In “Young Woman and the Sea,” Daisy Ridley plays Olympic swimmer Gertrude “Trudy” Ederle who in 1926, became the first woman to swim across the English Channel. The movie is the ultimate underdog story with Trudy facing what many sportscasters at the time called the “hardest test in all of sports.”
Trudy overcomes many obstacles: a childhood illness of measles that almost sidelines her dreams of swimming, sexism (women aren’t allowed in competitive swimming) and her father’s initial reluctance. Her father won’t pay for swimming lessons. Why, because women don’t swim or do anything in the 1920s really. Plus, he’s fearful that Trudy will lose her hearing because of the measles. She eventually wins him over. He teaches her how to swim by singing his ear off to the song, “Ain’t We Got Fun” which becomes the family’s “theme song.” She also has the obstacle of her male competitors, and her first male coach who Trudy believes poisoned her during her first attempt at swimming the channel.
“Young Woman and the Sea” has all of the messages of determination, never giving up, female empowerment, family love, and incredible athleticism that any person excelling in a craft would do. With love and support from Trudy’s family, the movie will make you laugh, cry, and root for Trudy to succeed. When she does succeed, she receives the biggest celebratory parade of any athlete of any sport male or female.
Trudy Ederle’s incredible accomplishment is nearly forgotten. With her life on screen and the Paris Olympic Games coming up, that may change a little.
There are so many things likeable about this movie that’s familiar for great Disney movies like “Remember the Titans,” “Glory Road,” and “Miracle.” You care about Trudy, her family, her desire, her female coach, and when Trudy finally meets her goal, you cheer for her.
Ridley is remarkable in the role, as the head strong Trudy. The “Star Wars” actress trained for 3 months before hitting the open water to shoot the film’s beautiful water scenes of Trudy swimming the channel. The cast is top notch.
The directing, cinematography and the musical score help to bring the movie to life.
The costumes worn by Ridley is on display at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood where the movie is having an unlimited run.
“Young Woman and the Sea” stars Daisy Ridley, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Stephen Graham, Kim Bodnia, Jeanette Hain, Sian Clifford, Ethan Rouse, Olive Abercrombie, Christopher Eccleston and Glenn Fleshler.
True Story based on the book by Glenn Stout: Young Woman and the Sea: How Trudy Ederle Conquered the English Channel and Inspired the World
Movie soundtrack:
Costumes by Gabriele Binder
Directed by Joachim Ronning
2 hours 9 minutes
Go see it.
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