16 Days of Glory

"The single most inspiring sports film ever created."

1985 4h 45m EN

👍

7.2

SOLID

⭐

7.7

IMDB

★7.2TMDB · 12★7.7IMDB · 297

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The definitive photographic record of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, told "from the inside" through the lives of the participants, the words of David Perry, and the singing voice of Placido Domingo. From the opening to closing ceremonies, this unique style of storytelling shows a side of the Olympic Games not seen by television audiences.

“The single most inspiring sports film ever created.”

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Where to watch · US

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Criterion ChannelSubscription

Cast

David Perry
Narrator (voice)
Caitlyn Jenner
Self
Carl Lewis
Self
Mary Lou Retton
Self
Béla Károlyi
Self
Daley Thompson
Self
Jürgen Hingsen
Self
Edwin Moses
Self

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Bud Greenspan
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

At 285 minutes, this is a three-hour-plus commitment — longer than 95% of films ever made.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $4.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 2% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

41 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Part of the "100 Years of Olympic Films: 1912–2012" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Bud Greenspan, shot by Mike Chevalier. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Andrew Squicciarini shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

David Perry and Caitlyn Jenner and Carl Lewis carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Bud Greenspan directs. Mike Chevalier behind the camera. Andrew Squicciarini cuts. A long sit — settle in. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1At 285 minutes, this is a three-hour-plus commitment — longer than 95% of films ever made.
2Shot for just $4.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
3Earned back only 2% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
441 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
5Part of the "100 Years of Olympic Films: 1912–2012" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
6Directed by Bud Greenspan, shot by Mike Chevalier. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Editor Andrew Squicciarini shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8David Perry and Caitlyn Jenner and Carl Lewis carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "The single most inspiring sports film ever created.".
10IMDB entry: tt0090559 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Only 12 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Mike Chevalier
Editing: Andrew Squicciarini
Runtime: 285 min · 4h 45m
Status: Released
Budget: $4,000,000
Box office: $83,857
Return: 2% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): G
IMDB: 16 Days of Glory (1985)
IMDB rating: 7.7/10 · 297 votes
MPAA: G

Awards

1 win

Part of

100 Years of Olympic Films: 1912–2012

Spanning fifty-three movies and forty-one editions of the Olympic Games, 100 Years of Olympic Films: 1912–2012 is the culmination of a monumental, award-winning archival project encompassing dozens of new restorations by the International Olympic Committee. The documentaries collected here cast a cinematic eye on some of the most iconic moments in the history of modern sports, spotlighting athletes who embody the Olympic motto of “Faster, Higher, Stronger”: Jesse Owens shattering world records on the track in 1936 Berlin, Jean-Claude Killy dominating the Grenoble slopes in 1968, Joan Benoit breaking away to win the Games’ first women’s marathon in Los Angeles in 1984.