All language subtitles for September 5 (2024).en

Welcome to the Deadline Virtual Screening series.

I'm Pete Hammond, your host,

and very excited today

to be showing this truly great movie September five, uh,

which I saw, uh, at reviewed, actually I saw even

before the Venice Film Festival.

And then it went on to Telluride, many film festivals

and has gotten quite a bit

of critical acclaim along the way to say the least.

We will be showing you the whole film and then a q and a.

Don't go anywhere right after the movie

'cause we have a q and a right here.

You'll see the participants that I'm about to introduce.

Uh, director, co-writer Tim Felbam. Hi. Hi, Tim.

Hello. Hi everybody. Thanks for tuning in. Yeah,

Co-writer Moritz Binder. Hi Moritz.

Hi. Thank you Pete for having us.

Absolutely. And film editor Hans Jog Weisberg.

Hi everyone. Hi Pete. Thank you.

So without further ado, here is September five.

The 1972 Summer Olympics.

Nine days ago,

the nations of the world marched

into the Olympic Stadium
in Munich, West Germany.

And you were there live
for this historical moment!

It was a starting signal

for a peaceful
post-war Germany...

...to share itself
with the world

and an Olympics
full of sporting sensations.

Now that more than half

of the competition days
are over,

we at ABC Sports,

show you how these pictures
make their way

from here in Munich
to your home overseas.

The games of '72
are the first in history

to be broadcast live
via satellite across the world.

An unprecedented
technical apparatus

was set up
by the German organizers,

and ABC Sports
has live cameras everywhere.

We even placed one
on the Olympic Tower,

which gives us
a nice aerial overview

of the entire Olympic Village.

Hey look, that's us!

From here, we send everything
to the bird,

as we call this technical marvel
orbiting Earth,

allowing us to bring
the Games to you

live and in color.

But daytime for you
means night shift for us.

And we're operating
around the clock here in Munich

to ensure you don't miss
a single moment of the action.

Stay tuned
for many more highlights

in the final days
of these glorious Olympics.

That's a good start
for Mark Spitz.

Okay, now cam two in position.

Cam two.

Cam six.

Now Spitz takes the lead.

Cam one.

Underwater cams.

Look at that style.
Those powerful moves.

Cut to 1.
Spitz leaves the German swimmer

- far behind.
- Now 2.

He is about
to write Olympic history here

by winning
his seventh gold medal.
Cam one, tighten in.

And he did it! Spitz wins!

Yes!

Get ready
for Spitz's close-up.

No, go to the German first.

Sure?

Cam two, change of plans.
Give me the German swimmer.

Werner Lampe is devastated.

He even shaved his hair
for this.

Cam two, pan to Spitz.
But nothing stops history.

Spitz climbs out of the pool
and runs towards his parents.

I can't believe it! Solid gold.

- Tighter.
- All right, six, run over there.

Back him up, Charley.

Put six in preview.

That's it, hold it.
Now take six.

Finland was well represented

at these Olympic Games.

They were somewhat favorites

but they were not expected
to do as well as they did...

...as you will see...

Hello?
Good morning, Mr. Mason,

this is your wakeup call.
Thanks,
I'm already awake.

...Virén immediately got up
and began to run again.

Turned out to be a key moment.
Because at the end of the race,

who was it? It was Virén,
the man who fell,

not only racing to victory,

but setting a new world record
for the event.

Lasse Virén,
the policeman from Finland.

♪ It ain't me ♪

♪ I ain't no millionaire's son
No, no ♪

♪ It ain't me, it ain't me ♪

♪ I ain't no fortunate one, no ♪

Would you please
prep all captions

for, uh, swimming
and basketball?

Hey, Geoff?
Hmm?

- Thank you.
- Sure.

You were supposed to be here
before the show ends.

Hey, I'm a minute
and 30 seconds early.

Right.
Oh, in New York,
I'm five hours early.

That's funny,
because if you screw this up,

I'm the one
in trouble with Roone.

So we need
to go over the schedule.

Day starts
with volleyball, 09:30,

Group D, covered by C Unit,

while B preps for
the soccer pre-match at 10:30.

All right,
all right. You got it.

What?
Are you going on a date?

Just got off one.
Your wife says hello.

...Jim McKay speaking to you...

AC is broken.
Ooh.

...and this concludes
our daily report here

at the 20th Summer Olympics.

It's now 4:00 a.m.
here in Munich...

...and soon the competition
will begin again.

Jim,
set up the Spitz presser.

Mark Spitz, the American athlete

who set
an all-time Olympic record

by winning seven gold medals,
will be interviewed tomorrow,

only here, on ABC Sp--

Come on, not again!

Jacques, what's going on?
Is it our feed?

No, it's not.

Then why are my screens black?
The feed is clean.

Close with the stinger.

All right.
Roll tape five.

The Summer Olympics.
Up close and personal.

The ABC way.

And we're clear.

All right.
Okay, it's back to you,
New York.

Great job, everyone.

B-Unit's turn tomorrow.

Enjoy your day off.

Good night, Jim.
See you on Thursday.

Good luck on your day, Mase.

- Thanks, Don, enjoy the Alps.
- I will!

Uh, Roone, excuse me,

I'd like to do a handover
with Geoff here, who I...

Did you check out
Jennings' Dachau piece?

Not yet, no.

Would you watch it
and see if it's any good?

I do have some concerns

about cutting from sports
to the Holocaust.

Spitz is Jewish, right?

Since when am I ABC's expert
on Judaism?

He is. Spitz, he's Jewish.
What time's the presser?

4:00 p.m.
There's your lead-in.

So, you wanna ask a Jew

about the Holocaust
on live television?

Yeah.

Ask him what it's like
to win a gold

in Hitler's backyard.
Do you guys wanna follow me?

Talk me through the day.

The day starts with volleyball.

It should be
a pretty good match.

No US team.
Uh, then it's soccer,

intermediate round.
Who?

GDR versus Mexico.

Morocco versus Denmark.
Burma versus Malaysia.

There's boxing.

The Great White Hope,
he's in quarters with Teófilo.

- The Cuban?
- Yeah. He's pretty good.

He knocked down Denderys
in 30 seconds. First round.

So, we lose, and the whole
thing's over in 30 seconds?

Doesn't matter.
It's America versus Cuba.

You sure you want
to bring in the politics?

It's not about politics,
it's about emotions.

How about
"Cold War Heats Up Again,

Cuba Launches Missile
at America's Hope"?

It's too long,
but good direction.

Has he
ever done live coverage before?

Yeah, I di--
He's done golf tournaments.

And, uh, minor league baseball.

I'll be back for the boxing.

No calls until ten.
I promised my daughters.

All right, good.

So, you prep that tease
while I contemplate the demise

of my fellow Jews. Oh, jeez...

Looks like I'm spending
another night here. Whoo-hoo.

- No calls before ten.
- I promised myself.

You fixed that?
Yeah, on it.

Only about nine miles lie
between the Serene Games center

and Germany's darkest chapter
in history.

Unimaginable atrocities

were committed at the Dachau
concentration camp.

And yet, 27 years after the war,

it has become
a place of remembrance.

Of reconciliation.

Thanks to the Olympic spirit.

A spirit
that makes images possible

that seemed impossible before.

That's exactly what the Olympics
are all about, you know.

Um, like
our fencing coach Andrei says,

we're here
and we can talk to Germans, um,

chat with athletes
from Lebanon or Egypt.

This is
what we've been dreaming about,

you know,
it's not just sports.

You're German, right?

Uh, excuse me?
You're the new translator, yes?

Uh, can you do me a favor?
What...

What... what is...

What is Hans saying here?

He is saying that the Games
are an opportunity

to welcome the world
to a new Germany,

to move on from the past.

Yeah, sure.

I mean,
it's what we all hope for.

What else can we do
but move on, try to be better?

Are your parents still around?

Yes.

Let me guess.
They didn't know either, right?

Well, I'm not them.

No.

No, you're not. I'm sorry.

I'm Marvin Bader.
I know. Head of Operations.

Hmm.
Yeah, I'm Marianne Gebhardt.
Nice to meet you.

You too. Um, welcome to ABC.

I need to swap all cables.

Then do it.

Grumpy has no spares.

At least, not for a Frenchman.

Hermann, we really
don't have any cables?

Hey! I'm talking to you.
We need cables.

Your boss fills out paper.
Gives it to my boss.

Then you get cable.

Hey you.

Has the old man
already taken his nap?

