Olympic Dreams--Geordie

This is an old film I remember watching on tv many times when I was a kid, and was broadcast in the U.S. under the title "Wee Geordie."  Then when cable got started these old films were never shown anymore and unavailable on VHS/DVD. If made nowadays, it would probably be considered "twee."

The story takes place in Scotland beginning in the 1940s, when Geordie MacTaggart is a little boy. His father is the gameskeeper for the laird or lord of the manor he works at (Alistair Sim). Geordie is small for his age and is picked upon for this reason, despite the support of his friend Jean, a girl who has a secret crush. One day Geordie sees an ad in the newspaper advertising a Charles Atlas kind of bodybuilding program. He sends away for the booklets and for several years, until he is 21, he builds up his body (at this point he is played by the tall strapping actor who played Li'l Abner, Bill Travers). He has also formed a mentor/student relationship with the man whose books he has studied, the muscly Samson (Francis de Wolff).

In the mid-50s, Geordie's father dies and he takes over his job. The laird suggests Geordie not just exercise for health, but pursue something more noble, such as the Scottish sport of throwing things like the caber or the hammer. Geordie reluctantly enters the Highland Games and does poorly at first, but with Jean's romantic support (now played by Norah Gorsen), he wins. The laird and others convince some people from the British Olympic committee to come take a look at him (I guess Scotland was not broken out from Britain back then). Geordie enters the Olympics, is befriended by a Swedish female shotputter who gives him too much attention, and wears a kilt to the opening ceremony.

I'm sure the dialogue of the film nowadays is considered too cute or un-PC in how they say "och" and "braw" and "I dinna ken" but it does lend it a Scottish feel to help differentiate it from perhaps an Irish or English movie. This is a comedy film so there is some suspension of disbelief as to how Geordie manages to be so skilled despite having no training. The film was made in 1955, a year before the Olympics it portrays took place (in Australia). It reminded me that back then, people had to travel by ship to get there, and the distances really takes a toll on athletes (they train while on board ship). That fraternization between athletes is nothing new (re condoms being provide at this year's Olympic Village). That people listened on the radio and had to form their own imaginations to see what was going on, as Jean does when an announcer talks about the female athlete kissing Geordie.

All in all the sentiment is positive, showing Scottish life positively via Geordie's personality--in noble attitude, glorifying his simplemindedness in keeping to his promises and not wanting anything too modern or fancy in his life.