Synopsis
Brian's Song (1971) is a made-for-TV drama drawn from a true story, and it's worth watching online for one reason: few films this short have made so many people cry. It follows two Chicago Bears running backs whose rivalry for the same roster spot grows into the closest friendship of their lives.
James Caan plays Brian Piccolo, the scrappy underdog clawing for playing time. Billy Dee Williams plays Gale Sayers, the quiet superstar. The two are paired as roommates — among the first Black and white players in the league to share a room — and they needle each other, push each other, and become family. Then Piccolo is diagnosed with cancer at 26, and the bond faces a test no game ever prepared them for.
Director Buzz Kulik keeps the sentiment in check, which is exactly why it lands so hard. Michel Legrand wrote the theme, "The Hands of Time," and the film picked up a handful of awards and a permanent place near the top of every best-TV-movie list. Just over an hour, and completely honest. Stream Brian's Song (1971) online on iFILM.
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