Eddie the Eagle Page #3

You know what? Enough talk. It's showtime.

Showtime?

Sorry, mate, I just need to borrow them.

Oh, my God.

Come on! Spread your wings and die!

Good jump.

Yeah!

Let's party!

Up, back, forward, down.

Up, back, forward, down.

Yes! Yes, yes, yes!

Amazing.

I think I'm ready for the 70 meters.

How long you been sitting there?

Less than an hour. I landed the 40 meters.

I don't care.

And I've decided...

I'm going to the Olympics in Calgary.

Why don't you watch it on TV?

I'm not going to watch, I'm going to jump.

You're what?

I've got a golden opportunity.

Only thing I need to do to qualify

is compete.

Must be some minimum requirement.

Distance, number of jumps, talent?

No.

That's the beauty.

They've not updated the rules for 52 years.

What's your name, man?

- Eddie.

- Eddie, okay.

The smallest Olympic jump is 70 meters.

You'll die if you try it.

Given the average jumper takes four years

to build up to it.

- I'm not the average jumper.

- Correct. You're well below average.

I just did the 40 meters in a day.

I'm ready for the 70 meters.

I'll do it now if you want.

I'm ready for my breakfast, so...

Don't.

- I need your permission if I'm gonna jump.

- Just get the hell out of here.

- Not until I get your permission.

- Fine, you got it. Give me my breakfast.

- I'd like it in writing.

- I'll tattoo it on your face if you like.

No, that won't be necessary. Thanks.

Come on, let's go.

Any tips, then?

Don't die.

All right.

- You're not coming up?

- Crashes look just as good from here.

I'm doing it.

Sure you are.

- Hi.

- Yeah?

He's not actually going to jump, is he?

He's crazy but he's not suicidal.

He's just...

kylling, you know. Kylling.

- What?

- Game of chicken. Kylling.

- Everything okay?

- Yeah, fine. Just getting ready.

Never done it before.

Honestly?

- Could you give me a push, please?

- A push?

It's a lot higher than I expected it to...

Don't bend your legs!

Stay there. Can you move?

You could've killed yourself.

Just stay there.

Take it easy, everything's under control.

This happens again,

you will need a stretcher, too.

I'll look forward to it, man.

Take away.

Man.

Crazy Brit.

Peary was the most naturally gifted

ski-jumper I ever trained.

And he's also my biggest disappointment.

He should have been

my greatest champion...

but his focus was not always

on the mountain.

He never understood that a true Olympian

was not just about a God-given skill set.

It's about never giving up,

no matter what.

Knowing that doing your best

is the only option...

even if it results in failure.

Bronson Peary was

my biggest disappointment.

Not gonna kill me, are you?

If I wanted to kill you, I'd let you continue

this suicidal journey on your own...

because something tells me

you're not gonna give up.

I plan to try and jump the 70 meters again

as soon as possible.

No. Your plan is as follows.

I am gonna teach you

how to land the 70 meter.

Let's face it,

you've done the hardest part which is...

actually having the guts to do it. Right?

Most people take one look at it,

walk away forever.

Not Eddie Edwards, so...

Garmisch Seniors Tournament. Next month.

Final jump is an open event so

if you could just land one jump, you are...

- Going to the Olympics.

- Exactly. Get better soon.

- All right, coach.

- I'm not your coach. Okay?

Seriously. A coach teaches you

how to jump properly.

I'm teaching you to land to get you

out of my hair as soon as possible. Got it?

- Peary.

- What?

Thanks.

Fine. Get better.

If you're gonna do this,

we should run through things.

Are your knees better? They better be.

- Okay, you ready?

- Yeah.

Okay, before we start,

who's your favorite female movie star?

- Honestly?

- Yeah.

- Bo Derek.

- Bo Derek? Okay, good call.

Okay, every jump from here on in...

I want you to approach it as though

you are making love

to the beautiful Bo Derek.

- Okay?

- Right.

Starting gate is your foreplay.

The in-run is where you build your rhythm.

And the take-off,

that's your special moment. All right?

Same facial expressions.

Same straining of the muscles.

Same peaceful feeling of release.

If you do it right.

Of course, with any act of love-making

there's only one way to be sure

you've done it right.

Right?

Yeah.

You fall asleep?

She falls asleep?

Okay. Watch.

Bo Derek!

Yeah!

- Right. Am I going down there?

- Yeah.

Brilliant.

Crouch. Clench. Release.

That's it.

Yes!

The most shattering physical

and emotional experience of your life

and that's the noise you make?

It is in England, yeah.

Do it again.

- That's what I'm talking about.

- That was better, weren't it?

Bo Derek! Yeah, baby!

I think a little bit of wee came out.

So, all you have to do is

make this landing and you qualify.

One jump away from the Olympics, man.

Get your skis.

Okay. Stay focused.

Do everything I told you to do only better.

A lot better. Go.

He says you must treat every jump

as if it is your last.

We are saying for us, that is easy.

I know the feeling.

Idiot. The Englishman will die.

Edwards...

Good luck.

Edwards. Great Britain.

Come on, Eddie. Come on, man.

Bo Derek.

Arms back, chest down, fanny in.

Lift, lift!

Edwards, 34 meters.

You're in the Olympics.

Really?

"Plucky plasterer 'Fast' Eddie Edwards..."

Fast?

"set a new British record in ski-jumping

last week at Garmisch, Germany...

"jumping 34 meters."

"Plucky plasterer."

My dad would like that.

Peary, this has got the Olympic rings on.

Well, it won't open itself, man.

"We request the pleasure of your company

at the British Olympic Headquarters."

My work is done, man. You're on your way.

"Fast" Eddie Edwards.

- Mr. Edwards.

- Mr. Target.

I just wanted to say to you

and to all of you...

what an honor this is and...

I promise not to let you

or the Olympic Team down.

Yes, that's very nice, Eddie, but...

in the interest of safety

we've ratified a minimum distance of...

61 meters.

Great.

"Athletes must now have jumped

a minimum distance of 61 meters...

"in a British Olympic Association

recognized tournament...

"in order to qualify for

the National Olympic Squad."

- I'm afraid your jump doesn't count, son.

- Wait, hang on.

- I've already qualified.

- Well, technically, you haven't.

Because you just changed the rules.

It costs 4.5 million

to send a National Squad to the Olympics.

The Government gives us

a mere fraction of that.

How do you think

we make up the difference?

- TV.

- Sponsorship.

These companies pay

to be associated with certain qualities.

Excellence. Achievements. Victory.

Strangely, they have no desire

to be associated with

ludicrous antics and defeat.

So, why do I stop being ludicrous

if I jump 61 meters?

That is the distance

ratified by our Safety Committee.

Personally, I'd prefer it to be higher.

Or is it longer? I never can tell.

Either way,

we will not have amateurs in the Olympics.

I thought the Olympics was for amateurs.

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