The movie PRIDE (2007). There are several movies with that name, but this is the story of a 1970s era inner-city Philadelphia community fitness center (with a pool) that the city designates for closing. The city official assigned to oversee the closing renovates the pool and ends up forming a swim team consisting of inner city youths. Not a bad story, but there are a couple of issues that I thought worthy of discussion. First -- The shorts (for street attire) that people are wearing are nowhere near short enough for that time. I grew up in that time. Compared to the shorts that are worn today...the shorts we wore back then would be considered "Daisy Duke's." If you look at movies made during that time...shorts are much shorter. Secondly -- In the scene where the 'coach' first starts swimming in the newly filled pool...he's wearing goggles. Now, I wasn't swimming much back in the early/mid 70s. But I don't think goggles were common back then. Heck...I don't even think they were common at the '72 or '76 Olympics. Later in the movie, in the early swim meets, no one is using them. I know...it's only a movie. I just thought picking it apart would be a good topic for discussion.
Dan
I just watched it last eve. A very stirring story. I swam with the small speedo suits and in college at Illinois state university. 1965 - 67 we did not have goggles then, I tried "experimental" contacts that were the size of nickels that worked but, built up chlorine gas behind them after a full workout that made the not really functional.
I just watched it last eve. A very stirring story. I swam with the small speedo suits and in college at Illinois state university. 1965 - 67 we did not have goggles then, I tried "experimental" contacts that were the size of nickels that worked but, built up chlorine gas behind them after a full workout that made the not really functional.
