I remembered recently seeing "Salute" reviewed on the ABCTV program, "At the Movies."
It was reviewed by two of Australia's most respected movie reviewers, Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton.
Margaret gave it a score of 3 out of 5 (standard) and David gave it 2 out of 5 (low), with an overall score of 5 out of 10, which represents a low score. By comparison, both Margaret and David gave Brokeback Mountain 5 out of 5 each = 10 out of 10, with Margaret commenting that she considered BBM to be "a perfect movie."
Here's the "Salute" review transcript from "The Movie Show":
SALUTE
Review by Margaret Pomeranz
A new Australian documentary looks back at an iconic moment in Olympic history that had an impact on the world but, more significantly, on the people involved.
It’s SALUTE, about that famous Black Power salute at the Mexico Olympics in 1968 when American track athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos stood on the podium to receive their medals for coming first and third in the 200 metre dash. It was a moment when politics, sport and race converged.
The second place getter at the event was the Australian Peter Norman, who in sympathy with his fellow athletes also wore an Olympic Project for Human Rights badge. All three athletes would be ostracised by their countries for their actions.
The documentary, which was made by Peter Norman’s nephew Matt Norman, is fascinating as it delves into the history of that moment. It’s a reminder of how the world was only forty years ago.
And it’s shocking how that moment affected the sporting careers of all three. Where the film falters is in its latter half when Matt Norman, in trying to laud his uncle for his courage, loses perspective.
The film becomes repetitive and adulatory, diminishing its impact, but for much of its length it is a fascinating insight into a moment that illuminated the Civil Rights movement in America.
Further comments . . . .
MARGARET: David?
DAVID: I think the problem I have with this film is that there's about 20 minutes worth of really solid, interesting documentary material and the rest is padding. I think the gesture that Peter Norman made in wearing that badge may have been a brave one at the time, but it's kind of almost lost in the process of the much bigger demonstration, of course, made by the two African American finalists.
And the key thing is that, as he says as we saw in those clips, that he was then not allowed to go onto the next Olympic Games after that.
Now, that would have made, to concentrate on that would have perhaps made an interesting film, but this film is so padded. I think you're right. I think Matt Norman is too close to it. I think a more objective point of view would have been better because, as it goes on, it keeps cutting away to irrelevant speeches and more speeches and...
MARGARET: Yeah.
DAVID: You know, you say, "Get to the point," you know.
MARGARET: No. No, that latter part of the documentary is sort of like really hard going. Hard going.
DAVID: It's leaden. It really is leaden.
MARGARET: And it's such a shame because I think there is interesting stuff in there.
DAVID: Yeah.