Hans 2021 Movie Draft: Round Three-Pick Five-The Other Side Of The Mountain 1975
Apple Pie in Sun Valley (S.I. Archive)
Hanspostcard has a movie draft challenge. This is my Round Three pick.
Category: Documentary/Sports
Film: The Other Side of the Mountain
“You know where you’ll find sympathy in the dictionary, don’t ya’? Between shit and suicide.”
Directed by Larry Peerce, the movie is based on the 1966 novel A Long Way Up by E. G. Valens, written about national slalom ski champion (1955) and a 1956 U.S. Olympic skiing team candidate, Jill Kinmont. Produced by Edward Feldman, the screenplay adaption was written by David Seltzer. Jill is played by Marilyn Hassett and, Beau Bridges plays Olympic skiing team member (1952) and stunt pilot Dick “Mad Dog” Buek. Dabney Coleman plays Coach Dave McCoy and Bill Vint plays Buddy Werner. Belinda Montgomery plays Audra Jo or “A.J.”, Jill’s best friend, Nan Martin plays June Kinmont and William Bryant plays Bill Kinmont. Griffin Dunne has a small part.
The film spans Jill’s slalom races to her national championship, her best friend’s polio contraction, her accident while attempting to win the Alta, UT, Snow Cup, her hospital stay, her slow rehabilitation, her heartbreak from the losses of two dear men and her triumph at becoming a teacher.
Dick Buek was killed in a plane crash on November 3, 1957, two days shy of his 28th birthday (Club of 27?). Buddy Werner was killed in an avalanche in Switzerland on April 12, 1964.
Released July 25, 1975, the film was panned by critics for being too much of a tear-jerker. That may be true but, she did have a really hard time. The sequel was released February 10, 1978 and was panned even worse. I saw them in reverse order. I was only nine years old when the first movie came out so, I didn’t get to see it until I was an adult. I saw Part II, first, when it was released to television. I enjoyed both films despite the bad reviews. Sometimes, bringing someone’s life story to the big screen is handled poorly. Jill passed away February 9, 2012.
Additional Reading:
An Amazing Interview/Jill Kinmont Boothe (Ezine Articles)
The Mad Dog of Donner Summit (Sierra Sun)
The Death of a True Hero (Wired)
The Complete Movie
Cosmic-Observation 
February 5, 2021 at 6:36 PM
I grew up skiing – I think I’d probably have passed on this movie!
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 5, 2021 at 9:25 PM
The hotel we would stay at in Switzerland, the owner once auditioned for a skiing bit in a Bond movie.
LikeLike
February 5, 2021 at 9:48 PM
Wow.
LikeLike
February 5, 2021 at 11:19 PM
This movie had a big effect on me when I was young.
LikeLike
February 6, 2021 at 11:55 PM
I saw the second one, first and it haunted me. The first movie was shown in flashbacks so, I went looking for it.
LikeLike
February 6, 2021 at 2:31 AM
Strange thing to say that it is “Too much of a tear jerker,” I didn’t think you could have too much? (Old romantic, said 😉)
They sound like good films to me 😀Thank you for the review 👏
LikeLike
February 6, 2021 at 4:30 AM
Eh. That was the sentiment of the reviewers, including Roger Ebert. That girl had a hard ass time.
Both films are typical 1970s films. In today’s terms, they would never get made. They’d be on Hallmark or Lifetime Movie Network with B-List actors.
LikeLike
February 6, 2021 at 3:17 AM
I had totally forgotten about this movie! Glad you mentioned it. Will have to watch if again now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 7, 2021 at 3:09 AM
I have the first one but I cannot find the second…
LikeLike
February 7, 2021 at 2:31 PM
Can you do actor searches for it?
It’s no big deal. It’s on YouTube for free. Plus, we have Amazon Prime. It is there, too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 7, 2021 at 7:55 PM
No unless they list the actor then no…I’m going to try something else.
LikeLike
February 7, 2021 at 3:38 PM
Ok.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 7, 2021 at 8:45 PM
If not I’ll download it from youtube
LikeLike
February 7, 2021 at 3:50 PM
I already have. 😄 I use RealPlayer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 7, 2021 at 3:51 PM
lol…i use torch…damn RealPlayer is still around?
LikeLike
February 8, 2021 at 12:41 AM
Oh, yeah. I’ve used it for years. I can download a music video and automatically convert it into an MP3 to add to my phone playlist.
Torch? Torch browser?
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 8, 2021 at 1:22 AM
I haven’t used that in forever…Yea Torch is a browser and lets you download youtube videos and audio
LikeLike
February 8, 2021 at 2:21 AM
Is that all you use it for or is it your main browser?
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 8, 2021 at 10:03 AM
No I use Google Chrome
LikeLike
February 8, 2021 at 3:55 PM
E-gads! I wouldn’t touch Chrome with a ten foot pole. Talk about tracking the shit out of you. I have to keep the Chrome browser app active & updated on my phone or my other apps will not work. How’s that for control? I never use it but, no other app will work unless it is there. I tried to delete it, once. Every app on my phone crashed…even the calculator. I could dial 911, tho…
Everything else “Google” on my phone is shut off or restricted heavily. I use Maps but, all of my Google settings are shut off. There’s no cloud connection, no notifications…everything I could shut off, I did.
I use FF but, they are becoming much like Google, now. The head of Mozilla is another left wing nut. It’s gotten so that their “help” & “forums” are barely answered and, when they do respond, you get half answers from assholes. It used to be a wonderful organization…until it went political. I keep Mozilla-branch browsers around…Pale Moon, Waterfox… I also use Brave a lot. FF doesn’t work well with some online store ordering.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 8, 2021 at 4:52 PM
Again…I could give a crap less lol…they will find out I like the Beatles and baseball. If I want to go somewhere secretive I would use SavySoda browser. I use it on my phone.
I use Opera a lot…and Torch some when I need videos. I’ve never liked Firefox…it is slower to me than other browsers…all the tech guys use it…I have it but don’t use it.
LikeLike
February 8, 2021 at 5:11 PM
SavySoda?
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 8, 2021 at 5:13 PM
yea it’s just for phones I believe…I wish they would make a pc version
LikeLike
February 8, 2021 at 5:19 PM
Hm. I will have to look that up.
I also use the browser app that came with my antivirus, Webroot. It’s cool.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 8, 2021 at 5:38 PM
It is good…it deletes everything as soon as you get off the page. Check it out you probably will like it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 9, 2021 at 1:47 PM
Interesting, haven’t really heard of this one. A ski movie that is the opposite of a tear-jerker I suppose would be the film Ski Party, based off of one of those beach party movies from AIP. Ever seen any of those?
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 9, 2021 at 9:43 PM
Are you referring to the 1965 Ski Party with Frankie Avalon? I’m not sure what AIP is.
Another funny opposite is Hot Dog…The Movie from 1984. Quotes…
Rudy: “You people… stay out of our way. You may ski on zat side OR on zat side, but stay out of zee meedle!”
Dan O’Callahan (David Naughton): “Hey, Rudy, you can kiss my ass. Not on zis side and not on zat side, but right in zee meedle!”
LMAO!
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 10, 2021 at 1:50 AM
Yeah, that’s the one! I believe I’ve seen the trailer for Hot Dog the Movie a long while back, maybe just partially. Also, AIP = American International Pictures (Roger Corman frequently worked with this studio)
LikeLiked by 1 person