Brian's Song

Starring: James Caan, Billy Dee Williams, Jack Warden, Bernie Case, Shelley Fabares
Directed by: Buzz Kulik
Rating: G
Genre: Drama, Sport
1971

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Follows the friendship between Chicago Bears running backs Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams) and Brian Piccolo (James Caan), which becomes even more important when one of them is stricken with cancer.

Review:

Tim: This is such a fascinating movie. The story itself is fascinating, but the importance of the movie is even more interesting. Brian's Song was released as a TV movie in 1971. It was one of the most iconic, best television movies of all time. It was so popular that it was actually released theatrically later. It remains one of those movies that can make grown men cry- and many are not ashamed to admit it. I loved watching this movie, and while I honestly didn't shed a tear, I did get caught up in this friendship.

I usually don't watch television movies, but this one was well worth seeing. It's an engrossing story of an unlikely friendship- Gale Sayers was a superstar running back for the Chicago Bears and he was African-American. His white teammate, Brian Piccolo, was white- and competing for the same position and didn't have the athleticism that Sayers did. Remember, this movie takes place in the 1960s, which was quite a different time for race relations in America. These two men form an unlikely friendship- that is the real heart of this movie. I loved the depiction of their relationship. These are two strong, stubborn men, who really grew to love each other as people. It was powerful to see the strong emotions they had for each other (was this the first "bromance" movie?). Now, I've read that the Hollywood version expanded on their friendship more than the reality of it, and that does hurt the film a little in my eyes. The story is not 100% true, but it does make for a great story.

The reason this film works is not just because of this friendship, but because of the actors who brought these characters to life. James Caan was wonderful as Piccolo. He was a fast-talking, funny, energetic guy. He is someone who just loves life, and has no problems working his butt off to achieve his goals. He makes Piccolo this legendary figure- the type of person you wish you had in your life- someone who makes you laugh, but someone you respect relentlessly. His performance is incredible. Billy Dee Williams was well cast as Gale Sayers. He is quiet and reserved, but through the course of the film, you really see how his friendship with Piccolo changed him. From the first time they meet on screen, it's a delight to watch Caan and Williams interact as these characters. I admit, I got caught up in their friendship.

The story is very interesting to see how Sayers and Piccolo grew their friendship while they were competing on the same team. The scenes where they both were in the backfield were incredible. I love the film's decision to show actual game footage of these two men. That made the whole thing more believable, and I marveled at the talented backfield of the Chicago Bears. Those were some of my favorite scenes of the film. Of course, as we all know (if you don't, this is a SPOILER)- everything changes when it's discovered that Piccolo has a rare form of cancer. This is where the film takes a dramatic turn. Now, I will admit that this does get a bit sappy- the music, the emotions, the whole thing is a little melodramatic. And yet, it is incredibly effective. The film does a good job of establishing these characters, and when one is faced with a life-threatening illness, we care. That's why this film is cited by so many guys as the first time they ever cried at a movie.

For me personally, I was definitely caught up in the more dramatic moments. Unfortunately, I did not shed a tear. There's very few movies that make me cry, so I always love when a film hits me so close to the heart that I get emotional. I wanted Brian's Song to achieve that. While I felt for the characters, my eyes remained dry. This might be partially due to the fact that I really struggled with Caan's voice during the most dramatic moments. I kept turning the volume on my TV up and trying desperately to make out his words. That threw the scene off a bit, sadly.

So, I can't quite claim that Brian's Song is a great movie- but it is a thoroughly enjoyable one. It's remarkable that a TV movie made this level of impact on the public consciousness. This is a film that is absolutely worth seeing, and if you're a big tough guy- you might want to have a box of Kleenex ready to go.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



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