Uh, I don't know. He just left.

Any way I can help?

You got this.
Yeah.

Merci. Merci, Hermann!

Were those gunshots?

ABC, Geoff Mason.

Hi, this is Kenneth Moore.

did you hear gunshots
or something?

No, I haven't heard anything.

Okay. You've got my number
if you hear something.

Yeah, we'll let you know,
Mr. Moore.

- Thank you.
- Thank you. Goodbye.

Hey.

Kenneth Moore just called.

- Marathon runner?
- Yeah.

He wanted to know
if we heard gunshots.

So, it was gunshots.

What?

Uh, we heard gunshots.
In the distance.

Police have
already received several calls

and are investigating
the matter.

And?
That's all they said.

I could walk over
to Bayerischer Rundfunk

and see what they know.

They are radio. They work late.

You know how these work?

I'm on channel two.

Uh, hey, sorry,
can I borrow your receiver?

Sure.
And the headphones too, please.

Thank you, I'll bring it back.
Thanks.

Still getting dropouts?
Yep.

- How often?
- Constantly.

Jacques, can you sort this out
on your-- Hey.

Morning.
Morning.

Gary, did you hear gunshots?
What?

Maybe it was just fireworks?

What did it sound like?
Like gunfire, Geoff.

- What's going on?
- Anyone there?

You're there, already?

No, I'm walking over the bridge.

But I can see dozens
of police cars already.

Where? In the Village?

Yes. Whatever happened,
it happened here.

I need to wake Bader.

Marv. Get up.

Wake up.
There's been shots fired
in the Olympic Village.

Shots?
Yeah. Fucking shots!

- Gunshots?
- Yeah.

I don't know.
They-- they say
that there's a ton of police.

- You serious?
- Yeah.

Come on!

- Can you hear me?
- Yeah, go ahead.

The phones won't stop
at the Rundfunk.

A friend here heard
the shots were fired

in the Israelis' apartments.

Give it to me, give it. Uh...

This-- this is Bader.
What are we talking about here?

Anyone hurt?

Rumor is hostage taking.

Hostages? Wait, uh, who?

I don't know. Uh,
but the BR will say something

on their six o'clock news.

Go to the control room,
call Roone.

Roone?
Yeah, just--
Yeah, call him.

And I'll get Jennings.

Oh...

Jesus Christ!

Roone Arledge's room, please.
Mr. Arledge
doesn't want to be disturbed.

Trust me, he's gonna want
to be woken up for this.

I'm sorry, sir--
Just connect me now, please.

Hello?
Roone, Geoff Mason.

I said not to disturb me.
I understand that.

But... but there's
a hostage situation

going on right now
in the Olympic Village.

What're you talking about?

I'm talking about
a hostage situation.

And it gets worse.
It's in the Israeli quarters.

Is this confirmed?
Not yet, but--

Geoff.

Wait, they're about
to say something
on the German radio.

I'm gonna put you
on the speaker.

Marianne.

Can you translate this?

Let me check my receiver.

There have been reports

of shots being fired inside
the Olympic Village.

Reports,
that have not yet been confirmed
by the police,

say that the Israeli team

may have been attacked
by so-called terrorists.

I'll be there in 20.

Get the crew in.

So, wake him up.
I don't know.

We need as many bodies
as possible.

Priority are camera.

Tell them
the bus leaves in ten minutes.

Okay? And don't forget
to bring Carter.

Is it confirmed?

Yeah. It's definitely gunshots,
definitely the Israelis.

And this is from?

German radio.

We can't quote another station?
A second source?

We got a wire.

"One, possibly two
Israeli athletes killed
at Olympic Village."

"Arab guerrillas
likely took hostages."

Let me see that, Gary.

Peter, what are
we dealing with here?

PLO. PFLP. Or...

worst case, Black September.

You know
the political background.

You report
from the inside. Okay?

Okay.
Where are the Israelis housed?

Israel.

Connollystrasse 31.

They're here.

Well, this...

should give us a good angle.

Geoff.

Seems like the police
will seal the Village.

Hurry up!
Reporters here are rushing to get in now.

Fuck.

Peter, what's the situation?

I'm going in.
But we need a cameraman.

This is
the Israelis' building...

Where's the crew?

- First shuttle is on its way.
- So, when's Jim coming in?

It's his day off.

I didn't call him.
We need Jim for this.

All right.
All Right?

What time
do we have the bird today?

3:00 p.m., 10:00 a.m. Eastern.
No. We need the breakfast slot.

Jim McKay's room.

Then you need to sweet-talk CBS.

Hi Margaret, is Jim there?

He's in the pool,
he's doing his morning laps.

Who're you talking to?
His wife.

Give me that, would you?

Margaret, it's Marv.

- Hi, Marv.
- Uh, would you please...

We're all ready to go,
but still no cameramen here yet.

- What about him?
- Thank you.

He's just an assistant.

- Hey, what's your name?
- Uh, Ben.

Ben, you ever hold
a camera before?

- Yeah.
- Know how to change film?

Sure.
Okay. There's your guy.

News will want
to take over soon.

- I'll talk to them.
- As soon as he can,

would be--

Thank you so much. I--
And I hope we didn't ruin--

Jim's gonna anchor.

Okay. We need someone
at the press center.

Well, I doubt Hans
is releasing anything

- at this point.
- What about you?

You know him.
If anything happens,

we'd be the first to know.

Yeah. Let's...
let's have Geoff coordinate
the set-up while I'm gone.

Not on his first day
with A-Unit.

Right? How about Ohlmeyer?

He's on a hiking trip
in the Alps.

- Maddock?
- Keep trying him, no answer.

But it's early, so...

I'll handle CBS
and the satellite.

You get me something
to feed the bird.

Okay.

All right.

So, what do we air?

- Whatever info I get from Klein.
- I'm talking visual.

We're just
gonna show Jim talking?

We can't do that.

The footage that Ben shoots

is gonna take 20 minutes
to develop.

We have to have a live image.

Can we use that mobile unit?
The guys with the backpack?

That's only wide-angle.

We need a long lens. Christ,
it's happening right there!

Wait, we're...

We're here?

Yeah.
So why don't we...

just wheel out
one of the studio cams?

You can put it right here.

Gives us a live shot
of the apartment.

Anything on the hostages yet?

Only mixed information.

Well, call around
to get things double-checked.

All right?
And, you have a walkie.

Okay?
Yeah.

Channel four.
Okay.

Robert? Uh, coffee, aspirin,

and a list of today's slots
on the satellite.

Right away.

All right.

All right,
you know what happened.

Let's get to work.

- I need four men in the studio.
- Yeah.

So, you're the big boss now?

Come with me.

We're gonna
take cam two outside.

We're gonna go live with it.

You... you do know
how heavy those are?

- The wiring will be tricky.
- I trust you'll get it.

Yeah.
You, too, Frenchie. C'mon.

Yeah.

There's nothing I can do.

CBS has had
that slot booked for months.

Listen to me.
It's a public interest story.

And people are gonna want
to see it live.

And we are the only people
capable of doing that.

I get that, Roone, but--
Okay, hang on.

I got the schedule.

Listen, I understand...
Aspirin?

We ran out of them.

...but there's just no way
I can give up

the afternoon slot.
Never mind.

Okay.

This is what we're gonna do.
We're gonna swap.

So, you're gonna take
the three o'clock slot,

and we're gonna take
the noon time.

You really think
it will be done by then?

Yeah. The Germans are gonna have
this taken care of in no time.

- So, we have a deal?
- Fine.

Excellent. ABC owes CBS one.

Geoff, are you there?

Talk to me, Marv.

I'm at the press center.

Hans Klein got word
from the Olympic Committee,

the Games must go on.

Do they really think people

are gonna care
about sports today?

Good news
is two Israelis escaped

during the attack and--
Hold on a sec.

They just confirmed
the injured coach died.

Moshe Weinberg.

Shot twice in the head,
once in the gut.

Terrorists demanded
Israel release

over 200 Palestinian prisoners
by noon.

If not, they kill one hostage
every hour.

Jesus Christ.

- Are they negotiating?
- I don't know.

So, should I pass this along
to Roone?

Geoff, you have to be
the center of everything now.

Not just the control room.
All communication, everything.

Geoff?

Yeah, I got it.
All communication, everything.

ABC headquarters called.
They want News to take over.

Tell them we'll be in touch.

On the left...

What the hell
are you guys doing?

Trying to get a live shot
of the apartment.

Get the viewers
right into the action.
Who are the hostages?

