User reviews

The early to mid 1970s were an interesting time for movie-making and some of the films from that era can be fun to re-visit. While not on a par with Summer of '42 or Love Story, this film has some charms that make it worth another look.

Made to reach for some of the box office success of the syrupy romance Love Story, The Other Side of the Mountain tells the true story of Jill Kinmont, the teen-aged downhill skier with Olympic gold in her sights who's dealt a full Kleenex box worth of tragedies.

Beautiful cinematography (although the prints I've seen lately have been dirty) takes us through her 1950s teenhood in the Eastern Sierras, full of boys, BFFs and her steely determination to win in high school ski meets.

Although the tale of a vivacious girl becoming crippled is one of the biggest clichés in movies, Jill's paralyzing injury, the result of a ski race, is still memorable. In a fall on the slopes (staged unconvincingly by turning the camera on its side) Jill goes from hard-charging athlete to high-level quadriplegic, paralyzed from her chest down, left with no use of her hands, and dependent on others for every basic and intimate task.

We see her imprisoned in traction, straining to move her wheelchair, helpless in a swimming pool, fretting about the medical corset that keeps her upright before a visit from her then boyfriend. But through Marilyn Hassett's portrayal, we see the same strength and determination that made her a ski champ re-emerge as she learns to live her new life on wheels. She pushes to complete her education and fights to become the first paralyzed teacher in the state. Throughout, she's supported by her family and the James Dean-ish hot-dog skier, Dick Buek, played by Beau Bridges in a likable performance. Buek spares Jill the hand-wringing weepy treatment over her plight and instead challenges her to make a life with what's she's got left. Which, it turns out, is a lot.

This movie overall is not one for the ages. Larry Peerce and the scriptwriter (David Seltzer, whose next film was The Omen!) never stray from the formula, and give their actors some very stilted lines to work with. But instead, look in the corners – look at Marilyn Hassett's moments of flint underneath the pink sweaters and girly vulnerability. Look at Beau Bridges's squinty grins and twitchy physicality. Think about what it takes to turn the page on an athletic life and live in a body that you can't feel, facing each day in an electric wheelchair. And reflect that it's the story of a real person.

Unfortunately this Universal release seems to have dropped off the face of the earth: I haven't seen it on any TV schedule in a long time, the VHS release is out of print and there's no DVD in site. I'm beginning to think it was a casualty of Universal's film vault fire in 2008, although the studio claims it had copies of everything. This movie was the 9th top-grossing film the year it was released, just ahead of Tommy.

I saw this picture in 1983 on TV and then never forget for so touching true story and now this DVD just come out officially in brazilian market with a dubbed original version, yesterday l revisited this amazing story with a fine performance of Marilyn Hasset and Beau Bridges, besides has Belinda Montgomey the star of Man from Atlantis, good memories from the past....marvelous movie!!

Resume:

First watch: 1983 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 7.25

The true story of skier Jill Kinmont, processed through a Saint Machine. Well-scrubbed young woman, an Olympic hopeful, is paralyzed in a terrible skiing accident and has to learn to adjust to life as a quadriplegic. In hindsight, writer David Seltzer was certainly an odd choice to adapt this story (his next project was "The Omen"). Larry Peerce was another strange pick for director; having had success earlier with the benign "Goodbye, Columbus", Peerce followed that up with "The Sporting Club", which featured orgies and biker gangs. Here, he guides lovely newcomer Marilyn Hassett (later Mrs. Peerce) through one excruciatingly tender moment after another, but neither the director nor the actress can break through the film's plastic coating. It's so overtly sincere that it isn't sincere anymore; it's swill. ** from ****

My girlfriend and I watched the movie, a few years later I even swiped one of Dick's lines from the movie, I told my girlfriend "I don't care if you walk, crawl or slither on your belly like a snake up the isle." It was a few years later that she went up the isle in a wheelchair, she had MS when I met her and took her from me twenty five years later. I would like to thank Jill and Marilyn for their story and performance to help us along. I am a cross between her cowboy and Mad Dog and we had a good time together while it lasted. We knew each other for twenty five years and were together for nineteen, I took care of her as a caregiver for seventeen of those nineteen until 1997 when I lost her to the MS. Again, thank you Jill and Marilyn you helped us a lot. Steve

"The Other Side of the Mountain" is a major league tear jerker. It knows what its job is and it does it well. The cast is very likeable. The cast story is well told. It's just about half way through the movie I started to wonder why I was putting myself through it. Tear jerkers aren't really my thing but I did enjoy watching "The Other Side of the Mountain". I saw this movie in the theater (Bellerose, NY). It was part of a double feature with "The Paper Chase". (Now I need to write some more so that I get over IMDB's silly 600 character minimum. It's such a nuisance. I don't have anything else to say.)

