La race des champions

The Boy in Blue

The Boy in Blue

It is a fun movie to enjoy as a rags to riches story. Some movies are just set for enjoyment. Some people relate to the circumstances of the character. Ned is given a chance to improve and showcase his talents. Youth has it's natural peaks and valleys but the hero will get discouraged. His mentor pulls him out of his funk with the hard work it takes to become a champion. The uphill battle for competition is evident, however, the class system of the time will need some humorous maneuvering. The introduction of the sliding seat is a game changer for the sport of sculling. Perfect movie for the Olympic season or NCAA inter-collegiate rowing championships. Brown holds the record of 7 titles. Yale and Harvard are traditional rivals while Texas holds the current title. Nicholas Cage will floor young and old with his trim, chiseled looks. Oxford makes the perfect Goliath. He wins over many with just his smile and blue eyes, his storied acting career is just beginning. A Canadian hero story with a strong supporting cast of veteran actors. If you row or are competitive you'll enjoy this movie, just don't over think it. (Worth the rent).

Warning - Spoilers The Boy in Blue is a representation of the life of Ned Hanlen - a rowing champion during the late 19th century. Learning his craft as a whiskey runner Ned moves into the world of high stakes rowing (popular during the era) and through love and emotional growth becomes a champion. While well done for a period piece the life of Ned Hanlen, as told in The Boy in Blue, does not represent a story compelling enough to carry an entire movie. Interesting in it's technical details (I've done a small amount of rowing and thought the sport was well captured) the amount of drama in Mr. Hanlen's life just does not rise to the level needed to make the movie consistently interesting. David Naughton plays the sleazy manager/promoter (with the requisite Heart of Gold); Christopher Plummer plays the sleazy backer/gambler (no Heart of Gold) and Cynthia Dale plays the love interest. While mildly interesting the attempts at sabotage, thuggery and skulduggery just don't add up to a "movies worth" of a story.

Nicholas Cage plays Canadian rowing champion, Ned Hanlan, from his humble beginnings rowing illegal liquor across the border, to his championship race in England. The problem is, you've seen it all before. Pick any boxing, baseball, or football film, and you will be on very familiar ground with "The Boy in Blue". In addition, Cage's romance of Cynthia Dale comes across as really sappy and uninteresting. The movie plays like a series of Victorian postcards. Even usually reliable villain, Christopher Plummer, is no more ruthless than a puppy dog. This movie is way too predictable, toothless, and sugar coated, and does not live up to expectations. - MERK

We saw it for the first time on AMC, which is FINALLY starting to show some different movies........it presents a sport that I believe most Americans are unfamiliar with.......Personal comment: I don't believe that people should stoop to cheat in ANY SPORT or to sabotage anther's chances of winning. FAIR IS FAIR! This movie came out a few years later than CHARIOTS of FIRE, and one cant help but feel the same emotions of being in a race whether on land or the water. Good sportsmanship should always be at the top of ones personal goals........and really enjoying competition. Ah, Nicolas did well in keeping in shape to do this movie!!!! AND the musical score is great too!!! .S.T. rainbowsmileyfish says hello :-)<>{

source: The Boy in Blue

This is a fairly mundane movie. A sports movie celebrating someone's achievement should feel like a celebration, this doesn't. Its not offensively bad or anything but fails to reach any great heights. Cage may have been on Valium for this one!

Unless you like movies about rowing, this movie is a little slow. The only thing this film has in common with Chariots of Fire is the fact that its a period piece. The film is predictable even if you never heard of Ned Hanlan. It's a little "sappy" at times. The acting is a bit over the top and wooden with little chemistry felt between Cage and Dale. SPOILER The training scene for the race on the Thames looked like it was stolen from one of the "Rocky" films but without the speed bag. If you like to be bored to tears or need a non-narcotic to fall asleep this would be a good film for you. ** out of *****

The Boy in Blue may not have had the sexiest tag line: Hanlan was one of the first scullers to successfully utilize the "sliding seat." But hey, there are a lot of movies that don't sound great on paper but in execution, they're something special. This film is special. You can feel the intensity in Nic Cage's eyes. He takes you on a journey you will not soon forget. And who can forget such classic lines such as 'This is making me sick wearing these monkey suits', and 'Get up, Harvard man!' It's impossible to see anybody else in this role. 10/10