Uh...

Uh, Bader just... He confirmed
that one of them died. Uh--

- Moshe Weinberg. I read the wire.
- Right.

But who's inside that apartment?

We don't know yet.

Then we find out.

Who are they?

What's their background?
Do they have a family?

There's no point in aiming
this thing at the building

if the viewer doesn't know
the people inside.

- Okay.
- Roone.

Headquarters on the line again.

I can't hold them back
any longer.

Right. Don't fuck it up, Mason.
Okay.

- I got the bird, live at noon.
- All right.

Marv, do we have
any more information

- on who the hostages are?
- No. Marianne is on it.

Yes, I'm on it.
Where are you?

Editing room.

Okay, I'm coming to you. Great.

Get this sucker outside.

What do you got?

I need to confirm this first.

Mister Bader, do you read me?

Marianne,
what've you got?

My source at the BR told me

there are ten hostages.
Five coaches and five athletes.

Okay.
Lines up with my info.

Also, we've been told

the Palestinians attacked
apartments one and three.

After cross-referencing that

with the housing plans
and who slept where,

I think--
Hey, Geoff.

Yeah.
I think we found a good spot.

Coming.

Get that to me
in the control room
as soon as you're done.

So, I'd say
the five athletes being held

are Romano, Slavin,
Friedman, Berger, and Halfin.

Wait. Berger?
David Berger?

Yes. Why?

You guys think
you'll get it up there?

Yes, almost done.

Okay.

Geoff,
we have Jennings on the phone.

Coming.

Jennings, it's Geoff Mason.

You're running things?

Yeah. So, where are you?

I'm on a balcony
in the Italian compound.

It's a good spot.
JJ.

I've got
a direct view of 31.
And I'm not alone up here.

The other balconies
are full of reporters
and photographers,

all of us waiting
for something to happen.

So, what, nothing's going on?

No.
Police are just milling around.

Doesn't seem like they've
even started negotiating yet.

There's an eerie silence.

Geoff.
You can actually hear
the cameras clicking.

They're too small.

Get those to Judy.
Three times bigger.
All right.

And there's a report
Mr. Bader watched earlier

that has an interview
with one of the hostages.

David Berger, a former American.

There's movement
at the apartment.

The door
on the second-floor balcony

is opening.

Someone's peering out.

- Jennings, what's happening?
- Someone's on the balcony.

Wearing some kind of a mask.

Now he's going back in.

Ben down there
caught it all on 16 mil.

I wish you
could get this shot, Mason.
Yeah, I'll send a runner.

No chance.

Police sealed off
the entire area.

Only athletes can get past.

All right, now.

Good luck.
Thanks.

Nice, man.

So, we have loaded mags,
sandwiches, walkies, long lens,

cigarettes for Jennings.

So, what if they search me?

Don't worry. From now on,
you are officially an athlete.

A man's stepping out
of the apartment now.

White suit, white hat,
face painted black.

Must be the leader of the group.

He's waving at the cameras.

Geoff.
A policewoman's walking up now.

All by herself. Unarmed.

Looks like she's handling
the negotiations.
Good.

Pin these up on there.

He seems to have
a grenade in his hand.

God.

Jennings, how close are you?

A hundred, 130 feet.

Maybe you should get away
from there.

Kill radius
is only 16 feet.

I've been in the Middle East.

All right, but be careful.

Gary's on his way.

Do we have someone
on the Tower yet?

Channel 6.

- Tower cam, read.
- Copy.

Can you give me an image?

Show me the entrance
to the Village.

Push in on that.

There. Hah! Go, Gary!

Yes! He's in.

Yeah. He made it.

Hey, people.
Get BR on the radio.

The police chief's making

his first official statement
right now.

Marianne.

The perpetrators demand

that 200 persons be released...

who are in Israeli hands.

If these 200 persons
are not released,

they will shoot one hostage
every hour starting at noon.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Can't you tell us something
we don't know?

Someone's asking
the chief of police

if he thinks it was a mistake

that the Olympic Village
had no armed police.

Of course it was!

I guess they didn't want
the world to be reminded

of the last time
armed Germans patrolled fences.

So, Germany's makeover is more
important than people's safety?

C'mon. This isn't our business.
That is our business.

And in less than an hour,
we go live.

We're not giving
this story to News.

But why?
Well, because we're in Munich.

We're a 100 yards... away
from where it's happening.

- Roone, just leave it.
- We're not giving it to anyone.

Yeah, Sports is keeping this.
Roone,
this is just not your field.

It's just that News...
That's it.

Now it looks like
the negotiations are happening.

German politicians

and the leader in the white suit
are talking.

Whatever they're discussing,

honestly, I can't imagine
the Prime Minister Golda Meir

and the Knesset will respond
in any way to blackmail.

It's so ironic.

I've been the Middle East expert
in Beirut for five years,

and yet,
I have never gotten this close

to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Hang on one second, Peter.

Can we get his voice live
when we go on air?

I'll give it a shot.

Jennings, this is Bader.

Any idea how many Palestinians
are inside?

We've seen a lot of heads
popping out of windows.

These men
are definitely professionals.

I suspect
they're deliberately trying

to create confusion.

There's a second commando
on the balcony now,

brandishing his submachine gun
like a threat.

- Fucking Arabs.
- Hey, watch it.

My mother is from Algeria.

I'm not talking
about your mother.

Hey. Come on.
Just the bad Arabs?

Whatever conception
you have of Arabia or Arabs,

you need to understand
how sensitive this situation is.

This is no longer the Olympics.

Thank you, Peter,
for, uh, clarifying.

It does bring up
a good question.

What should we call them
on the air?

In News, we would refer
to them as commando guerrillas.

Commando? That sounds like
we're in Vietnam or something.

What was it they called them
on German radio?

- "Terrorists."
- What was that?

They used "terrorists."

Okay. Let's...
let's go with that.

That's a charged term.

Terrorism is the organized
and systematic use

of violence against civilians
to affect a political goal.

Isn't that pretty much
what's happening here?

Nobody knows yet
what is happening here.

So we have to be very careful
about everything we say on air.

No offense guys,
but you're Sports.

You're in way over your head.
News should take over.

Peter, just call us back
in a couple of minutes.

He might be right.

Okay, look, I know
this isn't a responsibility

that everyone wants.

But does it make more sense

to have a talking head
from News take over

from halfway across
the fucking world?

Our job is to tell the stories
of these individuals,

whose lives are at stake,
100 yards away.

And our job
is really straightforward.

We put the camera
in the right place,

and we follow the story
as it unfolds in real time.

News can tell us
what it all meant

after it's over.
And I'm sure they're gonna try.

But this is our story.

And we're keeping it.

All right, you heard the boss.
We have 45 minutes left.

Do we have an opener yet?

- It's a 50 and a 250.
- All right.

Four fresh rolls,
50 daylight.
Okay.

- Ready?
- Ready.

That's our opener.

Cam two, that's good,
but I need the balcony

to be at the very center
of the shot, Charley.

You got it, Kubrick.

Tower cam,
get nice and close on that roof.

You gotta push in.

Yeah, keep going in.

- There you go.
- Okay.

Talk me through.

Yeah. So, we have Jim
on cam one.

Cam two has a live shot
of the balcony.

Tower cam has an aerial view

of the entire Olympic Village
and can zoom in.

We got 16 millimeter footage

on tape machines three
through six.

And we can now
hear Jennings live on the air.

We also have an overview
of the hostages.

Plus an interview
with one of them. David Berger.

It's ready for playback.

Good work.

Five minutes, everyone!

Five minutes,
take your positions.

Tower cam, I want you to start

with an establishing pan
over the spectators.

And then push in.

I want a gut-punch close-up
of that terrorist.

Uh, Geoff, can you...
can you turn it down a notch?

It's not track and field.

It's-- They threatened
to kill people.

Is the noon deadline confirmed?

Uh, yeah.

What do I tell the cameras?

What do you mean?

I mean, can we show someone
being shot on live television?

We can't control what happens.

No, wait, wait, wait.

We're the only station
going live with this.

Which means everyone
will be watching us,

including
the hostages' families.

Okay, okay. Hallway.

All right, everyone,
stay on your headsets.

You don't want anybody

to see their kid executed
on live television.
Of course not, Marv--

So, I... I don't know
about the Israelis,

but David Berger's folks
are in Ohio.

So I'm pretty sure
they'll watch.

Well, someone should tell them
not to watch it.

But we have
a bigger responsibility here.

