Robert Redford and Joe Jay Jalbert Photograph: Jalbert Productions
Cameraman and actor Joe Jay Jalbert shares a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of the unheralded late Sixties ski racing flick—having labored alongside the late Gene Hackman and Robert Redford—which marked a pivotal step to his lengthy and profitable movie directing profession
American ski racer Tommy Erb loses management, tumbles dramatically, and crashes forcefully, then will get airlifted off the mountain within the somber opening scene of the 1969 basic movie drama “Downhill Racer.” Though the storyline locations the incident at an early-season race in France, filmmakers truly shot the scene in Wengen, Switzerland. The actor and snowboarding stuntman was Joe Jay Jalbert, a mid-twenties former collegiate ski racer, who ambitiously launched his illustrious profession in ski filmmaking and cinematography.
“They flew on this little Swiss rescue helicopter. I had fallen and these Swiss mountain guides wheeled me up and strapped me into this outdated wood basket beneath. This was actually my first day on the set of “Downhill Racer,” Jalbert tells Ski Racing Media about taking pictures the movie’s opening sequence.
“The director Michael Ritchie is telling me: ‘Okay, Joe Jay, you might have a damaged leg, compound fracture, and you need to make it look actual.’ It was my first foray into appearing—I’m sitting there grimacing and turning my face and he whispers in my ear, ‘Joe Jay, cease, you’re over-acting.’”
“They raise off and the helicopter tilts, and never solely do I’ve a view of the Lauberhorn piste, but additionally the Eiger looming within the background. That was a fairly substantial impression.”
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On Set with Hackman: Quiet Management and Lasting Impressions
Gene Hackman—in his position because the U.S. group’s robust however supportive head coach—pays a go to to Jalbert (Erb) within the overseas hospital following the intense crash. He gazes into his room, however no dialogue is exchanged. He later informs the group that Erb remains to be on morphine. The plot removes Jalbert’s character after the opening sequence, with Erb injured and despatched dwelling to the States.
Jalbert shared perception about working alongside the revered actor, who died in February, at age 95.
“Gene was an upbeat man with a number of enthusiasm, and in his personal means he was that quiet chief within the locker room,” Jalbert recollects. “He was simply a number of enjoyable and would at all times give you some quirk or concept—like having a birthday celebration—to maintain the morale of the troops going.”
The Paramount Photos movie stars Robert Redford as David Chappellet, a gifted however narcissistic and insubordinate athlete making an attempt to climb the ranks of worldwide ski racing. The late Hackman co-stars as Eugene Claire, the group’s opportunistic and no-nonsense head coach.
The 2 main characters conflict all through the one-hour-and-40-minute flick however attempt towards one widespread objective—defying the chances and defeating the Europeans in their very own yard in an period when that was merely inconceivable.
Redford about Jalbert: “The Spark Plug of the Movie”
Jalbert capably continued to contribute to the manufacturing after his character’s exit, transitioning to cameraman and skiing-stuntman. Filmmakers shot “Downhill Racer” completely on location in early 1969. World Cup race organizers granted the crew entry to programs in Wengen, St. Anton, Kitzbühel and Megève.
The Idaho native earned his stripes snowboarding alongside Redford, toting a cumbersome 20-pound, 35mm Arriflex digital camera. He captured riveting visible motion on the slopes, unprecedented at the moment. Jalbert employed a wide range of ways to depict the excessive speeds and hazard of the game, after one other cameraman didn’t simulate velocity whereas trailing racers in a toboggan towed by a ski patroller.
“You’re not going to simulate velocity by doing that, so someday I stated give me that digital camera and began snowboarding alongside the opposite actors employed to play the European racers,” Jalbert says. “I did some monitoring photographs, POVs, and discovered how you can tilt the digital camera at simply the best angle to present extra of a sense of velocity and steepness.
“Positive sufficient, we discovered the answer—you place a digital camera in a ski racer’s palms and let him go to work,” he stated, with a chuckle. “My cinematography position simply advanced from there.”
Crashes, Stunts and the Spark Plug of the Movie
For its time, the movie delivers a outstanding sense of the velocity, sound, and rigidity of aggressive downhill racing.
Jalbert additionally carried out quite a few acrobatic crashes.
“We staged the vast majority of the falls. The second unit director would negotiate with us and say, ‘Joe Jay, what’s this one price?’ And I’d say, ‘Effectively, I did the final one for 4, however I’m not going to do a retake for lower than $500,’” Jalbert stated. “That was on high of my wage.”
