1 May 2016
As HTBS reported on 14 April, The Boys of ’36, a one-hour documentary inspired by Daniel James Brown’s critically acclaimed book The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, will premiere on Tuesday, 2 August, at 9 -10 p.m. ET on the American PBS Channel. American Experience has now released a trailer for the documentary.
Featuring interviews with author Daniel James Brown, historians and surviving children of the 1936 Washington crew, The Boys of ’36 premieres in conjunction with the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and the 80th anniversary of the American crew’s triumph. The broadcast of The Boys of ’36 will be accompanied by a series of screening events across America, many in partnership with USRowing.
The thrilling story of the American Olympic rowing team – stroke Donald ‘Don’ Hume, 7 Joseph ‘Joe’ Rantz, 6 George ‘Shorty’ Hunt, 5 Jim ‘Stub’ McMillin, 4 John ‘Johnny’ White, 3 Gordon ‘Gordy’ Adam, 2 Charles ‘Chuck’ Day, Bow Roger Morris and cox Robert ‘Bobby’ Moch – who triumphed against all odds in Nazi-Germany, The Boys in the Boat has been on The New York Times bestseller list for nearly 100 weeks. In February 2015, it was reported that the book had sold more than 1 million copies. This makes The Boys in the Boat the most successful rowing book ever.
Added to the success is not only that there will be a documentary based on Brown’s book, but already before the book was published in 2013, The Weinstein Company acquired the film rights. Signed up to direct the movie is famous British actor, director, producer and screenwriter Kenneth Branagh. On 1 April 2016 (!), Row2k published a casting list on its website.
In September 2015, an indication that The Boys in the Boat is now a classic in any book genre is that a special Young Reader’s Edition was published. Only a real classic gets a Juvenile or Youth edition.
Hear The Boat Sing 
It does not seem that Kenneth Branagh is attached to the film any longer. It had been announced in 2014 that Peter Berg had replace him, but that may no longer be the case, either. And you realize that the Row2K Casting announcement was April Fool’s Day fodder, right?
Yes, I heard a rumour that Branagh was not going to direct the movie after all. However, checking on The Weinstein Company website, they have still the press release up that he is the director for the movie. I had hopes that having 1 April followed by an exclamation point – both in bold – would give it away to the readers without me spoiling the fun for them.
Any idea what the production schedule is or is that only for Hollywood insiders? And, given that the casting was a spoof, does anyone know who the real cast will be?
Sorry Bill, I have no idea. However, with the great interest in the movie that is out there, I am sure that when the production company has something they would like to share – who is in the cast and when the film is going to be released – they will immediately let us know.