The Anthem Sprinters story
While visiting Dublin, an American writer is caught up in a local Irish tradition called "anthem sprinting." Directed by: Wayne Tourell. Story by: Ray Bradbury.
7 total · 1 choice · 5 major · 1 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| life in post-war Europe | choice | The viewer is shown what life was like in Dublin through the eyes of an American writer. He became caught up in a local tradition known as "anthem sprinting". |
| creative writing | major | The story concerns an American writer (perhaps the greatest in the world) seeking inspiration in Dublin, Ireland. In the introduction, Ray Bradbury shared with the viewer the wellsprings of creativity that inspire his writing. |
| gambling | major | The story concerns a friendly bet between Douglas, an American writer, and an Irish barkeep on a local Irish tradition called "anthem sprinting". Douglas wagered a first edition of "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" by James Joyce against the barkeep's autographed playbill from the opening night of Sean O'Casey's play "The Plough and the Stars". |
| patriotism | major | The "anthem sprinting" custom was inherently a protest against the forced standing for the national anthem during the closing credits of movies at the theater. |
| sports | major | The story explores an unusual Irish "sport": Making it out of the cinema first after the film ends and before the national anthem (an Irish idiosyncrasy) begins. |
| the nature of creativity | major | The story concerns an American writer (perhaps the greatest in the world) seeking inspiration in Dublin, Ireland. In his introduction, Ray Bradbury gave his viewers an intimate window into his writing room, and some of the self-professed sources of creativity that lay about within it. |
| remembrance | minor | McGavin was extremely moved by the singing of Deanna Durbin, which reminded him of his dear departed grandmother. |