The Bob Mathias Story (1954) User Reviews

Interesting

[Greg-161 · 6/10 · 2 March 2000]

This biographical account of Bob Mathias's life up to and including his Olympic gold medals is more like a documentary or "real-life" TV show than anything else.

Track & Field enthusiasts will find it interesting. You certainly can't complain that the scenes of Mathias competing aren't realistic, seeing as he plays himself!

From my introduction of the film at the Library Of Congress in 2012.

[Larry41OnEbay-2 · 6/10 · 30 April 2013]

The feature THE BOB MATHIAS STORY is a great example of two things, first it is an low budget, independent feature shot with a unique cast and you might say uniquely qualifies actors. Secondly, it's a rare print, this is not a new copy in fact it may be one of the only known copies as it is an original 1954 release print that came into the Library Congress via the copyright collection. Also, it's never been released on VHS or DVD. Saving and sharing the forgotten films, the orphans if you will is what film preservation is all about. These neglected films have good stories and need to be seen on the big screen with an audience. Now I have never seen this film before, so even though it's old – it's new to me. So we will discover it together. One of the only reviews I could find for it was from the New York Times, Oct. 16, 1954 – and I quote TO the further credit of Bob Mathias, the young American decathlon athlete, his personal reputation is that of a quiet, modest and altogether likable guy. And so, fittingly, is "The Bob Mathias Story," the Allied Artists presentation that opened yesterday. In addition to its over-all, unvarnished sincerity, this biographical tribute to an astounding sports record and an impeccable private life is commendable on other counts. Mr. Mathias plays himself, supported by a trim little cast including such seasoned veterans as Ann Doran, Ward Bond, and with surprising professional adeptness, his own pretty spouse, Melba. As handsome as any young Hollywood idol and twice as guileless in his emoting, Mr. Mathias cheerfully lopes through a series of comfortably undemanding incidents that allow him to remain exactly what he is. Kept moving at an easy clip by Director Frances D. Lyon, Richard Collins' scenario pleasantly recounts Mr. Mathias' homey upbringing in Tulare, Calif., his high-school "warming up" under a wise coach and his disarming courtship of his sweetheart from childhood. (And Melba, take it from us, is a honey.) Lastly, this carefully low-keyed depiction of the hero's unstartling formative years contributes much to the superb, genuinely stirring impact of the documentary inserts showing Mr. Mathias in action at the two Olympic meets that brought him and his country glory. Producer William E. Selwyn's film editors must have had a field day themselves, sifting the spectacular footage photographed at London and later at Helsinki, where in 1952 Mr. Mathias became the only contestant ever to win the Olympic Decathlon twice. We defy anybody to sit unmoved through these scenes, capsuled into a bird's-eye appraisal of the great international meet, as the competitive teams parade into view and then square off. Above all, there is the earnest facial urgency and elastic frame of the athlete from Tulare in a very nice little picture of which nobody, least of all Mr. and Mrs. Bob Mathias, need feel ashamed.  UNQUOTE—

Also in my research I contacted the family of Bob Mathias and here is a quote from his grandson, Alex

"Larry, Thanks for reaching out to us, that is very nice of you. My mom and her sisters all agree "that Dad would have gotten a kick out of them showing the movie especially with the London Olympics coming up." Enjoy the movie night! -Alex"

A little schlocky but quite enjoyable.

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 6 November 2017]

Interestingly, in this biography Bob and Melba Mathias play themselves and the rest of the cast are actors. Considering they were NOT professional actors, the film is pretty good though I will admit that the ending was a bit anticlimactic and came rather abruptly.

The film portrays Bob Mathias from his senior year of high school through two Olympics in which he competed...and won...the Gold for the Decathalon! This is pretty amazing...especially since he was only 18 when he won the first time! Overall, enjoyable and informative and a bit schlocky...but well worth seeing despite being a bit too fervent and melodramatic in spots.

The kid from Tulare

[bkoganbing · 4/10 · 3 November 2017]

Bob Matthias was certainly a hero for his times. And as a sports hero he got the chance to star on film in the story of his own life up to the point he won that second Olympic Decathlon the only man ever to do it twice. And I'll say this for him at least he was a better actor than Jackie Robinson who played himself in The Jackie Robinson Story.

Of course playing himself at the age of 24 he looks all of 24 and not quite the 18 year old who won the 1948 Decathlon. But also being himself the footage of the Olympics and other track events was easily able to be integrated into the finished film.

The romance and courtship of his wife Melba is in keeping with the times. It could have been an episode on the Donna Reed Show. Melba Matthias also plays herself.

Ward Bond plays Matthias's track coach and Ann Doran his mom. There professionalism certainly was in contrast to Mr.&Mrs. Matthias.

After the action of this film is concluded, Bob Matthias did do a TV series with Keenan Wynn called The Troubleshooters, did 2 1/2 years in the Marines after the 1952 Olympics and got elected to Congress in 1966 and served four terms. All in all a worthy life.

It's a low budget film with not too much in the way of production values. Still it's a decent enough tribute to an American hero.

Good sport story

[searchanddestroy-1 · 2 December 2023]

I did not know this athlete and about decathlon, I remember Michael Curtiz's JIM THORPE ALL AMERICAN. I don't know it was better than this one, which is on the tradition. Not bad, not great either. Just a bearable time waster, nothing more. Maybe a TV movie from the seventies or eighties would have been better, more accurate, not so much in the Hollywood standards. The director Francis D Lyon was more inspired with his westerns and adventures movies. I guess this one was an "order" movie, to help him paying his gas bills. It is also rare that an an athlete plays his own role on screen. Audie Murphy did the same for TO HELL AND BACK. But it was about a soldier.