only international trainer to journey to Australia and win the world's richest handicap twice." This is followed by archive footage of Media Puzzle with the following caption: "Media Puzzle's 2002 Australian campaign was the high point of his career. The American born runner became the first thoroughbred ever to double the Geelong Cup and the Melbourne Cup. He returned to Ireland a national hero" and further archive footage of the real Damien Oliver's speech after winning the Cup, and the caption: "The day after winning Australia's greatest race, Damien Oliver journeyed to Perth where he joined more than 2,000 mourners at his brother's funeral. On Jason's casket, he placed the Melbourne Cup he had won the day before."

---

Goofs

During the 2002 AFL season, North Melbourne did not play West Coast in a match in Melbourne. During that season the two teams met twice with the matches being played in Perth and Canberra.

---

Quotes

Sir Michael Smurfit: I hear you're taking Vinnie to Australia?
Dermot Weld: Actually, Michael, I'm taking both.
Sir Michael Smurfit: Media Puzzle? I thought we decided he was headed for the knackery?
Dermot Weld: Hm, it's taken him eighteen months to build his nerve back, but believe me, it's back. He is flying.

---

Connections

Referenced in Dancing with the Stars: Episode #10.7 (2010)

---

Soundtracks

Get Set
Written by T. Wild
(Mushroom Music Publishing)
Performed by Taxiride
(P) 1999 Warner Music Australia
Licensed courtesy of Warner Music Australia Pty Ltd

User Reviews

Best movie I've seen in years deserves a very High Rating

Top Movie and well deserved as well , This was just an exceptional movie and Brendan Gleeson once again superb he just keeps getting better and better . This was one roller-coaster of a movie and very much emotional and no it was not boring at all only someone that has very limited intelligence and that knows nothing whatsoever about horse racing would say it was a boring movie .

I am really glad i didn't pay any attention to the miss-guided and hopeless reviews that some peeps wrote here about this movie as they were so inaccurate and false its incredible .

Its been many years since i watched a real genuine top class movie like this one , THE Cup 2011 and all actors played their part fantastic and an excellent True story-line which we just don't see enuff of these days and no daft special effects and far fetched garbage this is just a pure good movie with excellent Actors and a fantastic end which made this movie very special indeed .

i give this 10/10 Rating and very much advise anyone to sit down and watch it even if your not a massive horse racing fan its still gonna be well worth watching you wont be sorry so forget the negative clueless peeps that failed to give this the positive Review it deserves and go watch it and you'll remember this for a long time to come because it could well be many more years before another movie comes along thats anywhere as good as this one was .

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

Australia

Language:

English Arabic

Release Date:

13 October 2011 (Australia)

Also Known As:

The Cup

Filming Locations:

The Curragh Racecourse, County Kildare, Ireland

Box Office

Budget:

AUD15,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,660,645

Company Credits

Production Co:

Film Victoria, Horizon Films, Ingenious Broadcasting

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color