There’s blood in the water.
During the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, the semi-final of the men’s water polo became more than just a grudge match between Hungary and the USSR. Instead, at the other end of the world, these two teams played for the highest stakes of all: freedom.
Krisztina Goda’s Children of Glory parallels this bloody match with the October 23 Hungarian revolution and its brutal suppression by the Soviets in the early days of November 1956. Unfortunately, however, a paint-by-numbers Hollywood script from Basic Instinct writer Joe Eszterhas waters down this fascinating microcosm/macrocosm piece of history. What’s left is a somewhat pedestrian story: a playboy water polo player meets cute revolutionary and gets drawn into the fray, turning his back on his teammates and best friend for love and country. Too many cliché’s ensue, some of which are partially rescued by some solid performances, if not the rather bland shooting style of director Goda.
A more sophisticated script and a grittier aesthetic could have done justice to what is an intriguing juxtaposition between the great symbols of revolution and the Olympics. More time with the gruelling game of water polo also would have helped, but nevertheless, Children of Glory is definitely no ordinary sports drama.
This review appears in the September issue of FILMINK
Children of Glory is available to rent or purchase from September 1st.
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