Lights, Cameras, Satisfaction: Training at the Movies

Here’s a statement I hope you’ll agree with: There’s just something about training that’s extremely cinematic. Think about the elements we see every day: The hard work, the ever-shifting mentor-mentee relationship, the agonies of defeat and the multi-layered joys of success. Take all those elements, add a soundtrack and some fluid cinematography, and Oscars are lined up and waiting.

OK, it may not be that easy to make a movie, but the movies sure make it all look easy. Training is a component in so many flicks it’s hard not to notice. Ever seen a war movie without a tough-as-nails drill sergeant? Ever watched a sports movie without some sort of training montage? Ever seen any film the late director John Hughes made?

This trend isn’t new … in fact, it’s as old as Hollywood itself. Think about John Wayne training soldiers to fight on The Sands of Iwo Jima or Jimmy Stewart learning how government works – or not – in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington or the first Oscar-winning best picture, Wings. When you think about it, Dorothy’s entire Wizard of Oz trip was just a long journey of self-discovery, teaching her “There’s no place like home.”

But it’s also a modern-day phenomenon. Training was a component in most of this year’s Oscar nominees, including The King’s Speech, The Social Network, The Fighter, True Grit, Black Swan, Inception and 127 Hours … and heck, even the kid in Toy Story 3 was heading to college.

So with these thoughts in mind, and fueled by memories of a million minutes alone in the dark with a tub of popcorn, I’ve put together this list of what I think are the best training-related movies ever made. I’ll rank them in an order that makes sense to me and no one else (hey, it’s my blog), but certainly feel free to share your own thoughts.

1. Stand and Deliver. This excellent little real-life drama may focus on a calculus class in a poor Los Angeles area high school, but there’s never been a movie that more lovingly depicts the transformational power of education. The real victory here is how teacher Jaime Escalante – a real-life hero you’ll never forget – battles gangs, families, misplaced priorities, school administration and even the educational testing system itself to show that you don’t have to be a traditional learner to learn. You just have to want it.
2. The King’s Speech. There’s a good chance you’ve recently seen this Oscar-winning gem from last year, and if not, go now. The story of a man who would be king fighting against a speech impediment is nothing short of inspiring, and the fact that the only tool used in this battle is training makes the movie that much more appropriate for this industry. The fact that this movie shows the global impact of training – ultimately inspiring a world at war – is just icing on the cake.
3. The Karate Kid. I’m talking old-school here, not the Jackie Chan remake that didn’t focus on karate. The old Ralph Macchio-Pat Morita movie deserves a high place on the list because it teaches us a lesson that training doesn’t have to be traditional. Remember how Mr. Miyagi taught Daniel his initial karate moves by making him paint a fence, wax a floor and polish cars? This movie also scores points for getting to the core of coaching: mutual respect and shared experiences.
4. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. The irony of this one is that the real training takes place outside the classroom, when Ferris and his friends skip school to turn the city of Chicago into a living lesson plan. Sure, what they’re learning here speaks more to the latter half of work-life balance than the former, but it’s all a rich tapestry. Any learner can benefit by remembering to enjoy himself or herself and to always seek out the things that matter. Do you disagree? Anyone? Anyone?
5. Glengarry/Glen Ross. This one makes the list just because it is THE movie for sales training. Some of it is sad and desperate (let’s be honest … so is sales), but the behind-the-scenes look at sales operations is priceless. A similar, more recent entry – The Boiler Room – gets honorable mention, but this David Mamet play turned into cultural icon steals the show. Don’t believe me … walk up to any sales person (especially those above 30) and say, “First prize is a Cadillac Eldorado. Second prize is a set of steak knives.” You’re sure to hear this classic line in return: “Third prize is you’re fired.”
6. Rudy. This is the only movie where grown men are allowed to cry a little … OK, maybe Brian’s Song too. It’s not really a weeper, but this true tale of a less-than-hulking guy who wants to play Notre Dame football is the very definition of inspiring. There’s a ton of training in this movie, but the real message isn’t what you get out of it, it’s what you put into it. Try and tell me that’s not a lesson worth learning.
7. Officer and a Gentleman and Top Gun. I’ll be honest … I’m putting these movies together because I really don’t care much for either of them, but both deserve to be here. Officer and a Gentleman devolves into a love story, but the first half of the movie has some of the best military training scenes ever. If you like the idea of seeing Richard Gere covered in mud, check it out. Top Gun is a legend for men of a certain age, and the training scenes are definitely good, but the main treats here are visual: shirtless pilots for the women and lots of jets zooming off aircraft carriers for the men. Just don’t give all your learners names like “Maverick,” “Goose” and “Ice Man.”
8. Rocky/Million Dollar Baby. Here’s another example of combining several movies into one entry, and this list of great boxing movies could have included classics like Body and Soul and Raging Bull to more modern entries like Cinderella Man. Boxing movies, perhaps more than any sub-genre, are devoted to training scenes, and the ones in the Rocky series and Million Dollar Baby are just about perfect. (But watch Sylvester Stallone drink a glass full of raw eggs, and try to not think about salmonella.) What really makes these two entries shine isn’t the training, it’s the coaching relationships. Whether its Stallone and Burgess Meredith or Clint Eastwood and Hilary Swank, you’ll be uplifted by the nature of the mentor relationship and you’ll be reminded, again, how strongly connected people can go amazing places together.
   

I literally could go on and on here. In the interest of time, here are some runners-up that didn’t make my list (but easily could on another day):

• Heartbreak Ridge. Clint Eastwood again, as a military man preparing a group of young Marines. You feeling lucky, punk?
• The Mask of Zorro. I’ll admit this is a strange choice, but the movie did have Anthony Hopkins uttering a classic line: “When the pupil is ready, the master appears.”
• Training Day. I’m putting this movie here because the title is appropriate. But the lessons Denzel Washington are teaching are so abhorrent, you can’t blame Ethan Hawke for shooting him.
• The Silence of the Lambs. Also rather repellent subject matter, but this one scores points for the great mentoring relationship between Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster (notice how Hannibal Lecter never gives Clarice Starling the answers, but rather helps her to discover them on her own). This movie loses points, however, because Starling is an FBI agent-in-training who never goes to class, which is kind of a no-no at Quantico.
• Hoosiers. Being from Indiana, I can’t go back if I don’t include this true story of a high school basketball team going the distance. Gene Hackman makes a great coach, but still file this one next to The Blind Side, Miracle, We Are Marshall, Knute Rockne, All American and The Program.
  

So, what am I missing? What training-related movie inspires you?