Race

The movie 'Race' is a biographical sports drama directed by Stephen Hopkins, released in 2016. The film is based on the life of Jesse Owens, an American track and field athlete who broke world records and shattered racial barriers at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The movie begins with Jesse Owens, played by Stephan James, an African American track athlete from Ohio who lives with his family during the Great Depression. Jesse suffers at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan, but his father, Henry Owens, encourages him to pursue his dreams despite the racial prejudices prevalent at that time. Henry, played by Wendell Pierce, enlists the help of his friend Maxie 'Max' Rosen, a Jewish agent, played by Jason Sudeikis, who becomes Jesse's coach and manager. Under Max's guidance, Jesse's athletic career takes off. He starts competing in high school track events and breaks multiple records. Max encourages Jesse to apply for the University of Ohio, which he eventually enrolls in. Jesse becomes a standout athlete at the university and earns the attention of the press. The team's coach, Larry Snyder, played by Jeremy Irons, helps Jesse prepare for the 1936 Berlin Olympics by setting him up with the right training regime and competition to test his skills. As Jesse's fame grows, so does his involvement in the civil rights movement. He faces racial tensions and slurs not only from whites but also from African Americans themselves. However, he continues to push forward, determined to succeed and prove the doubters wrong. In the midst of the 1936 Olympics' hype, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime have big plans for the event. Hitler sees the Olympics as a platform to showcase his vision of an Aryan nation with superior human qualities. Hitler envisions the Olympics as a grand display of German strength and dominance and expects his athletes to deliver on these expectations. At the Berlin Olympics, Jesse Owens, along with other talented American athletes including Luz Long, a German high jumper who becomes his friend and ally, competes against the best athletes in the world. Luz and Jesse form a bond over their mutual respect for each other and the sport. Luz's act of solidarity becomes a powerful moment in the film, as it defies the orders issued by his coach and the pressures from the Nazi regime. As Jesse progresses in the Olympics, he consistently breaks world records, starting with the long jump. His incredible performances set the stage for the most significant event, the 4x100 meters relay, against Germany. However, this event also comes to represent a symbolic showdown between Jesse and Adolf Hitler's vision of Aryan supremacy. The movie's final act depicts Jesse's electrifying performance in the relay, where he and his team – Marty Glickman, Ralph Metcalfe, Frank Wykoff, and Jesse Owens – break the Olympic record. Jesse's dominance, as well as the performances of other African American athletes at the Olympics like Ralph Metcalfe, leaves the Nazi regime in stunned silence. The film ends with Jesse Owens' triumphant return to the United States, where he is celebrated as a national hero and an icon for his determination to succeed despite the odds and the racial barriers facing him. The movie 'Race' is a poignant portrayal of Jesse Owens' journey to success and his defiance of racial prejudices during the tumultuous era of Adolf Hitler's rule in Germany.