Madison (film)
Encyclopedia
Madison is a semi-fictional 2001 film
about APBA
hydroplane racing in the 1970s. It stars James Caviezel
as a driver who comes out of retirement to lead the Madison, Indiana
community-owned racing team.
, on the Ohio River
, has sponsored powerboat racing since 1911 and began holding an annual race called the Madison Regatta
in 1929. Beginning in 1954, the race became affiliated with the American Power Boat Association
, held annually in July. Though Madison has a population of only 12,000, the Regatta maintains its place in the Unlimited hydroplane
American Boat Racing Association
series, whose other races are in Seattle, Detroit, and San Diego, among others.
The Regatta regularly draws about 70,000-100,000 people and is a tremendous source of pride for residents of the town. Also significant is that Madison has the world's only community owned unlimited hydroplane, Miss Madison
, which usually appears near the bottom of the circuit. Indeed, In forty-plus years of racing, U-6 (its number regardless of its name) ref? had won just six races prior to 2005.
Among the recorded victories of "Miss Madison
" prior to 2005, the win at the 1971 Regatta was especially notable, and later became the basis for the movie. Making this victory even sweeter was that it was also for the APBA Gold Cup.
Caviezel's character, Jim McCormick, was a real-life veteran racer and boat owner who drove the Miss Madison in 1966 and 1969–71, then raced his own boat until becoming seriously injured some years later. Many of his actual seven-man pit crew, including Harry Volpi, Bobby Humphrey, and Tony Steinhardt, were also portrayed in the film, while Steinhardt himself appeared as a fan in a cameo.
2001 in film
The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
about APBA
American Power Boat Association
The American Power Boat Association is a New York non-profit, membership owned corporation that was created in 1903 by an act of the New York legislature as a racing association for powerboats. It is the United States sanctioning authority for the Union Internationale Motonautique , the world...
hydroplane racing in the 1970s. It stars James Caviezel
James Caviezel
James Patrick Caviezel, Jr. is an American film actor, usually credited as Jim Caviezel. He is known for the roles of Jesus Christ in the 2004 film The Passion of the Christ, Bobby Jones in Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius, Detective John Sullivan in Frequency, Edmond Dantès in The Count of Monte...
as a driver who comes out of retirement to lead the Madison, Indiana
Madison, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,004 people, 5,092 households, and 3,085 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,402.9 people per square mile . There were 5,597 housing units at an average density of 654.1 per square mile...
community-owned racing team.
Background
Madison, IndianaMadison, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,004 people, 5,092 households, and 3,085 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,402.9 people per square mile . There were 5,597 housing units at an average density of 654.1 per square mile...
, on the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
, has sponsored powerboat racing since 1911 and began holding an annual race called the Madison Regatta
Madison Regatta
The Lucas Oil Indiana Governor's Cup or Madison Regatta, is a hydroplane boat race and is the first official race of the Air National Guard H1 Unlimited Series season. Its title sponsor for 2010 is Lucas Oil. The race is typically held around Fourth of July weekend on the Ohio River in Madison,...
in 1929. Beginning in 1954, the race became affiliated with the American Power Boat Association
American Power Boat Association
The American Power Boat Association is a New York non-profit, membership owned corporation that was created in 1903 by an act of the New York legislature as a racing association for powerboats. It is the United States sanctioning authority for the Union Internationale Motonautique , the world...
, held annually in July. Though Madison has a population of only 12,000, the Regatta maintains its place in the Unlimited hydroplane
Hydroplane racing
Hydroplane racing is a sport involving racing hydroplanes on lakes and rivers. It is a popular spectator sport in several countries.-International Professional Outboard Hydroplane Racing:...
American Boat Racing Association
American Boat Racing Association
H1 Unlimited is an Unlimited Hydroplane racing league that is sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association , and Union Internationale Motonautique . Until 2009, the series was known as ABRA Unlimited Hydroplane, in turn renamed from APBA Unlimited Hydroplane in 2004...
series, whose other races are in Seattle, Detroit, and San Diego, among others.
The Regatta regularly draws about 70,000-100,000 people and is a tremendous source of pride for residents of the town. Also significant is that Madison has the world's only community owned unlimited hydroplane, Miss Madison
Miss Madison
Miss Madison is an H1 Unlimited hydroplane. It is the only community-owned unlimited hydroplane in the world. It is based out of Madison, Indiana, a small town of 12,000 residents on the Ohio River which annually hosts the Madison Regatta...