What about the sponsors?

The sponsors
are not gonna be concerned.

All they care about are viewers.
Guys. We have two minutes.

Okay.

So, uh, is that what we're
trying to achieve here?

Ratings?
No. We're just...

We're following the story

wherever it takes us.
All right.

Then let me ask you this,
let me ask you this.

Black September,

they know that the whole world
is watching, right?

That's why they chose
the Olympics.

If, I'm saying if,
they shoot someone

on live television...

Right, whose story is that?

Is it ours, or is it theirs?

How about this?
If things get tense,

we only leave
the 16 millimeter running.

That gives us
plenty of time to decide

whether we air it or not.

Yeah, that's it.

Hmm?

That's it. Yeah.
That's it. Thank you, Geoff.

Thirty seconds to open.

And here we go.

Jim ready yet?

We're last looks.

- Comm check, one, two.
- All set.

- Cam one, tight on Jim.
- Right down on me.

Two on preview. Tower cam,
stay wide on building 31.

Got it.
Gladys, opening title on five.

- Clear the frame, please.
- Fifteen seconds.

Title one ready for insert.

Okay, people. And...

ten, nine,

- eight, seven...
- Roll two.

- ...six, five...
- If things do get tense,

go to the onlookers,

we'll cut to reaction shots,
right?

...two, one. We're on.

Roll two. Opening title on five.

Ready one. Take one.

Jim, you're on.

Good morning, I'm Jim McKay

speaking to you live

at this moment
from ABC headquarters,

just outside the Olympic Village
in Munich,

West Germany.
Cam two on preview.

The peace
of what had been called

- the "Serene Olympics"...
- Dissolve to two.

...was shattered
just before dawn this morning

- about five o'clock...
- Ready three.

...when terrorists

- armed with submachine guns...
- Dissolve to three.

...faces blackened,

- climbed the fence...
- Ready one.

...went to the headquarters

- of the Israeli team...
- Dissolve to one.

...and immediately killed
one man,

Moshe Weinberg, a coach.

Two shots in the head,
one in the stomach.

They've been holding
14 others hostage since then,

and the latest report
is that one more

has been killed.
Ready two. Take two.

Peter Jennings
is inside the Village.

Let's go to Peter now.

Jim, I'm directly across

from the Israeli building.

It will be a famous number
before long.

Thirty-one.
It is on Connollystrasse.

The reports here
vary dramatically

as to what is going on.

Peter, do we already know

who is responsible
for the attack?

There is a great deal
of speculation

one could indulge in,

which would be risky,
but if I were to guess,

I would most likely narrow in

on a group
called Black September.

That, however,
is pure speculation.
Back to one.

Something that
is not speculation

is that one of the hostages

is David Berger, 26 years old,
a former United States citizen,

we are told by the Israelis.
Moved there about two years ago.

He's in
the light heavyweight class.
Roll tape one.

After receiving
a law degree

- from Columbia University...
- Five, four...

...Berger failed to qualify
for the U.S. team.
...three,

two, one, ready to go.
To fulfill his dream
of the Olympics,

he emigrated to Israel.
Two days ago,

he was interviewed
by Peter Jennings

for an ABC color piece.
Hit it.

That's what the Olympics
are all about, you know.

We're here,
we can talk to Germans, uh,

chat with athletes
from Lebanon or Egypt.

This is what
we've been dreaming about.

You know. It's not just sports.

Back to one. Clean.

I'm gonna get back to Hans Klein
and wait for the latest.

Bird, caption on my cue.

- And now.
- Ladies and gentlemen,

these dreams have been shattered

by this terrible,
terrible attack.

The terrorists have demanded
the release of some 200

Arab guerrilla prisoners
in Israel

in exchange for the lives
of Israeli athletes.

And they had set
a deadline of noon,

saying that they were
going to kill

all of their hostages
at that time.

That deadline obviously
has passed,

so nobody knows
what is gonna happen now.

- Same as last time.
- Got it.

I can't believe
she's the negotiator.

She doesn't strike me
as the hard-boiled type.

Well, if the terrorists
underestimate her like you do,

she probably has a chance
to get information.

Just look.

She's asking him
for a cigarette.

No, no, no.
She's earning his trust.

I just wish I could hear
what she's saying.

The Olympics, at this moment,
are still continuing.

It's a very strange atmosphere.

As I said,
we're only about 500 yards
from this building here.

Roll tape four.

Within 200 yards
from where that building is,

there is a kind of
a man-made pond,

not a formal swimming pool,

but a very lovely pond,
with a little dock,

where the athletes lie out
and take sun.

And that's what
they're doing right now.

They're out there
sunning themselves,
they're swimming,

talking about technique

with athletes
of other countries.

And yet,
this grim, terrible thing

is taking place inside
the Village.

Three hundred yards closer,

well, take a look
at this right now,

this is a live picture.

Action in boxing going on,
a crowded arena.

Here at the Boxhalle in, uh...
in... in Munich,

Volley... volleyball
is also taking place,
incidentally.

Duane Bobick...
I'll make sure
we still have the bird.

...who was scheduled to fight
at just...

What's he talking about?
Don't we still have three?

He swapped slots.

The Arab nations
that are here

are Algeria, Saudi Arabia...

...Egypt, Iraq,
Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon...

- Guys!
- ...Sudan, Syria...

Sorry, boss.

...Tunisia, Morocco.
They're all here.

No word from them as yet.

Uh, no indication
if there will be
any statement...

Can we get
a cup of coffee, please?

Great.

You just sent away
the one person
who could understand this.

Something's happening
here in Connollystrasse.

It seems like
they're bringing in food now.

If you ask me,
these are policemen

dressed as cooks.

Tower, keep tracking them.

My half-blind grandmother
could tell these cooks are cops.

Roone, again.
NBC has that satellite at three.

What's your suggestion?

Change it,
that's my fucking suggestion.

They can't have the slot.

You guys will think
of something.

I gotta keep going.

Looks like they're proving

the food isn't poisoned.

Now the cooks seem eager
to carry in the food,

but the leader
takes it from them...

goes in alone.

Whatever the Germans tried
to achieve here, it failed.

The long-range forecast
said today

that high radiation level--

To Smith's illegal regime--

Peter Jennings is still
in the Italian team's...

Yeah?
I'm watching Channel 11,
Israeli TV.

Um, who is that?
Give me Channel 11.

...but it is not yet clear

how they can handle
this hostage situation...

I think that's Tuv...
Tuvia Sokolsky.

He is one of the Israelis
who escaped.

Why don't we have him?

Larry, run over to their lot,
grab that guy,

bring him here.
I'm on it.

And tell JJ we're hungry.

And not German food, please.

What's all that mean?
New ultimatum is 5:00 p.m.

And we're moving in now
on the windows,

behind which at this moment

nine terrified
living human beings

are being held prisoner.

The demands have been many--
There is someone right now.

Uh, certainly has to be
one of the guerrillas.
Geoff.

One of them
is believed to be a woman.

And this has happened time
and time and time again.

The door opening,
the head coming out

to see what is going on.

Chuck, play that back
in slo-mo, will you?

We see the moment again
here in slow motion.

It's been such

a terribly tantalizing symbol...
Hmm?

...of this situation.
Okay.

Master Control wants
a block of five. Now.

What's going on inside
that head?

Jim, commercial break
in ten seconds.

We're gonna take
a very short station break

at this point.
And hopefully, when we get back,

we have at least some answers
for you.
Drop to commercial.

And we're clear.

The Kodak XL Movie Camera.

Back in three.

This is the camera and film
that lets you take movies

without movie lights...
Let's see what's
on the competition.

Still the only ones
providing live coverage.

Yeah, seems like it.

My heart
is very heavy today.

As an athlete and as an Arab,

I would like to express
my solidarity

with my Israeli colleagues.

And I pray
that everything ends well.

Excuse me, may I ask you
if you heard anything...

Hey, this is Gary.
...this morning in the Village?

Uh, no.

What is your discipline?

Weightlifting.

Any comment
on the current situation?

No, I gotta go.

Guys? Guys. He's here.

Thirty seconds.

Okay, for me.

Master Control,
we are ready for take over.

Hey Jim, it's Roone.

So, this is about as close
as you're gonna get

to the hostages. Make it count.

And five,
four, three, two, one.

Take one.

We're coming to you live
from ABC headquarters

in Munich, West Germany.
I'm sitting right now

with a man who has just come
into the studio.

His name is Tuvia Sokolsky.