Redford recommended Jalbert for his wide-ranging contributions, commenting: “The younger child from Idaho has turn into the spark plug of the movie.”
Redford and Hackman: Legends Collectively on the Slopes
Filming took three consecutive months throughout Europe—from legendary pistes to resort accommodations, on trains, and in crowded bars. Redford was typically noticed in his blue American racing swimsuit, continuously mistaken for Billy Kidd. The crew additionally shot extra scenes in Aspen and Idaho Springs, Colorado, Chappellet’s rural hometown within the movie.
Predating the rise of Seventies sports activities style motion pictures and with a restricted $1.6 million finances, the movie marked Ritchie’s directorial debut. James Salter wrote the screenplay.
In a single memorable scene, Hackman berates Redford after certainly one of his character Chappellet’s flashy maneuvers on the mountain.
The coach warns Chappellet: “We’re right here to coach as a group; we have now to race as a group.” Chappellet fires again: “I’m right here as a result of I ski and I ski quick. That’s all.”
Hackman’s character openly escalates their argument: “You’re reckless — you rack up loads. No consistency. You by no means had any actual schooling. All you had had been your skis and that’s not sufficient.”
This contentious relationship between coach and athlete evolves all through the plot, whereas the underdog American skiers battle their European rivals. The movie depicts a much less pleasant period, with restricted, if any, interplay between racers from opposing nations. Redford additionally engages in a romance with a European magnificence, employed by a high ski producer. Her boss entices him to race on his model.
Jalbert, at occasions, was a eager observer of the brilliance of the 2 legendary actors.
“We had been a part of the second unit, however I acquired to see them act, and so they had been devoted and rattling critical,” he says. “They had been at all times upbeat. You may inform they had been thrilled with their work. How may you not be, incomes a dwelling in the midst of the Alps and enjoying with toys like little youngsters?”
All Downhill Towards the Movie’s Climax
The connection between the movie’s two predominant protagonists slowly improves over time. Because the Olympic Video games method, it turns into evident that Chappellet possesses a golden alternative. He pursues Olympic glory, one thing that no U.S. ski racer had achieved at the moment. The movie’s plot was prescient, arriving 15 years earlier than Invoice Johnson received downhill gold at Sarajevo in 1984.
On the Olympic downhill, with the entire anticipated hype and on a good looking day in Kitzbühel, Hackman offers Redford one last pep discuss on his walkie-talkie. He tells him: “Chappellet, you’ll be able to win.”
Chappellet defies the chances, thrilling viewers in a scintillating closing motion scene. Racing bib No. 15, he upsets Austrian favourite Max Meier and different French, Swiss and German rivals. Jalbert’s POV filming of Redford’s run is riveting and intense, because the movie reaches its climax.
Hackman’s character is lastly seen smiling, pleased and relieved as he and Redford are swarmed by journalists within the Kitzbühel Olympic end space. “He was very quick, awfully quick,” Hackman responds to 1 reporter’s query, as chaos ensues. “I had nice confidence in him.”
Redford is succinctly requested, what’s subsequent? He responds,“We’re going to return to the States with a gold medal.”
Ceaselessly a Traditional
The ending is euphoric, albeit considerably predictable, as soon as once more uniting two of Hollywood’s best actors. Charmingly dated, “Downhill Racer” has stood the take a look at of time. The movie debuted greater than 50 years in the past and stays essentially the most iconic on-screen portrayal of the game. It additionally captures the essence of a foregone sporting period.
“When you take a look at the movie’s nuances in regards to the ski producers, the love tales, and the carousing of the Franz Klammers of the world, it was the best way it was again then, with all of these dynamics and intrigue,” Jalbert says. “The movie had the proper Hollywood plots and subplots.”
Joe Jay created New York-based Jalbert Productions Inc. shortly thereafter in 1971. He and a rising solid of expertise went on to create innumerable movies and packages over 5 many years. The corporate specialised within the genres of snowboarding, motion sports activities and the Olympic Video games. Jalbert Productions labored on licensed tasks with TV broadcasters, the U.S. Ski Workforce, the FIS, and the IOC, amongst different main gamers. It began with “Downhill Racer.”
“I’m grateful for the chance to work with Redford, however I additionally skilled working with the likes of Gene Hackman, Camilla Sparv, and so many different elite people within the business,” Jalbert stated.
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