This TV movie has stayed with me for decades but not just for the standard teens-in-love story. In the late Seventies figure skating had become an extremely popular spectator sport, with the skaters' personal stories as important as their athletic prowess (e.g. Scott Hamilton, the Carruthers siblings, Tai and Randy). This movie gives the viewer a glimpse behind the glitter. "It's work!" the hockey-playing son insists to his macho dad. Top-level figure skating is also expensive, especially for his ordinary middle-class family. Most of all, however, what has stayed with me is the acting by Richard Jaeckel who plays the boy's father. His stunned demeanor when he has to drive to a hospital after a tragic loss is a master class in acting. Tony Lo Bianco is great as the veteran coach as well. If you love figure skating, check this out if you can.
Review of Champions: A Love Story
