When Olympic gold-winning wrestler Dave Schultz was murdered by his own coach in 1996, the sporting world was left in shock
The brutal murder of Olympic gold medalist wrestler Dave Schultz by his own coach sent shockwaves through America and the sports world.
The chilling story of Dave Schultz, his brother, and their multi-millionaire coach might have slipped under the radar for those not into wrestling, but it gained widespread attention when it was turned into a gripping Hollywood drama featuring some big names.
Foxcatcher, unlike many uplifting underdog sports tales, takes a much darker and more sinister turn as it delves into the ultimately fatal relationship between the Schulz brothers and the heir to the Du Pont chemical family fortune.
The narrative begins in the 1980s when Mark Schulz was invited to join John du Pont’s newly established wrestling academy and training camp, Team Foxcatcher, at the lavish Du Point family estate.
Funded by his family’s vast wealth, the state-of-the-art facility at his Pennsylvania home attracted wrestlers with the promise of competing in the Olympics and World Championships, reports the Express.
After some persuasion, Mark brought his champion brother, Dave, into the project, and they achieved global success as Team Foxcatcher before tragedy struck.
With Mark having moved away after a disagreement with John, on January 26, 1996, the coach drove up to Dave’s house and shot him dead after he greeted him as usual, sending shockwaves around the globe.
Du Pont was later convicted of third-degree murder, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, and died behind bars in 2010. The motive behind the killing remains a mystery, but Mark told LAist: “He admired us and at the same time was jealous of us, kind of hated us in a way, because we had what money couldn’t buy.”
He said: “I regret that my brother died, and I regret that I met du Pont, but had it not been for these horrible curses, this movie would not be made, and Dave would not be immortalized.”
Just four years after du Pont’s demise, Hollywood brought the chilling tale to life on the big screen, featuring an eerily captivating performance by Steve Carell as the wealthy murderer.
In a stark departure from his usual comedic roles, Carell is transformed with a prosthetic nose, ghostly makeup, and unsettling behavior that makes it hard to believe he’s the same actor who played Michael Scott in The Office.
Channing Tatum bulked up to portray the younger Mark Schultz, while Mark Ruffalo delivered an Oscar-nominated performance as his ill-fated older brother Dave.
The film won accolades at Cannes, earned five Oscar nods, and left audiences rattled by its grim depiction of power, privilege, and obsession spiraling out of control.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film earned a “certified fresh” rating of 88%. One Google reviewer who gave it five stars wrote: “This is a tremendous piece of filmmaking. It’s set to a slow burn, and all three of the leads disappear into the characters they are playing.”
Another viewer added: “A piece of history that I had no idea of. Intriguing story and well acted, highly recommended.”
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