I became a paraplegic at the age of 23 on May 10th. 1979. When I came home from the rehab center the movie The Other Side of the Mountain came on. I had no idea what the movie was about. My girlfriend and I watched and cried through the whole movie. I could not believe how close it hit home and what my family and friends were going through. It is and always will be one of my favorite movies. I taped both one and two, but through out the years the tape is hard to watch and would love to get a new version of the movie. I wrote a book ( Rolling through Life )about my life after 30 years as a paraplegic, married for 25 and two beautiful children latter, life is good :) Sincerely. Lorraine "Scott" Bain

RR#1 Arcadia Box 4660

Yarmouth Ns Canada

B0W1B0

This movie is a touching human interest story and gives the average viewer a better appreciation of the overwhelming challenges faced by those who must deal daily with disabilities, particularly adjustment to quadriplegia. It also brings sharply to mind that this young girl, Jill Kinmont's fate could so easily in a split second be our own, resulting from a sports injury, car accident, or whatever. Jill's story reminds me of another lovely & famous quadriplegic, Joni Eareckson Tada, who suffered a diving accident as a teenager but went on to become an accomplished artist, and has a remarkable faith which is an inspiration to many.

This film is based on the real life story of Jill Kinmont, an eighteen year old skiing champion & Olympic hopeful, who suffered a severe fall down a mountain, which not only ended her skiing career but paralyzed her from the shoulders down. Jill's struggles are poignantly chronicled as she learns to cope with life as a quadriplegic and regain a hopeful spirit, assisted by her devoted family. Eventually she even finds a love interest in the form of Dick (called 'Mad Dog') Buek.

Marilyn Hassett is convincing and very sympathetic in her portrayal of the vibrant & determined young Jill, and Beau Bridges wonderful as the warm & adventuresome Dick.

A strong recommendation for this film. It paints a vivid portrait of the realities faced by those who must depend on others for personal care and simply daily tasks, also their struggle for some measure of independence and the same respect granted able bodied individuals. Hopefully, this movie might tend to impart to those of us not disabled a little more gratitude for abilities we take for granted every day. Also, this story has a very appealing heroine and a touching romance.

Oscar Wilde wrote: "In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what you wants, and the other is getting it."

To rephrase his thought, Jill suggests there are likewise only two joys... One is having God answer all your prayers, the other is not receiving the answer to all your prayers...

The four words: Your injury is permanent' slam into Jill Kinmont's consciousness like a bullet... She was a ski champion, full of life, action and beauty... Now, almost totally paralyzed after a bad fall...

Being Quadraplegic, means that every aspect in her life is different from that point on... Her total care is left up to other people: She cannot bathe herself, feed herself, or dress herself... Jill automatically suffers the effects of having no arms and no legs, and becomes incontenant as well...

Marilyn Hassett makes Kinmont a fighter whose determination initially explodes and inspires some to have unreasonable expectations of her limited recovery... She tries to reach a state of empowerment, the right to feel proud of herself, and what she is, and what she does, and to have that pride recognized as acceptable by her love ones... The tender romance between her and Beau Bridges provides some fine moments...

The film, a tearjerker based on a real case, is altogether too much of a good thing...

I am disabled and I could not sleep one night. I was flipping through the channels and I found this movie on. It brought tears to my eyes. This movie made me realize that now matter how bad things get, there is always someone worse. An excellent movie :)

I am a 56 year old woman who has survived many tragedies. We all have a story and it is either a springboard or a crutch. My freshman year of college I got Bell's palsy leaving 1/2 of my face disfigured for life permanently. Ten years later at the onset of labor the other side of my face "fell." I have a very rare case of permanent bilateral Bell's palsy and will never smile again. I was married 20 years and reared 3 children but I live daily with a face lacking any emotion. Trapped inside. I have grown to live a full life and although I can't smile or laugh with joy I am happy and blessed. I watched this movie back at the beginning of the BP. If she could survive and recover who was I to throw in the towel. This movie is moving, inspirational and literally saved me. I share it with others who find themselves in despair. We all have challenges and life isn't easy but you can only control how you react. Thank you Jill for sharing your story. I owe you my life.

Even though about three quarters of the way through, this movie begins to run out of steam it still is an exceptional film. The ski equipment and clothing were dead on for the time period and adds much to the picture. Even though it was partly about skiing a person watching this doesn't have to be a skier or have ever skied to enjoy it. Superior to the sequel. A must see as far as human interest movies go.

I have read all the comments posted here and I am surprised to see that no one of you ever mention John Denver as part of this movie music track, only Olivia Newton-Jones is mentioned. Don't you guys ever remember..."Lady, my sweet lady.." I saw this movie in mid 70' while living overseas. The tittle was "A window to the sky" subtitled "Una Ventana Al Cielo".

My friend Fernando Tabilo and I were on the phone talking about this film and he said to me that he has not been able to get a hold of a DVD of this film, or seen it played on a movie channel. Frankly, me neither, and I have not even looked for one, for I was the movie house projectionist and I saw the movie enough times to remember about it many years to come.

I really enjoyed this movie. I felt the best part of it was Marilyn Hassett's performance as Jill, and the supporting cast was very good. Based on a real life story, it was well-acted and well-scripted. The theme song sung by Olivia Newton-John is excellent, too.