There’s a strange duality inherent to When the Game Stands Tall. Much of the film focuses on Head Coach Bob Ladouceur’s humble philosophy, which emphasizes avoiding the limelight that often comes from ‘winning’. However isn’t the very act of making a movie glorifying humility intrinsically contradictory? Doesn’t exalting humility somehow discredit the thought? To be fair, Bob Ladouceur and Assistant Coach Terry Eidson seem well aware of such inconsistencies, both freely admitting that the accolades they’ve received for their admittedly exceptional work puts them ill at ease. It’s ironic in that Ladouceur by placing teamwork and modesty above ‘winning’ led his high-school students to a record 151 consecutive football wins -- which then prompted a book to be written about such an exceptional record -- which now, of course, has drawn the attention of Hollywood to make a movie starring Jim Caviezel as him. But as Ladouceur himself says – what was he supposed to do? Say ‘No’?
In the following interview with Ladouceur & Eidson, the two men talk about watching their story told via film, reconciling their humble values with a film made about them and giving advice to Jim Caviezel & Michael Chiklis on how to play their roles (i.e. them). Hit the jump to watch.
Bob Ladouceur & Terry Eidson:
- Ladouceur & Eidson on the surreal nature of watching their own story told up on the big screen
- On reconciling their humble values with a film made about them
- On their involvement in the making of When the Game Stands Tall and being sure it stayed true to the essence of real life
- On the casting of Michael Chiklis and Jim Caviezel as themselves
- On the advice they gave the two actors to play their roles (i.e. them)
- On their time on set for the film and their involvement in filming
- On their reaction to finished movie
