Nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama, director and co-writer Tim Fehlbaum’s “September 5” (Paramount) is a dramatization of the tragedy that unfolded at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.
The movie follows predecessors “One Day In September,” an Oscar-winning 1999 documentary, and Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated 2005 feature film “Munich,” in presenting the shocking tragedy.
Prior to 1972, Germany hosted the Olympics in 1936, allowing the reigning Nazi party to manipulate the event for its devious purposes. So, it’s fitting that early in “September 5” we see Jewish American swimmer Mark Spitz (David Iselin) win multiple gold medals as an example of how times had changed.
Not only were the 1972 Olympics in Munich an attempt to represent a new and radically different Germany than what it was in 1936, but they were also the first to be broadcast live via satellite around the globe. With that in mind, much of “September 5” is set behind the scenes in the studio of ABC Sports. Suddenly, a crew of sports journalists was forced to become news journalists as the drama unfolded before their eyes, and by extension, the world’s.
Led by network executive Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard) with a team including experienced staff such as producer Marv Bader (Ben Chaplin), and newcomer Geoffrey Mason (John Magaro), we witness them making split-second decisions when it came to the way they reported the horrors of the volatile hostage situation and tragic massacre.
Bursting with fast-paced, rapid-fire Aaron Sorkin-esque dialogue and heart-pounding energy, “September 5” has a compelling, edge-of-the-seat quality in its portrayal, even though many of us already know the devastating outcome. Fehlbaum also incorporates a substantial amount of vintage footage, including several clips featuring the late sportscaster, Jim McKay.
Opening in wide release in theaters in January 2025, with the ongoing conflict in Gaza in its 15th month, the magnitude and impact of “September 5” shouldn’t be overlooked.
Rating: B-
