Olympia: Part One – Festival of the Nations
1938Commissioned to make a propaganda film about the 1936 Olympic Games in Germany, director Leni Riefenstahl created a celebration of the human form. This first half of her two-part film opens with a renowned introduction that compares modern Olympians to classical Greek heroes, then goes on to provide thrilling in-the-moment coverage of some of the games' most celebrated moments, including African-American athlete Jesse Owens winning a then-unprecedented four gold medals.
Acted in
David Albritton
as Self - High Jump, USA (uncredited)
Arvo Askola
as Self - 10000 Metres, Finland (uncredited)
Jack Beresford
as Self - Carries British Flag (uncredited)
Erwin Blask
as Self - Hammer Throw, Germany (uncredited)
Sulo Bärlund
as Self - Shot Put, Finland (uncredited)
Ibolya Csák
as Self - High Jump, Hungary (uncredited)
Glenn Cunningham
as Self (uncredited)
Henri de Baillet-Latour
as Self - IOC, Stands with Hitler, with Hurdlers (uncredited)
Philip Edwards
as Self - 800 Metres, Canada (uncredited)
Donald Finlay
as Self - 110m Hurdles, Great Britain (uncredited)
Tilly Fleischer
as Self - Javelin Throw, Germany (uncredited)
Wilhelm Frick
as Self - Spectator (uncredited)
Joseph Goebbels
as Self - Spectator (uncredited)
Hermann Göring
as Self - Spectator (uncredited)
Ernest Harper
as Self - Marathon, Great Britain (uncredited)
Karl Hein
as Self - Hammer Throw, Germany (uncredited)
Heinz Herman
as German Flag Carrier (uncredited)
Rudolf Heß
as Self - Stands with Hitler (uncredited)
Adolf Hitler
as Self - Declares Games Open (uncredited)
Volmari Iso-Hollo
as Self - 10000 Metres, Finland (uncredited)
Cornelius Johnson
as Self - High Jump, USA (uncredited)
Matti Järvinen
as Self - Javelin, Finland (uncredited)
Elfriede Kaun
as Self - High Jump, Germany (uncredited)
King Umberto II
as Self - Stands with Hitler, Salutes Italian Team (uncredited)
Kalevi Kotkas
as Self - High Jump, Finland (uncredited)
Gustaf Alfons Koutonen
as Self - Hammer Throw, Finland (uncredited)
Luise Krüger
as Self - Javelin Throw, Germany (uncredited)
Maria Kwasniewska
as Self - Javelin Throw, Poland (uncredited)
Theodor Lewald
as Self - German Olympic Committee, Stands with Hitler (uncredited)
Luz Long
as Self (uncredited)
Spiridon Louis
as Self - Walks Behind Greek Flag, in Greek Costume (uncredited)
John Lovelock
as Self - 1500 Metres, New Zealand (uncredited)
Gisela Mauermayer
as Self - Discus Throw, Germany (uncredited)
Earle Meadows
as Self - Pole Vault, USA (uncredited)
Ralph Metcalfe
as Self - Sprinter, USA (uncredited)
Paula Mollenhauer
as Self - Discus Throw, Germany (uncredited)
Väinö Muinonen
as Self - Marathon, Finland (uncredited)
Seung-yong Nam
as Self - Marathon, Japan (uncredited)
Henri Nannen
as Announcer (uncredited)
Yrjö Nikkanen
as Self - Javelin, Finland (uncredited)
Shûhei Nishida
as Self - Pole Vault, Japan (uncredited)
Paavo Nurmi
as Self - Spectator Watching 10000 Metres Race (uncredited)
Dorothy Odam
as Self - High Jump, Great Britain (uncredited)
Martinus Osendarp
as Self - 100 Metres, Holland (uncredited)
Jesse Owens
as Self (uncredited)
Leni Riefenstahl
as Nude Dancer - Prologue (uncredited)
Mack Robinson
as Self - Second, After Owens (uncredited)
Ilmari Salminen
as Self - 10000 Metres, Finland (uncredited)
Julius Schaub
as Self - Spectator, with Glasses, Behind Hitler (uncredited)
Kee-chung Sohn
as Self - Marathon, Japan (uncredited)
Julius Streicher
as Self - Spectator (uncredited)
Gerhard Stöck
as Self - Shot Put, Javelin Throw, Germany (uncredited)
Naoto Tajima
as Self - Triple Jump, Japan (uncredited)
Erkki Tamila
as Self - Marathon, Finland (uncredited)
Kalervo Toivonen
as Self - Javelin, Finland (uncredited)
Forrest Towns
as Self - 110m Hurdles, USA (uncredited)
Werner von Blomberg
as Self - Spectator (uncredited)
August von Mackensen
as Self - Spectator (uncredited)
Hans von Tschammer und Osten
as Self (Spectator, in White Suit) (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Hans Woellke
as Self - Shot Put, Germany (uncredited)
Sueo Ôe
as Self - Pole Vault (uncredited)