The Boys In The Boat: Fact Or Fiction?

George Clooney's film The Boys in the Boat is based on the true story of the University of Washington's rowing team, which won gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The film is an adaptation of Daniel James Brown's 2013 book of the same name, which chronicles the team's journey to Olympic glory during the Great Depression. While the movie takes some creative liberties with the timeline and certain events, it largely sticks to the inspiring true story of a group of young men from humble beginnings who overcame adversity to achieve sporting success on a global stage.

The film's timeline is compressed

The film "Boys in the Boat" compresses the story's timeline to focus on the events leading up to the 1936 Olympics, cutting out three years of the University of Washington team's journey. The book's author, Daniel James Brown, noted that the film adaptation of his work took certain liberties with the timeline, condensing three years' worth of events into a single year.

In the movie, it only took a year for Joe Rantz, Don Hume, Bobby Moch, and the other rowers to come together and start their trek to the Olympic Games. However, in real life, the timeline was much longer. The University of Washington's men's rowing team complete story arc took three years. The film "Boys in the Boat" only chronicles their training and Olympic journey in 1936.

Brown acknowledged that compressing the timeline made sense given the constraints of a two-hour movie format. He stated, " [The film is] all compressed into the year 1936, which is the year when everything came together. [The compressed timeline] makes sense, unless you're doing a [longer] TV series."

The decision to condense the timeline may have been a practical one, but it resulted in the omission of important details and context from the story. For example, the film left out a significant moment in Joe Rantz's life when he was abandoned by his father and stepmother at a young age. This incident, which occurred when Rantz was 15 years old, forced him to fend for himself and shaped his character in significant ways.

Despite the condensed timeline, the filmmakers and cast of "Boys in the Boat" worked hard to portray the story of the 1936 men's eight team as faithfully as possible. They recreated the University of Washington Shell House, constructing an identical replica of the building as it existed in 1936. Additionally, the actors underwent rigorous training to learn how to row properly, ensuring that the rowing scenes in the film were as authentic as possible.

Joe Rantz's troubled childhood is left out

Joe Rantz, the central figure in both the film and book of "The Boys in the Boat", had a troubled childhood that is largely left out of the film. Rantz's mother died from throat cancer when he was four years old, and he was sent to live with his aunt. When his father remarried in 1921, Rantz was forced to leave his aunt's home and live with his father, his new stepmother Thula, and her four children. Thula did not like Rantz and wanted him gone. One day, after a disagreement with Thula's child, Rantz's father left him at the town's schoolhouse. A teacher allowed him to stay there in exchange for chores. For food, Rantz hunted, fished, and worked odd jobs.

In 1925, Rantz's father retrieved him as the family was moving to Sequim, Washington. However, their financial situation worsened. When Rantz was 15 years old, his father, stepmother, and half-siblings left him behind once again as they moved to a new location. This time, Rantz was left to fend for himself at the onset of the Great Depression. He lived in a half-finished cabin in the woods, continued to attend school, and supported himself by logging timber, building fences, baling hay, and clearing tree stumps. After two years, Rantz moved in with his older brother, Fred, in Seattle and attended Roosevelt High School, where he excelled academically and in sports.

While Rantz's troubled childhood is not included in the film, author Daniel James Brown notes that it was a "touchstone of his story" and resulted in Rantz finding it difficult to trust people.

The Berkeley coach didn't donate money

The film "The Boys in the Boat" is based on the true story of the University of Washington's rowing team, which won a gold medal at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. The film depicts the team's journey to the Olympics and their struggle to compete amid the Great Depression.

One key difference between the film and the true story is the portrayal of the Berkeley coach. In the film, the Berkeley coach is shown donating money to the University of Washington's rowing team to support their Olympic journey. However, according to author Daniel James Brown, this scene is a complete work of fiction. In reality, the Berkeley coach did not donate any money to the rival team. Instead, he offered his support for their Olympic endeavour, which was a bold move considering the rivalry between the two schools.

The inclusion of this fictional scene in the film may have been a creative decision to add drama and showcase sportsmanship between competitors. However, it is important to note that the actual journey of the University of Washington's rowing team to the Olympics was challenging and required fundraising efforts. The team had to host a fundraising drive to gather the necessary funds for their trip to Berlin, as the United States Olympic Committee could not cover their expenses.

The film's portrayal of the Berkeley coach's donation may have been a way to simplify the story or create a more feel-good moment. However, it is important to remember that the actual journey of the University of Washington's rowing team was full of hardships and required the support of their community to make their Olympic dreams a reality.

Despite this deviation from the true story, "The Boys in the Boat" largely sticks to the events that led to the University of Washington's historic victory at the 1936 Olympics. The film highlights the struggles of the rowers, including Joe Rantz, who came from lower-class families and faced financial challenges during the Great Depression. The film also accurately portrays the team's underdog status, as they competed against elite schools and ultimately defeated the German team in front of Adolf Hitler and other high-ranking Nazi officials.

The rowing team tried to meet President Roosevelt

The University of Washington rowing team, also known as "The Boys in the Boat", tried to meet President Roosevelt before a big race in Poughkeepsie. They realised that Hyde Park, where President Roosevelt lived, was just a couple of miles up the river. The team rowed up to Hyde Park, got out of the boat, and walked through the woods to find the Roosevelt estate. They knocked on the door to see if the President was in, but he was in D.C. However, one of his sons, who was also a rower, invited them in and they had a chat about rowing before leaving.

The boys' attempt to meet President Roosevelt is a true story that is left out of the film adaptation of "The Boys in the Boat". The book's author, Daniel James Brown, detailed this incident in a December 2023 interview with TIME Magazine. He explained that the team wanted to meet the President and were bold enough to just walk up and knock on his door. Although they did not get to meet President Roosevelt, they still had a memorable experience sitting in the President's sitting room and chatting with his son.

This incident showcases the team's adventurous spirit and their desire to make the most of their journey. It also highlights the historical context of their trip, as they were visiting the President's home during the Great Depression. Overall, their attempt to meet President Roosevelt adds a unique and interesting element to the story of "The Boys in the Boat".

The 1936 Olympic Games didn't feature a photo finish

The 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin were the first to be televised. Adolf Hitler, Joseph Goebbels, and other high-ranking Nazi officials were in attendance, as they wanted to promote Nazi propaganda and showcase the superiority of German athletes.

The Boys in the Boat, a film directed by George Clooney, is based on the University of Washington's rowing team, which competed in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. The film's plot revolves around Joe Rantz, a poor kid who attends the University of Washington with the help of his rowing abilities. The team goes on to win gold at the Olympics, beating Italy and Germany.

While the film takes some creative liberties, author Daniel James Brown, whose book the film is based on, has confirmed that the photo finish at the end of the film is a dramatic device. In reality, the race was incredibly close, and photos were taken by spectators, but there is no indication that a photo was needed to determine the winner. The judges took around five minutes to decide on the winner, during which time the crowd chanted "Deutschland! Deutschland!".

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