Kevin Rafferty's documentary Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 looks at this historic 1968 matchup between those two longtime college football rivals. Many recall that year's edition of this annual grudge match as it was the first time in almost six decades that both schools were undefeated going into the game. The filmmakers utilize archival footage, and intercut it with new interview footage provided by many of those who played a part in that memorable game. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
Rafferty uses interviews with the former players, most now in their 60s and nearly all of them touchingly philosophical, to reveal the cultural issues buffeting their campuses, but not necessarily their locker rooms.
What makes the movie so effective is that Rafferty uses game footage instead of interspersing the movie with cliched scenes of Vietnam protests, campus mayhem, etc. The effective use of this footage builds suspense, even though we know the result.
The aura of shock-and-awe surrounding this game is laid on a bit thick, and sometimes you feel like you're just watching an ESPN special. Still, it's fun.
Simply by letting the onetime gridiron stars talk about the game they played and the era it was played in, the capsule cracks open and you're sucked inside and you cannot believe, even if you know the details, how that game turned out the way it did.
The best part of this film is the affection with which both sides recall the contest -- not as a loss or a win, but as a commitment to their teammates and respect for the game.
This 'replay' of a legendary football game between undefeated Harvard and Yale teams for the 1968 championship is terrific sport. The title may reveal the results, but the plays, commentaries and remembrances are gripping--even if you're not a football fa
Even if you're familiar with the details of the game, Rafferty's suspenseful editing draws you to the edge of your seat and beyond, back into 1968 itself.
Rafferty's static interviews seem better suited for the radio show This American Life than for a movie documentary, but the riveting game footage recaptures the game's drama.
Harvard Beats Yale 29-29, a mosaic of storytelling told by former college-level gridiron athletes, pieces together the remarkable story of a fateful 1968 match between the titular Ivy League teams.
(W)hen Tommy Lee Jones...tells how funny his roommate, Al Gore, was, is asked for specifics, and gives them totally deadpan, I was laughing uncontrollably.
The memories the game evokes in its stars, now well into middle age but clearly moved when recalling that November's consummation of one of America's oldest sports rivalries, weave a narrative that transcends football.
Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 is weirdly entertaining. It somehow pulls off something that I didn't believe it could. It's actually suspenseful hearing how this game played out, which is ridiculous since the final score is already known. Also there are no gimmicks here. It's game footage and interviews with dull Yale and
Harvard graduates. There's no slick filmmaking involved and the documentary is better for it. The director just let the players tell the story and it's entertaining to listen to. We can hear the pain in some of the Yale players voices when they talk about mistakes that they made that effected the outcome of the game. We see the joy in the Harvard players as they recall the comeback. This game has stuck with them and they remember every detail and now we get to learn about the details.
June 26, 2011
Melvin White
Super Reviewer
"Harvard Beats Yale 29-29" is an entertaining documentary about the Harvard-Yale football game played on November 23, 1968. While at the time both teams were undefeated, Yale was a powerhouse, ranked #16 in the country behind the offense led by Brian Dowling and Calvin Hill. Brian Dowling was the inspiration for the
character B.D. in "Doonesbury." While most of the players involved are interviewed for the film(Calvin Hill is a notable exception), it still would have been nice to have heard from Garry Trudeau to get his viewpoint. What these interviews show is a diverse group of players from many different backgrounds and parts of the country. These recollections serve as the heart of the movie as they are compared to the game film and it is very interesting to see how a player's team might affect his particular viewpoint.(That having been said, one Yale player is very, very honest.) And since this is 1968 that is being discussed, this could also serve as a microcosm of a society that was divided for and against the Vietnam War. However, the players in the film all were united in their opposition, even with some having served there. What the documentary is lacking is putting this game into the context of Ivy League football history. For example, I remember reading a New York Times article a while back on how Ivy League football now does not matter anywhere near as much it once did when the campuses of Harvard and Yale were all male. In 1968 there were still ties in college football, allowing both teams to celebrate a game well played. Note: My normal computer is not currently working, so there may be technical difficulties for the near future.
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