Whenever anybody asks me “what are your favourite films”, when my answer is proffered I’m usually met with a blank stare akin to a dog being shown a card trick.
Along with the likes of Fargo, Being John Malkovich and Easy Rider, one of the first names out of my mouth is usually Breaking Away.
“Breaking A-what-now?”
Trying to explain why this film means so much to me to non-cyclists is no easy task. Even other cyclists who may not have heard of the 1979 Oscar winner for Best Screenplay seem perplexed and unable to grasp the concept of a teen coming-of-age film featuring that rarity of Hollywood filmdom, a *gasp* cyclist.
And that’s all that Breaking Away is. It’s not a cycling film, not a fly on the wall doco like A Sunday In Hell or Hell On Wheels. In fact it’s completely bereft of hell in any form. To me, it’s heaven, sometimes on wheels, sometimes in Mike’s Buick, sometimes in the swimming hole at the old abandoned limestone quarry.
I could go on about the classic scenes and lines from the film, like the pump in the spokes, drafting the truck or Dave’s Italophile obsessions. But those who have seen the film will know these already, and those who haven’t, well I wouldn’t want to spoil your impending viewings.
But I will admit to this; I actually have been close to tears on one of my many, many viewings, while introducing it to a girlfriend, who must’ve been somewhat bemused by a grown man getting emotional about some loser teenagers winning some stupid bike race. And I’m not ashamed of that, because it is really so much more.
When Cyril is being jostled by the adoring masses at the end of the Little 500, the look of acceptance, of achievement which washes over his face, an expression made possible by the simple act of riding a bicycle, that to me is one of the great cinematic moments.
One I will enjoy over and over again, thirty years on and counting.
For a comprehensive look at everything Breaking Away, check out this site.
And the original trailer here.
Oh, man. I think my favorite scene is the truck drafting one – not so much for the impromptu collaboration between the driver and the cyclist, but more for how awesome his bike sounds. Drivetrains just don’t sound like that anymore. And, of course, the scene at the end when he meets the girl and starts speaking – makes me laugh every time.
I believe Christian Vande Velde’s father was one of the bad-ass pump wielding fiends. I also heard the short cutter was recently in a movie as a pedophile, doing an all too convincing job of it. Yikes.
Also in the drafting scene, note that he is doing 60mph in the SMALL ring!
I’s gots to get me a copy of that…
he is not just doing 60mph in the small ring, he is doing 60mph then moves into the small ring and goes FASTER. That is some serious legspeed. Love that there really is a Little 500 with one bike across the whole team etc etc.
According to ProCycling [Issue 139 (June 2010), p.36], “Breaking Away” will be available for the first time on DVD from 28 June.