Freedom's Fury



Freedom's Fury is a great documentary about the most famous water polo game in history, Hungary vs. the Soviet Union in the semi-finals of the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. This game was played in the shadow of the Soviet crackdown of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. It is a great story of sport, politics and society. It is also a fascinating look at the history of water polo in Hungary, and why this small country has dominated the sport throughout the years. The first hour of the movie contains great footage and discussion of the innovative training methods pioneered by the Hungarian national team in the 1950's.

Mark Spitz narrates. And it just so happens that Spitz, as an age-group swimmer, was briefly coached by the most famous player on the 1956 team, Ervin Zador. The most talented Hungarian player, Zador defected to the US immediately following the '56 Olympics and never played water polo again.

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