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Depressed Cyclist(2007)

PG-13
1h 36m
- Drama
- Sport

Release Date: May 4, 2007 | Limited

The true story of Graeme Obree, the Champion cyclist who built his bicycle from old bits of washing machines who won his championship only to have his title stripped from him and his mental health problems which he has suffered si...

Releases

Original Release | May 4, 2007

Box Office

Results

Opening Weekend US & Canada:
$78,337
Total US & Canada:
$171,817
Total International
$1,088,736
Total Worldwide:
$1,260,553

Director & Top Cast

Douglas Mackinnon
Director

Jonny Lee Miller
Graeme Obree

Laura Fraser
Anne Obree

Brian Cox
Douglas Baxter

Sean Brown
Young Graeme Obree

Joseph Carney
Child Gang Leader

Crawford McInally-Kier

First Child Bully

Jan Plazalski

Second Child Bully

Niall Macgregor

Graeme's Father

Julie Austin

Graeme's Mother

Morag Calder

First Office Receptionist

Billy Boyd

First Office Receptionist

Jean Marie Coffey

Woman at Finish Line

Christopher Anderson

Baby Ewan

Ron Donachie

Baby Ewan

Morven Christie

Katie

Pauline Lynch

Second Office Receptionist

Gary Hollywood

Cycle Courier

Technical Specifications

Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

Aspect Ratio: 1.85 : 1

Other Details

Country of Origin: Germany,United Kingdom

Language: English

Summaries

Plot Summary

Graeme Obree (Miller) cycled into a wood preparing to hang himself. There is then a flashback to Obree's childhood, where he was routinely bullied, events which leave severe psychological scars. One day Obree is given a bicycle and we see Obree evading the bullies on his bike.The adult Obree is married with a child and whilst competing in local races runs a failing cycle shop and having to supplement his income as a courier. An ex-minister turned boatyard owner Baxter (Cox) befriends Obree, which results in Obree coming up with a daring idea - he's going to try and beat the hour record.This is unlikely as Obree has neither the funding , nor the machine required to take on such a record. Obree is determined and constructs 'Old Faithful', a revolutionary bicycle, designed by Obree for maxinum efficiency, made up from scrap metal, and components from a washing machine. With help from his friend Malky McGovern(Boyd), who becomes his manager and against all odds, Obree makes an attempt on the world record in Norway and though he fails initially, he tries again the following morning and actually succeeds in beating it. However, his initial victory is short-lived, when his record is broken by Chris Boardman a week later, and the cycling sports authorities then rewrite the rules to try and make it impossible for Obree to win using his more experimental methods.It is shown the night Obree breaks the record he is prone to crippling bouts of depression, which is exacerbated when Boardman breaks the record and he meets up with one of his childhood bullies.After winning the Individual Pursuit World Championship in 1993, the authorities change the rules just as Obree tries to defend his title and he crashes after being unable to adapt a new riding position. This leads his depression to spiral out of control to the point where he attempts suicide in the woods shown at the start of the film. However, the rope snaps and with the help of his wife Anne (Fraser) and Baxter, Obree starts to receive help for his condition.It is then shown Obree comes back and regains his world title.

Storyline

The Flying Scotsman is a feature film based on the remarkable true story of Scottish cyclist Graeme Obree. In 1993, and as an unemployed amateur, Obree broke the world one-hour record on a bike of his own revolutionary design, which he constructed out of scrap metal and parts of a washing machine. — Sharon Howat