Running Brave: Classic running movie about Billy Mills & the heart of a warrior
Posted December 28th, 2006 at 11:27 AM by Kathryn Magro
Section: Motivation, Movies, Columns, SPOTLIGHT
This is part four of the 5-part series: “BILLY MILLS: Overlooked Hero of Running” (Links to the other installments in this series are located at the conclusion of this article).
Running serves a different purpose for everyone. For some, it is solely a method of exercise; others find it to be a means of escape. In Running Brave, a 1983 film showcasing the life and career of Billy Mills, we find that running can also be a way of life. it certainly is for Mills, who states: “Running has been my freedom; my happiness.”
The struggles that Mills (played by Robby Benson) endures throughout the film revolve around his life as an American Sioux-Indian and his use of running to both fit in and remain sane in a seemingly uncontrollable world.
Having grown up playing various sports, I often attributed running to a form of punishment and only in the past few years have learned to appreciate the serenity and adrenaline one can derive from it’s performance. However, this was not the case for Mills who took up running while attending the Haskell Institute and essentially (except for a few brief moments) - never looked back.
Directors D.S. Everett and Donald Shebib portray this passion as they follow Billy through high school and college; concluding with his inspirational win in the 10,000 meter run at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. He won this gold medal in one of, if not the, most exciting come from behind wins in history. The movie’s main source of inspiration comes from the fact that Billy achieved such success while overcoming racism and trying to finds his place between between two very different worlds.
Orphaned at the age of 12, Billy’s only real family exists in his brother and sister on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. At the University of Kansas, however, he struggles to fit in and gain respect as a runner. He also, and more importantly has the often extremely challenging task of gaining respect as a person while still maintaining his Sioux heritage. On campus, he is referred to as “that Indian boy” but on the reservation, they tell him that he doesn’t belong in the white community. However, Mills is able to carry on because of the spirit in his heart, the power in his legs and his love for his beloved girlfriend (and future wife) Patricia.
We’ve all experienced those low times where one of our hobbies or talents —perhaps a sport— seems to be the only thing that we have left. For Billy, even running is taken away, as his coach (played by Pat Hingle) is only “in it to win it”; a philosophy that pries at Mills’ spirit. In a letter written to his sister, Mills writes, “I seem to have lost my love for running—now I run like a machine.” Left with no internal drive, Mills returns to the reservation.
Running Brave’s dramatic turn comes when Frank, Billy’s brother, encourages him to return to his calling. Heeding this advice, Billy begins to pursue his dream and train on his own for the Olympics; continuing this zealous prepartion after he joins the Marines. Although the intensity in his eyes is reminiscent of his days at Kansas, something about Billy seems to have changed. Instead of running for the benefit of others, he now runs for himself; a trait that pays off in the end as he qualifies as a member of the 1964 U.S. Olympic team and heads to Tokyo.
In a remarkable scene, Mills steps onto the starting line and meets the gaze of Australian Ron Clarke; one of the world’s best runners who he had looked to for inspiration in his early days of training. Also running against him were Tunisia’s Mohammed Gammoudi and Ethiopia’s Mamo Wolde; all of whom were favored to win. As the extreme underdog in the event, Mills was not even sent Olympic shoes to wear and was forced to borrow a pair. As the race begins and we watch the elbows fly and runners get lapped, it’s hard not to feel a part of the excitement. It seems as if Mills’s chances are essentially ruined when he is trapped by two of the other competitors and it was impossible for me to keep myself from screaming at the television.
The last lap — the one our coaches always told us about and trained us to push through — proves to be Mills’ saving grace, as he finds his “kick” and passes Clarke for the win. The underdog in borrowed track shoes, to this day, remains the only American to earn a medal in the 10,000 meter Olympic event. Mills has gone on to become a true humanitarian, an incredible source for advancement in the Native American community and one of this world’s few, real heroes.
Learn from Mills - believe in yourself - overcome ignorance - and focus on your dreams.
If you’re looking for a source of inspiration to get up and do something - running related or not - I highly recommend Running Brave. That said, I’m going to lace up my own running shoes!
Check out the previous installments in this series:
- BILLY MILLS: Overlooked Hero of Running
- BILLY MILLS: The Olympic Legend
- BILLS MILLS: Compassionate Warrior
The final installment in this series will be a free, downloadable podcast of TFS’s interview with Mr. Mills.
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Tags: 10000m, 1964 tokyo olympics, american indian, Billy Mills, film, humanitarian, marine, marine corps marathon, movie, movie review, movies, native american, Oglala Lakota, Oglala Sioux Indian reservation, Olympian, olympic champion, olympic gold, running brave, Sioux, warrior
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The Final Sprint
Kathryn,
I am glad that you are giving Billy Mills his overdue praise. I ran competitively in both high school (Cape Elizabeth, ME; same coach as Joan Benoit) and college (University of Maine). The night before every race I would watch Running Brave…sometimes alone and sometimes with my teammates.
While at the University of Maine, I had the good fortune of hearing Billy speak to everyone in our athletic program as a Freshman. It was supposed to be exclusive to Junior and Senior athletes. A few of my buddies on the Cross Country team who were Seniors snuck me in. I was able to speak with Billy after his presentation…a memory I will never forget!
Thanks for reminding me of one of my heroes!
Al Claussen
January 12th, 2007 at 10:56 pm[…] After his successful running career, Billy has channeled his love for running into a passion for fighting against poverty and discrimination as the national spokesperson of Running Strong for Native American Youth. He is also the subject of the 1983 movie “Running Brave”. […]
February 14th, 2007 at 1:07 pmI portrayed Gerry Lindgren in the movie.
April 2nd, 2007 at 12:20 pmRunning Brave. It was great to have been selected for the part. Billy Mills
was great to meet and to be involved with the movie was a real experience.
Cheers Kim
[…] Running Brave […]
May 7th, 2007 at 3:06 pm