He is on the extreme left here.

The gentleman in the middle
is Nasim Javidi,

translator for the Israeli team.

Mr. Sokolsky
does not speak English.

He is the coach
of the weightlifters...

...and came out
of that room today.
Roone.

Would you ask him
just to tell us, briefly...
They wanna talk to you.

...what happened today.

- Yeah.
- Roone.

We need
our slot back immediately!

I tried to negotiate for you.

"At about 4:30 this morning,

I heard-- I was fast asleep,
when I woke up and..."

Geoff. Geoff!

Tell Jim we're about
to lose the satellite.

What? We're in the middle
of the interview.

In a couple of seconds,
all anyone is gonna see

is a black screen.

You have to tell him
to say something.

Jim? Jim, CBS
is taking the satellite.

Look, we can keep recording,
but wrap the segment up.

I'm sorry,
we've run out of time.

We'd like to continue
the interview on tape.

And we'll have it later.

We're losing
the satellite right now.

The Arab guerillas are still
in the Israeli quarters.

One man is dead,
Mr. Javidi tells me,

another man
is now definitely dead,

but we don't know
his identity as yet.

The tense battle goes on,
the deadline, five o'clock,

that's in an hour
and 45 minutes.

Jim McKay,
as the Olympics continue

in Munich, West Germany.

Dissolve to five.

Goddamn it.

Five minutes?

We're in the middle
of something.
What are we doing?

What's going on?
CBS insisted on the slot.

They said they're keeping it,
unless we share the feed.

Why can't we share?

- When do we get it back?
- Well...

What?
When do we get it back?

I don't know.

Um, we could give it to CBS,

but we could show our logo
in the stream.

What do you mean?

Well, just put "ABC" up there.

Um, and just leave it there
constantly in the top corner.

What transmission
are you talking?

Well, it'll be output only.

So you just put
a permanent superimpose on it.

Yeah. Do that.
Yeah?

Mm-hmm.
Okay.

Someone put on CBS.

Logo ready on four.

Back on the bird.

Tell Jim to start the interview
where we left off.

Take up the interview.

Five, four, three,

two, one.

Take one.

Fly logo in.

You own the story now.

Well, he... he...

he hasn't got any real
practical suggestions.

He feels
that one should not give in.

But-- And he leaves
the whole affair to--

in the hands
of the security people,

the professionals.

On the other hand,
he yearns for the moment

that his friends
and all his colleagues,

these athletes whom
he had known for so many years,

family men, will be out safely.

I can see the emotion
that he's feeling.

It's very high in this room.

I can't tell you how much
I appreciate Mr. Sokolsky

taking the time
to tell the story to us.

Thank you, too.

Thank you.

They're suspending the Games.

The important thing right now
is that the Games

of the 20th Olympiad

have now been
officially suspended.

And as you can see
from this footage

that has just reached us,

the situation outside
the apartment

is becoming
increasingly confusing.

Uh, the police
just gave green light
for some action.

Police are clearing

all press out of the Village.
What?

The police are clearing
all press out of the Village.

Where did you hear that?
I've been listening

to the police scanner next door.

Jennings.

- Jennings, you need to hide.
- What?

The police are clearing
all the buildings.

German police! Open up!

Guys,
check the Tower cam.

Get back
to the police scanner.

Jennings?

All good,
they moved on.

Okay, great.

It looks like the police
are about to make a move.

Can you get back to the balcony?

Yes, give us a minute.
Preview cam three.

Jim, check your preview.

We are told
that there are men with guns,

beginning to train those guns...
Take Tower cam.

...on the rooms where
the two heads were sticking out

a moment ago,
the Arab guerillas lookouts.

Tower cam, push in.

Now, I don't...

Now, I'm not sure these men
have guns or... or cameras.

- That's a gun, all right.
- That's a gun, yeah.

One man with binoculars,
another with a gun.

Peter... Peter Jennings
is in the Village.

Peter, can you see this
going on?

They're walking cautiously
on the roof.

Hopefully, not being heard
in the rooms below.

This is happening now,

if you can
possibly believe that.

At the Games
of the 20th Olympiad.

Within a few hundred yards,

some athletes are still training
on the running track.

Volleyball competition
is going on.

Look at this, this is right now.

Volleyball competition
going on in the Olympic Games.

As we said, the Games
have been interrupted,

but only at the conclusion
of competition that was going on

when the announcement was made.

Now, back to the--

Now, back to the...

real world, I guess
you'd call it at this point.

Although this seems
like the unreal one.

Go bird, caption.

They don't seem prepared at all.

Yeah. They don't.

These cops have no idea
what they're doing.

No wonder they lost the war.

What a shame that most people
see this in black and white.

Not in America. Every bus driver
has a color TV nowadays.

And the athletes here.

Germans put a color TV
in every apartment.

So, are they seeing
what we're seeing?

What are you talking about?

Are the terrorists seeing this?

They're not receiving ABC here.

Yes, they are.

Inside the Olympic Village...

every athlete can access
any international station.

Cam two, pan a bit down.

Push in.

That's a TV.

POLICE OFFICER 2:

Uh, did...
did they just say ABC?

What's going on?

Off! Cameras off!
What?

Hey! Are you fucking nuts?

You do not point a gun
at my crew!

Jesus Christ! All live cams off!

Three, Charley, that's you too,
turn the Tower cam off.

Happy?

Hey! Hey, hey.
What's going on here?

They just took us off the air.

Who's in charge?
This guy?

You in charge? Yeah?
You speak English?

Get the fuck out
of my studio! Out!

Out!

The police are climbing down
from the roof now.

They seem to be calling off
the attack.

Looks like this was yet
another failed attempt

to get the situation
under control.

Was that our fault?

Let's just go--
We'll take a commercial, okay?

Commercial break,
five minutes. Get on that.

- Here we go.

Master Control...

Bader, can we talk?

Then they should've cut
the electricity

to the apartment.

It's not up to us
to double-check on them.

That-- Marv, it's not okay
if we made it worse.

You know that.

We don't even know
why they called it off.

The Germans seem
generally pretty overwhelmed.

They are.

I'm listening
to the police radio.

It's local cops doing things

they have never done before.

The German Army
gave them sniper rifles

and had to instruct them
on how to use them.

Why doesn't the German Army
just do it itself?

They're not allowed
to operate here.

German constitution.
That's ridiculous.

The rumor is Israel offered
to send a special unit

to help them out.
And that Germany refused it.

They are just making
one mistake after another.

And trying to act

like they've
got it all under control.

Let's keep going.

Marianne, I want you with me,
in the control room.

Bring the radio.
Okay.

- Ladies and gentlemen...
- The Germans are back to negotiating.

This time,
Interior Minister Genscher
is joining them.

The leader only seems willing
to talk to Gensch--

Wait.

Wait, put me live! Put me live!

Jim, Peter has
some breaking info.
We're going to him.

I just got word something
is happening at Connollystrasse.

Peter, you have news?

Thanks, Jim. Yes.
Moments ago, a window opened.

And, for the first time,
now we're seeing
some of the hostages.

No, we're not.

We might as well be listening
to the fucking radio.

Cam two, Tower, either of you
have an angle on this?

Clear shot, Mase.

Clear as crystal.

...and also
how many terrorists are visible.

We've seen two hostages
so far.

They were led to the window
one after the other.

One guerrilla
with an AK-47 behind them.

This is ridiculous.

It's a terrible sight.

Now, that sounds
very dramatic, Peter.

Ladies and gentlemen...

Um...

We're sorry that we can't
show you a live image...
Yeah?

Geoff, turn the cameras back on.

You got it, Roone.

All right,
we're back in business.

All cams back on.

Cam two, back on.
Cam three, back on.

Anyone know who that is?

The fencing coach.

Andrei Spitzer.

Twenty-seven years old.

Gladys, I'm gonna need you
to make a caption.

Andrei Spitzer.

Caption ready.

Insert Spitzer graphic.

It looks like
Spitzer wants to tell

Genscher something.

Now he's dragged away
from the window,

and the curtains
are closed again.

Genscher is talking
to the leader.

He seems furious.

What is she saying?

Um, Genscher offered
to swap himself

with the Israeli hostages,

but the terrorists refused
the offer. Um...

Genscher insists on going inside
to see how the hostages are.

The leader's taking Genscher

and another official
into the apartment now.

Someone asked,
um, if they already know

the destination for the flight.

What flight?

Flight?

There's talk of flying them
out of the country.

