Starring: Brendan Fraser, Matt Damon, Chris O'Donnell, Randall Batinkoff, Ben Affleck Director: Robert Mandel Year of release: 1992 Country: USA (click to enlarge)

Brendan Fraser, who you may have seen in such classics as "George of the Jungle" and "With Honors", stars as a 1950s, working-class, Jewish teenager, David Greene, who gets an American football scholarship to a prestigious prep school, St Matthew's. Newly installed as captain of the football team, he soon makes friends but omits to mention his religion (probably because all his friends spend a lot of time telling Jewish jokes) but after displacing 5th generation St Matthew's student, Charlie Dillon, played by Matt Damon, as quarterback and pulling his girlfirend to boot, you can see what's coming... Predictably, once Dillon finds out that David is jewish, he makes sure everyone else knows. Dillon is then involved in a spot of cheating and tries to pin it on Greene. Will truth win out over prejudice? Will anyone get expelled? Will David get the girl? Will we ever see any rowing?

The only reason there's any rowing in this movie, is because rowing is the sort of thing one expects to see at a prestigious US prep school (that and it gives them a nice excuse to have the two main characters have a heart to heart while sitting on a misty boat dock after dark). There's a short scene of wooden shells on racks while they search for one of the schoolboys in the boathouse and about ten seconds of a coxed four rowing against a lovely "new-england in the fall" type background. Although you don't see him in a boat in this movie, actor Chris O'Donnell used to row long before the acting bug hit,during high school for Loyola Academy in Wilmette. He also appears in Mad Love wearing a US rowing T-shirt. Also, in a starring role as a waiter, is real rower -- would-be actor and former Andover B1 seven man Samueal Stanton Denman III aka "don't call me Stan the man you bastard". Stan is aparently currently engaged in the global fight against terrorism i.e. moving lawns in New Hampshire... (we wish him well) Interestingly, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, both of whom appear in this movie, were turned down for roles in rowing through becuase they "weren't right" for the part. Those of you wondering if either actor has ever dabbled in the sport need look no further than the Q&A on Ben Affleck's internet fan club (I quote) Q: ben: a few questions for ya...when you and matt were in highschool did you participate in any sports? i know rowing is big up there. just wonderin'. A: (Ben) Me and Matt weren't much for sculling.