Regardless of its indelible criticism of racial/political propaganda used in this documentary, Rene Rifenstahl was a fine German film director whose artistic endowment is still unfortunately disparaged and/or unappreciated. Nevertheless, her documentary films speak for themselves to this date. Perhaps and hopefully her ingenuity as a film director will be recognized in the highest regard after a century or so when the WW II generation disappears into another chapter of history.

The marathon race as shown in this film is remarkable with respect to the brilliant marathoners Kee Chung Sohn (손기정) and Seung Yong Nam (남승용), the Korean athletes who won the gold and bronze medals in the race, consecutively. Since the national sovereignty of Korea was non-existent under the Japanese imperialism at that time, their nationality was Japanese. Hence Japanese flags were hoisted with the anthem at the medal ceremony.

Nonetheless, Mr. Sohn’s victory in particular was indescribably precious and impressive to the hearts of Koreans at the time, still is at this time, and will always be.

For your interest in the film director of this documentary, click Leni Riefenstahl.

For your curiosity of the marathon gold medalist, click Sohn, Kee Chung.

Age shakes Athene’s towers, but spares gray marathon.

-Lord Byron