Well, where could they fly
them to?

What airport?

Everyone shut up, please!
Shut up!

They're giving orders.

The... the policewoman...

"Tell... tell the leader
that it takes time

to prepare the plane."

They mentioned two helicopters
to fly the hostages

and the terrorists
to the airport.

What airport?
Uh, they didn't say.

They're coming back out.

Genscher seems shocked.

God only knows
what horrors he saw in there.

Uh, Cairo-- They... they said
Cairo as their destination.

Okay, listen up.
We need to find out

where in the Village
these choppers can land,

and what airport
they're gonna go to
for transfer!

- Sun is beginning to sink behind the buildings.
- Great, great.

Thanks.
There's some way
from darkness here.

Sorry.
But I can't help but think
what a difficult task

this would be if the commandos
got out in the Olympic Village

after dark.
You got it?

Yeah.

Riem's the obvious choice,
but probably not,

there's too much air traffic.

Augsburg?
It's too far away.

...nations around the world...

They just mentioned
a flight time

of five to seven minutes
with the helicopters.

What was the name
of that little airport

in the middle of nowhere,

where we picked up
the equipment that time?

Um, it was something...

Feld... Furst--
Furstenfeldbruck.

Furstenfeldbruck.

Yeah. That was it.
That's a military airport.

Furstenfeldbruck.

That'd make sense.
No one is out there.

Hmm.
Guys.

Do you hear that?

What's going on?

Do we have eyes
on these choppers?

Come on, show me something.

Tower? Do you have eyes
on the choppers?

Negative.
Guys, I'm blind here. Come on.

Gentlemen, can you read me?

Yeah, Howard,
we got you loud and clear.

I see them! Two choppers.

Approaching from southeast.

Howard, where exactly are you?
Are you inside the Village?

Yes. I'm at Gate 6.

They let me in after
the boxing match.

Ran into Gary here.
I'm taking over his channel.

Uh, they're talking
about a bus now.

A bus escorting them
to the helicopters.

Howard, are the police
clearing out the area?

No, it's packed.

There are people
with cameras everywhere.

It's like Elvis has landed.

They'll use the, um...

...parking level
below the apartments, um...

There's the next staircase.
Building 12.

Howard, look behind you.
Do you see a staircase?

Uh, yeah.

Okay, go down it
and look for a bus.

Got it.

The light in the hallway's on.

Looks like they're leaving
the apartment

using the inner staircase.

I'm in the parking area,

and it's a complete
madhouse down there.

Police and press are everywhere.

There's men with cameras
next to men with guns.

Put him on the air.
There's no connector.

Patch this mic through
to the air.

Get him on the air.

- Uh, yeah.
- You got it?

Yeah, yeah.

Uh, Jim, Pete.
I'm just looping Howard in here.

- Good?
- Go!

Howard, we're putting you live
on the air with Jim and Peter.

Word is they're flying out

both the hostages
and the terrorists.

Let's hear
Peter Jennings on this.

Thank you, Jim.
My colleagues and I

are scrambling
to put the pieces together.

But Howard Cosell
is currently on location.

Howard, this is Peter.

Do you have something
to report from there?

Howard, go ahead.

I certainly do, Peter.
I'm in the parking garage.

Terrorists and hostages
are arriving,

their hands tied together.

The police are here
in almost platoon-like numbers.

We're building up to
what I think

will be quite the climax.

Okay, the bus just came in!

They're bringing the hostages
to the bus.

The terrorists
have submachine guns.

Pushing the young athletes
onto the bus.

According
to unconfirmed reports,

Cairo was named
as the flight destination.

There are helicopters waiting
to bring the hostages,

um, and the terrorists
to a military airport

for the changeover.
Take three.

Geoff, this is Tower,
I have eyes on the bus.

Jim, I just ran
onto the bridge. I can see them.

One Arab is getting out.

Flashes from the cameras
are hitting him

from every direction.

He almost looks like
a rock star walking on stage.

Now I can see the Israelis.

I hear something.

People shouting
from the windows and balconies,

but I don't know what it is.

Shalom! Shalom!

It's "shalom,"
the Hebrew word for peace.

The propellers are turning

and the chopper is lifting off.

These Israeli athletes
are leaving the Olympic Village,

not as free and proud
competitors of their country,

but as victims
of a brutal act of terror.

The first helicopter
now proceeding out

over the main Olympic stadium,

flying around this
tremendously high Olympic Tower.

Flying to what seems like
the last chapter

of a nerve-racking day.

Stretch the show with sports

until we have news
from the airport.

- Sports?
- Yeah.

Jim will smooth over
the transitions.

Screw it, I want to see it, too.

Sorry.
Jacques, get right back here.

Two minutes!

Carter, grab a 16 mm.
Get footage from the airport.

You're gonna go with him.
Take my car.

You're the only one
who speaks German.

Okay.

- Where is it parked?
- Back lot.

Blue BMW.
Okay.

Are they gonna really
fly them out?

I don't know.

So then, how does this end?
In a shootout?

You'll need sound.

Hank.

The 10,000 meter run

was nearing the halfway mark

and out in front
was Dave Bedford of England,

followed by little
Miruts Yifter of Ethiopia,

and Mariano Haro of Spain.

Back of the pack,
Lasse Virén,

- in the dark jersey...
- Hey guys,

I don't think there's anything
left to do here.

So, how about
I just come back to the studio,

provide some analysis?
That's a great idea, Jennings.

Get back here
as soon as you can.

Charley, might as well roll
cam two back into the studio.

Uh, Geoff? Geoff,
you gonna wanna see this.

I think
it's David Berger's father.

Have you gotten any help

from any of the governments
or any of the agencies?

No.

All the information we have

has come from the news
on television.

I just hope they get
the situation under control...

and we hear from our son soon.

Is there anything you wanna say

to your son right now?

- Marianne, you read me?
- I just want him to come home.

Forget it,
they are too far away.

- Marv, you got anything?
- Hold on just a second.

Supposedly all hell
has broken loose at the airport.

There's shooting.

Oh, God.

Carter?

It's crazy out there.
Massive traffic jams,

hundreds of people
blocking the road.

The police couldn't even
get through with their tanks.

Tanks?
Yeah.

You see those lights?

That's the airport.

Everyone just left their cars
behind and walked there.

How did you get back here?

Marianne convinced some guy
to lend us his moped.

There they are!

This is great stuff, Carter.
We gotta get more of this.

Okay.

This is useless there.

I saw some pay phones.

We'll call
as soon as there's any news.

Can you hear the shots?

How many more clips
in the package?

Uh, two. About ten seconds.

Okay.

Ready one. Take one.

With me now is Peter Jennings,

who reported the whole day
for us

directly out of the Village.

- Standby two. Take two.
- Peter, what conclusions

do you draw
from these recordings?

Clearly,
the German authorities

want to end it
here and now, Jim.

But now, they have to improvise.

And so far,

they haven't proven themselves
to be very good at that.

- There's no further reports...
- Hello?

Marianne's on the phone.

But the head
of the Olympic...
Patch it through.

Yeah?

Can the footage be used?

Yeah, yeah,
we're watching it right now.

We have it on the air. Why?

Listen, there's a rumor
going around here

that the hostages are free.

What?

The hostages are free.

That's amazing news!
That's-- Hold on.

Everybody! Listen to this!

Marianne,
say what you just said to me.

For the last hour,
we've been hearing gunshots.

A few minutes ago,
the shooting suddenly stopped.

Then a man
from Hans Klein's office

came up from the airport

and said
the hostages are all free.

- Is this confirmed?
- I don't know, Geoff.

People here are celebrating.

Everyone is--

Hello?

Check the Germans. ZDF. Now.

I don't know
what they're saying,
but they sound damn happy.

- Turn that up. Right there.
- I have to go.

- No, no, no. Stay on the line.
- Everyone wants this phone.

I need you
to translate something.
Okay? Translate this.

He says it, too.
They're all free.

ZDF is saying
that they're all free.

Then have Jim announce it.

Yeah, I'm gonna check
with Marv, okay?

Hold on.

Marv?

Yeah. We're watching it.

- Is... is it confirmed?
- Not yet.

I see Klein's press staff
on the phone.

It seems that
they have serious doubts.

Don't air it yet.
Wait for the confirmation.

Marv says
that it's not confirmed yet.

Then we have Jim
use the phrase,

"as we're hearing."

Look, Marv,
we... we're gonna go with it.

Uh, but we're gonna use
the phrase "as we're hearing."