, which usually appears near the bottom of the circuit. Indeed, In forty-plus years of racing, U-6 (its number regardless of its name) ref? had won just six races prior to 2005.
Among the recorded victories of "Miss Madison
Miss Madison
Miss Madison is an H1 Unlimited hydroplane. It is the only community-owned unlimited hydroplane in the world. It is based out of Madison, Indiana, a small town of 12,000 residents on the Ohio River which annually hosts the Madison Regatta...
" prior to 2005, the win at the 1971 Regatta was especially notable, and later became the basis for the movie. Making this victory even sweeter was that it was also for the APBA Gold Cup.
Caviezel's character, Jim McCormick, was a real-life veteran racer and boat owner who drove the Miss Madison in 1966 and 1969–71, then raced his own boat until becoming seriously injured some years later. Many of his actual seven-man pit crew, including Harry Volpi, Bobby Humphrey, and Tony Steinhardt, were also portrayed in the film, while Steinhardt himself appeared as a fan in a cameo.
Cast and characters
- James CaviezelJames CaviezelJames Patrick Caviezel, Jr. is an American film actor, usually credited as Jim Caviezel. He is known for the roles of Jesus Christ in the 2004 film The Passion of the Christ, Bobby Jones in Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius, Detective John Sullivan in Frequency, Edmond Dantès in The Count of Monte...
as Jim McCormick - Jake LloydJake LloydJake Lloyd is a former American actor , who gained worldwide fame when he was chosen by George Lucas to play the young Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, the first film in the Star Wars prequel trilogy and currently resides in Chicago. He reprised this role in five...
as Mike McCormick - Mary McCormackMary McCormackMary Catherine McCormack is an American actress. Best known for her work in television, she has had leading roles as Justine Appleton in the series Murder One , as Deputy National Security Adviser Kate Harper in The West Wing and as Mary Shannon in In Plain Sight .Her film roles include Private...
as Borrie McCormick - Bruce DernBruce DernBruce MacLeish Dern is an American film actor. He also appeared as a guest star in numerous television shows. He frequently takes roles as a character actor, often playing unstable and villainous characters...
as Harry Volpi - Paul DooleyPaul Dooley-Personal life:Dooley was born Paul Dooley Brown in Parkersburg, West Virginia, the son of Ruth Irene , a homemaker, and Peter James Brown, a factory worker. Dooley was a cartoonist as a youth and drew a strip for a local paper in Parkersburg. He joined the Navy before discovering acting while at...
as Mayor Don Vaughn - Brent BriscoeBrent BriscoeBrent Briscoe is an American actor and screenwriter.Briscoe was born in Moberly, Missouri. After finishing his education at the University of Missouri, Briscoe launched his career as a theater actor. He then segued into screenwriting and acting in feature films...
as Tony Steinhardt - Mark FauserMark FauserMark Fauser is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and producer who currently operates his own independent film studio called Overlook Productions....
as Travis - Reed DiamondReed DiamondReed Edward Diamond is an American actor. He is best known for the role of Det. Mike Kellerman on Homicide: Life on the Street and the role of recurring character Laurence Dominic on Dollhouse...
as Skip Naughton - Frank Knapp Jr. as Bobby Humphrey
- Chelcie RossChelcie RossChelcie Claude Ross is an American character actor. He served in Vietnam as an officer in the United States Air Force, and earned an MFA from the Dallas Theater Center.-Filmography:*Skokie *On the Right Track...
as Roger Epperson - Jim HendrickJim HendrickJim Hendrick is an American sports announcer. Hendrick has worked in sports broadcasting for over 50 years. He gained fame for his work as a spokesman for Anheuser-Busch and his association with the American Power Boat Association...
as Himself - John MellencampJohn MellencampJohn Mellencamp, previously known by the stage names Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American rock singer-songwriter, musician, painter and occasional actor known for his catchy, populist brand of heartland rock that eschews synthesizers and other artificial sounds...
as Narrator (uncredited)
Delayed release
Filmed in 2000 and completing post production in 2001, this film sat unreleased for nearly five years and was finally given a limited release on April 22, 2005. It ended up being the last film ever released by MGM as an independent company.External links
- Miss Madison: The Gold Cup Champion by Fred Farley, actual story of the 1971 Miss Madison