I recently attended a screening of the HBO documentary “Glickman.” Directed and narrated by James Freedman, the film tells the story of Syracuse University alumnus Marty Glickman, a former athlete and sports broadcaster. Glickman is most well-known as the long-time radio announcer for the New York Knicks, Giants and Jets. As the film clearly shows, Marty Glickman lived an extraordinary life and has greatly influenced the world of sports broadcasting.
Much of Marty Glickman’s story is told through the commentaries of various people from his life, including many broadcasters who he has greatly influenced. These broadcasters include many big names such as Bob Costas, Larry King, and Marv Albert. The impressive line-up of interviewees in the film not only shows that Glickman was a very significant figure in the broadcasting industry, but also a very well-liked person. Although each of the interviewees provided a different perspective on the life of Glickman, they all had one thing in common, a deep respect and admiration for their friend Marty.
With so many note-worthy events and stories to choose from, Freedman was forced to pick only a few key events in Glickman’s life that would best tell his story. One of these was Glickman’s experience with the 1936 Berlin Olympics. A talented athlete, Glickman made it into the United States track team and was scheduled to race the 4×100 meter relay at the Olympics Games. When the team got to Germany, Glickman was notified that he had been taken out of the race. Glickman, a Jew, knew that the coaches did this to appease Adolf Hitler. Unfortunately, this was only one of the many circumstances in which Glickman dealt with anti-semitism. This incident had a profound impact on Glickman and stayed with him all of his life.
I learned a great deal about storytelling from watching the film and listening to the discussion with the director that followed. During the discussion, Freedman said that the film is not about sports, but is about the success of a man despite having faced many obstacles throughout his life. He referred specifically to the Olympics incident and how Glickman carried that with him for the rest of his life. The struggles that Glickman faced humanize him, making him more than just a well-known sportscaster. I learned that a story needs to show many different aspects of a character’s life in order to provide a true understanding of that person.
The story of Marty Glickman is truly inspiring. Even though I am not a sports fan and was not previously familiar with Marty Glickman, I was still able to enjoy the documentary. “Glickman” is a film that everyone can embrace.