Where's Roone?
Let me talk to him.

Geoff, don't air it.
We need two confirmed sources.

Marv, we have to go now.

If we air it,
then everybody else will.

So what? We let CBS
or NBC take the scoop?

This isn't a competition.

Wait for confirmation.

Geoff? Do you read--

Jim.

We... we're getting good news.

It sounds like
all the hostages are free.

But we need to use the phrase
"as we are hearing," okay?

And...

As we are hearing now,

it appears that the Germans
were able to free all hostages,

but we don't know just yet
what exactly happened there.

Everybody's reporting it now.

They're all just following
our lead.

Then it's good
we got it out there first.

Yeah, you know,
Klein can't even find

the guy at the fence
who broke this.

We're talking worldwide news

based on the word
of one mysterious man,

no one has been able to confirm.
Oh, come on.

Roone wanted me
to get it out there.
No, no, no.

Geoff, Geoff, no.
You pulled the trigger.

Not Roone!
It's on ZDF, Marvin!

That's German state television.

And this is ABC!

And I vouched for you, Geoff!
I vouched for you.

We never said it was a fact.
We used "as we are hearing."

Yeah, that's a fucking
technicality, Geoff.

Geoff?

Geoff! Here.

It's official. They're free.

Let me see that!

Marv...
Yeah. Forg... forg... forget it.

It's Starger.

Cheers!

Cheers! Good work, everyone.

Cheers!
Good job, everyone.
Cheers.

Really good.

We're not done yet, though.

We need access to the cops
on the airfield.

I'm talking interviews,
behind the scenes,

anything like that.

And maybe we can even talk
to the hostages.

What?

He said that we've made
broadcast history.

Probably more people
have seen this

than watch Armstrong land
on the moon.

So, you're gonna get
a big bonus.

I need a fucking drink.

- You?
- Yeah. Oh, yeah.

Mason on deck?
Yeah.

- That kid's good.
- Right?

Yeah.

Lehayim.

Now in our studio

is Chancellor Brandt's
press secretary, Conrad Ahlers.

It's an honor...
Ahlers is here.

When was it agreed,
do you know,

to allow the guerrillas to go

from the building
to the helicopters?

Well, just two hours ago.

But of course,
that was part of the game.

We never meant to let them go
free out of this country.

I'm very glad
that as far as we can see now,

this police action
was successful.

- "As far as we can see"?
- Of course,

it's an unfortunate...
What is that?

...interruption
of the Olympic Games,

but, I mean,
if all that comes out

as we hope it will come out.

- "As we hope"?
- I think it will be forgotten

after a few weeks.

And if the reports,
as we hear them, are true,

the Games will continue
probably by tomorrow.

Well, I'm quite sure,

and you must understand
that for us Germans,

it was a tragic situation

that all this happened
to Jewish people.

You know, after all our past,

of course it was our main...

our main idea
to get these Israelis free,

otherwise, you know...

...some of the old memories
might have come back.

That doesn't sound right. Hmm?

I think the people
of the world are well aware

that those volunteers...
Can I use your phone?

...who were trying to free
the Israelis today were Germans.

Yes, I hope
that they don't forget.

That they won't forget it.

Thank you very much,
Mr. Secretary.

I appreciate you taking the time
to talk to us.
Thank you very much.

And we're clear.

Any word
from the airport police?

- Can't get through.
- Same here.

- Been on hold for 20 minutes.
- How about the hostages?

Don't you think
we should give them a break?

Maybe.

Guys,
what about the bus drivers,

helicopter pilots? Come on,
we gotta get creative here,

we have a story to tell.

Let me talk to Hans.

Why can't I--
Please understand,
we can't confirm anything yet.

What do you mean?

Conrad Ahlers just announced
it on live television.

In our studio.

The office is not corroborating
with others.

Shooting is still going on.

What'd you just say?

There's still shooting
going on at the airport.

There's still shooting
at the airport!
What?

We were wrong. There's still
shooting at the airport.
Who's shooting?

Jim has to go on air
and say something.

I know it wasn't true!

'Cause I got
a fucking TV set too!

Just tell me what happened!

Jim, Peter.
Listen, this is gonna be tough.

Hans, I'm asking you.
I'm asking you as a friend.

Please just tell me
what happened.

The latest word
we get from the airport

is that, quote, "All of Hell
has broken loose out there,"

that there's still
shooting going on,

that there's a report
of a burning helicopter,

but all seems to be confusion.
Nothing is nailed down.

We have no idea
what's happened to the hostages.

But one of the men, by the way,
who was a hostage,

as far as we know,
is still alive.
Roone.

David Berger,

who went to Columbia University.
Geoff.

Uh, he was
the only American-born member...
Hallway. Please.

...of the Israeli team
that was being held captive.

Uh, he was a weightlifter,

moved to Israel
just about two years ago.

Well,
we'll keep you up to date...

Stay with it.

What happened?

All... all of them.

What if this
is just a rumor?

We don't-- What did they say?

They said
that there were gunshots.

Did they--
Klein heard it

from three separate sources.

It's over.

It's bullshit.

We still have a team out there.
They haven't even called us yet.

We... we have to do some--

We'll send another team
out there.

I'll go with them this time.

And we have to get this right.

This is our chance
to get it right, Roone.

- Come on.
- Geoff.

Marianne is on the phone.

Yeah. Marianne?

Okay, thank you.

Cam one, close on Jim. Only Jim.

Jim?

...- so many, um, other people.
- All the hostages are dead.

It's over.

Ready one.

Take one.

I've just gotten
the final word.

When I was a kid,
my father used to say,

"Our greatest hopes
and our worst fears

are seldom realized."

Our worst fears
have been realized tonight.

They've now said
that there were 11 hostages.

Two were killed
in their rooms...

this morn-- yesterday morning.

Nine were killed
at the airport tonight.

They're all gone.

But it's all over.

The Israeli Olympic team
is destroyed.

Much of it.

But what will happen
to the Games

of the 20th Olympiad?

None of us know
what will happen to...

...the course of world history.

We don't know.

Hey. You all right?

Uh...

Mm. No, um...

Innocent people died in Germany.
Again.

And we failed. Germany failed.

Marianne,
I'm sorry I sent you out there.

I can only imagine
the things you saw.

Uh, I saw nothing.

I... I was there
with hundreds of people,

we stared into the night.

We were waiting
for something to happen,

because we wanted
to take a picture of it.

Uh, Geoff?
Roone would like a word.

See you tomorrow.

Yeah.

Hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Hang on one second.

There's gonna be a commemoration
at the stadium tomorrow

at 10:00 a.m.

I got us the bird.

Jim and Jennings
are gonna anchor

and I want you to be in charge.

I know
it might not feel like it,

but you did
a hell of a job today.

But...

But it was a catastrophe.

Get some rest.

Roone?

We need to talk about
a one-hour special for tomorrow.

Okay. I'll call you right back.

And I have an approach.

We take a flash unit out
to the airport.

Helicopters will still be there.

We'll see them in daylight.
Well, what's left of them.

All right. Well, they've seen the movie now, guys,

and, uh, they're probably shaking it off right now.

Congratulations again on, on this achievement,

and there's so many things to talk about with it.

But, uh, let me just start with you, Tim.

You're the director, obviously, and co-writer.

And how did this idea come about?

Because we've seen so many things on this subject, um,

you know, before Oscar winning documentaries, Munich, uh,

Steven Spielberg's film from different points of view.

But what was it about this that made the time right

to tell this particular story?

Uh, yes. I'm very glad to answer that.

Uh, first I want to take a moment to maybe, um, know

that maybe a lot of people from LA are also watching

to acknowledge the situation there.

And, uh, we see it here from, even see it from the outside.

It's so, um, devastating.

So I can only imagine what it means if you live in the city

and you know, many people that are affected by this fire

and, and this tragedy, um, since I, I've been a child,

like Hollywood is like the dream right?

Of, of my, of as a filmmaker.

But I've never got to know the city really well.

But now, I, I, with this touring with the film, I met

so many people and I realized why this is the mecca

of cinema because there are

so many passionate people about the arts of cinema.

And so it's, yeah.

And to see that now that stabbing the heart of that city,

it's, it's, uh, devastating.

Well, thank you for that.

And yeah, everybody is affected, but they're resilient

and, uh, we're gonna get through it.

Uh, you know, this happens all over the world.

These, these human events that are just

so extraordinary and to watch yes.

People, you know, come to things where they weren't prepared

for this and then really go into action is what this Yes.

