"This is a true story..."
Well, mostly.
In this case, it's the story of amateur Francis Ouimet, who defeated 5-time British Open Champion Harry Vardon (he would go on to win a sixth) and Ted Ray in a playoff to win the 1913 US Open Golf Championships (true - but we'll revisit this).
It's also the story of how Americans like winners better than snobs.
Ouimet was a caddy (true), at a time when golf was an aristocratic sport. His parents were immigrants, but his house was directly across the road from the Brookline Golf Club (true). His father, a French immigrant, did just about everything possible to discourage his son's interest in what he considered to be a waste of time (true - well, the part about his father).
Vardon was the greatest British golf champion of all time, who revolutionized the game. But while he, too, was no aristocrat, he spent his life hoping his golf would win him acceptance on the golfing world's terms. He made the fatal mistake of assuming it was about winning.
In an age where Tiger Woods is heir to Jack Nicklaus who succeeded Arnold Palmer, it's hard to remember that golf was a vehicle for snobbery. But what it meant was that of all the people on the course that day, Vardon was the one most likely to give Ouimet the respect he deserved - one sportsman to another.
At least one reason Ouimet didn't make anyone worry was his choice of caddy - 10 year old Eddie Lowery (true). At the screening I saw, the audience cheered not only when Ouimet made the winning putt, but also when Eddie talked back to the crowd.
The acting was good, possibly because of the use of British actors for the British figures; perhaps because the cast is composed of relative unknowns, so we see only the role, not the actor.
It also didn't insult their intelligence. While Taft wasn't President any more in 1913, he was at the course for the tournament, and perhaps people still referred to him as President. The golfers played through rain - through downpours - and they played 2 rounds each the first two days. They evidently didn't use ball markers, either, which meant that one golfer could block another with his shot. Better to get that stuff right than to shade it, thinking people won't accept it.
Since the screenwriter also wrote a book about the subject, the storyline stays close to actual events, and emphasizes the parallels between the lives of Ouimet and Vardon. The only complaint I'd have is that the tension in the final round was artificial - Ouimet actually won by 5 strokes, and the pivotal hole was the 17th, not the 18th. When I found that out, I had to go back and check all the other details. The actual history reads like a set of movie cliches, so it's important not to do anything to call it into question.
In the end, if you can get past those details, The Greatest Game Ever Played is very entertaining.
