When the George Clooney-directed film The Boys in the Boat opens on Christmas Day, it will probably resonate more on the Island than any other vicinity in Canada.
It is the stirring and nostalgic tale about the 1936 University of Washington Huskies men’s eight rowing crew, which overcame the deprivations of the Depression, to win gold representing the U.S. and humble the Nazis in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
The eight is an event that later became closely associated with Victoria. In a remarkable legacy, Canadian men’s eights crews came out of Elk Lake to win gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles, 1992 Barcelona, 2008 Beijing Olympics and silver at London 2012. The Canadian women’s eight, also out of Elk Lake and now Quamichan Lake, won gold at the 1992 Barcelona and 2020 Tokyo Olympics. David Anderson of Victoria won silver at the 1960 Rome Olympics with the UBC eight which then represented Canada.
“The 1936 UW team’s story is compelling, but we have our own history with the eight and our stories to tell,” said Malcolm Howard of Victoria, who rowed to Olympic gold at Beijing 2008 and silver at London 2012 in the Canadian men’s eight.
Why this story has resonated with people, first through the hit 2013 book The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown and now through the Clooney film based on the book, is because of the very nature of eights racing.
“It’s the sheer sense of awe and primal power when eight rowers [the coxswain makes nine in the boat] are working together in perfect timing,” said Howard, now a medical doctor specializing in anesthesiology.
“Take something as complicated as a golf swing. Now have eight people do that in unison 40 times a minute.
“I haven’t seen the movie yet but the book The Boys in the Boat was so good in capturing the feeling of eight guys working toward the same goal.”
Kyle Hamilton, now a Victoria lawyer, captained the Canadian men’s eight to Olympic gold at Beijing in 2008. Hamilton said Saturday: “There are no passengers in an eight and no individual stars. You need to have trust in everyone. On a hockey team, one player can be in a slump, but the others can still carry the team to victory. In an eight crew, if one person is off, you are done.”
Hamilton said picking up the book made him feel nostalgic.
Kevin Light, a Victoria photographer who won Olympic gold with the 2008 Beijing Games Canadian eight, is happy that rowing is getting the star treatment on the big screen.
“To have a Christmas Day opening is a big deal in the movie business, and to have George Clooney involved, will help promote rowing across North America,” said Light.
Even within rowing, there is a mystique and marquee quality to the eight, which is the biggest, fastest and most powerful event in the sport. The eight is always the final event raced on the final day of rowing at the Olympics.
“When I read the book The Boys in the Boat, it brought back memories of our Canadian crew coming together ahead of Beijing,” said Light, who plans to watch the movie version over the holidays.
“I can imagine that current crews will go out to watch this movie together.”