This movie really shows, which must have been

what intrigued you about doing it.

Absolutely. I mean, I first came in touch

with the subject when watching, um,

Kevin McDonald's wonderful documentary that I'm sure you,

you've seen, um, uh, one day in September, um,

that I saw as a teenager still when I was in my hometown in

Basel cinema, in the cinema was actually produced by a bar.

So producer Arthur Cohen.

And then I studied in Munich and the Munich even. Yeah.

The stories differently present, I would say.

And I was always interested in that subject.

And then the 50th anniversary actually was coming closer.

We were starting to worry, uh, talking about it in 2022.

And after my two first movies, I finally felt ready to start

to think about doing something about that day

because I was always interested in it.

Me and Moritz and the producers, we started to quite broadly

research on what happened on that day,

and then learned more and more what we didn't know

before, what an important role the media actually played on

that day, and that it was a turning point in media history.

And then the all deciding moment was a conversation

that we had with Jeffrey Mason, that's the character played

by John Magaro in the movie you just saw.

Um, and yeah, Moritz and I had, uh,

and the producers were also involved.

We had a very creative team of producers, um,

in a Zoom call, just like this one.

Um, and thought like, it's gonna be like we, we were glad

to find an eyewitness, talk to him,

what happened a little bit.

I thought this will be like a 10, 20 minute zoom call.

And it was like a two hours almost zoom call or so.

And afterwards, it was really interesting to listen

what they experienced and what challenges they, they faced.

We learned so many new things, for example,

that the police came in the studio, into the studio,

something that we didn't know

and tell them to out off the cameras.

And that was the first time that we then thought like, okay,

you know what, maybe it would be interesting

to tell the story entirely from that perspective.

Yeah. And, and so well done, Moritz.

Let me ask you about that.

Since you, you researched it all

and found your way into a story that, you know,

people may see September five and just see brief things.

Oh, it's about the Munich Olympics and that,

and think they've seen it.

That the key thing for me,

and now that this group that we're talking

to here has just seen the film, no, that's not true.

We have not seen this story ever.

This, yeah, that was exactly my feeling too, when we, uh,

first talked to Jeffrey Mason,

because, you know, he, uh, he talked us

through his 22 hours in, in a way that I've never heard

before, like, like this, this, this rush on that day,

the questions that they came up that day.

And we immediately had the feeling we're,

we are hearing this story for the first time.

And we were so, like, research wise, we were so lucky

because it was such a life changing day that day

for everybody involved.

So there were a lot of people writing about that day,

like in biographies or scientific papers.

So the research material was very rich and very detailed,

and we found so many aspects in there that we thought

that were never been before.

It was a life changing thing, not just for those involved,

uh, there, but for the news business.

This was the first time really you saw a live event going

out globally like that in real time.

This was a monumental turning point for television. Yeah.

I, I wanna add, yeah, even

before the tragedy happened, the Munich games were that

because it was the first Olympics on turmoil, uh, uh,

since 36, which was misuse for fascist propaganda,

and they had a new mission, Germany, they wanted

to send out this, this image of the new liberal

post-war Germany, actually in our film.

That, that, that, that state of mind is represented

by the character of Leoni Banish.

And for that, they had set up cameras everywhere,

and it was also the first broadcast, uh, uh,

Olympic broadcast that could go globally to, they were live,

uh, satellite broadcast before,

but not globally, where it has been perceived by

so many countries.

And the, the venues were designed for optimal TV coverage,

and then that whole apparatus had to make that switch

Just extraordinary.

And to see what you've done, I wanna ask Hans Jork,

who is the film editor here, who did an extraordinary job

and has received many awards already on it, um,

had a real interesting task here, not just to cut

what you shot, but all this archival footage.

Jim McKay is not played by an actor.

Jim McKay is played by Jim McKay, essentially here,

and you're merging all of this.

Talk about the challenges on sjo of this particular film

and all those moving parts of it.

Yeah, the, uh, um, the challenge, uh, was the, the

sheer abundance of footage we had.

They, they shot a lot of footage.

Plus, as you mentioned it, uh, we had all

that archival footage, uh,

and we had to bring that together.

The footage was shot, like, like, uh, news, uh,

reporters team would shoot.

Um, and, uh, we mixed it with the archive archival footage.

And, uh, talking about Jim McKay, we, uh, uh,

ba basically we treated him as a, as a, a character in,

in our film, like as an, as an actor.

Uh, the, the only difference was that, uh, we,

we didn't have different takes from him

because we just had the original broadcast tapes, uh, and,

and not, uh, all the cameras,

but just what went out that day.

So, uh, they frequently cut away from him,

so we didn't have everything on him.

Uh, we had to build the cut around it,

but it, it worked out pretty well

because it, it was also, uh, an integral part

of the script already.

So we knew, uh, what, what we could use, what we had.

The only challenge, uh, uh, uh, for, for, for that point was

that we weren't sure to get the rights

until two weeks prior to shooting.

Wow. So we were lucky, uh, to, to, uh,

got that secured.

Oh my God. A producer's nightmare. Moritz, I imagine here.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But, but, but, uh, we always, I mean,

we talked always about a plan B, but,

but I think we never had a plan B

because we, we were, so we really wanted to have like,

the original footage, because Tim

and I always say like, the best lines in the script

weren't written by us.

It was just Jimmy Kay reacting in that situation, in

that moment, um, like he does.

And it was so extraordinary what he did that day.

So we really wanted to get that original footage

included into the, the script and then the, the film.

Yeah. And it, it, it adds a lot of, um,

authenticity to the film.

Um, which, uh, if if we had to reenact it, uh, him with,

with an actor, it, it would've taken away a lot of that.

So we were very, very, uh, lucky to, to, uh, get the rights.

Yeah. I think that's why this film has gotten such

attention because it, of your approach to doing it,

it isn't just a recreation and something like that.

We feel like we're there.

Um, the audience, it, it's a unique talent.

I know it's not easy, um, to do that, to do

that on a real event,

but also to make it play like a suspense thriller.

I was on the edge of my seat watching this movie.

Yeah. That, that was our ultimate goal.

Uh, but, but I, I must say, as the editor, the, the, uh,

script was a, a page turner already.

And, and my biggest fear was, uh, that, that I won't be able

to translate that into, to the, uh, final film.

Uh, but apparently, uh, uh, it, it worked out.

And we spent a lot of time getting that, uh, that

nail biting, clock ticking feeling.

Right. But we also, uh, spend a lot

of time in getting the emotional beats of the story.

Right. And, and that, that was equally a challenge.

Jeffrey Mason actually something he said, set the tone

for us as the writers on how the script should feel,

that it should have that feeling of a rush

that they were also in.

And the reflection only comes afterwards.

That's how Deformation told us how it felt for them.

And also, we didn't want to have any personal arcs

or stories too much distracting for that.

We wanted it to make it very much a movie

or a script about people in their professional environment.

Yeah. And Jeffrey Mason obviously is still alive.

Uh, many of them aren't.

Roone Arledge and other key figures here

that Roone Arledge have played, uh, really brilliantly

by Peter sars Garden

and Jeffrey by John Magaro, who's just so good in this role.

And I've just started to notice

that he's in every movie I'm seeing lately.

Uh, but you know, this movie really, all

of a sudden I go like, wow.

He, he's been hiding in plain sight as a major actor.

Yeah. Also, what he did, I think like,

because we together went to many control rooms of sport,

of sports broadcasts today in New York, for example,

we observed, um, for example, uh, basketball games

or so that they broadcast just to see how the dynamics are.

And I think you can tell that John study it.

I mean, I even observed that, you know,

that these directors in these rooms,

they have a very special way of

behaving almost like a conductor with their pens

to the monitor wall.

And he studied that.

And I think I, I, I really, yeah,

when I see the performance, I can tell

that this is the real, this feels real

because he saw these people in their environment.

Some of the background actors are actually then people from,

from these rooms that we did then end up casting for,

for background, because Oh, is that right?

Wow. In the background. Should have been, yes.

And from from Germany though, uh, from Ger, I also went to,

uh, German control rooms.

And it's just, they have this very specific behavior.

And at the same time, they could also help us always observe

if everything is more or less accurate.

Even though technology has changed, it's still the same

how they did the basic structures.

I also wanna compliment you on the fact

that you use subtitles in this.

The Germans are German.

The, they're speaking German Leone's, uh, character is, is

so real as a key person for this group, uh,

of television professionals that she has to really interpret

so much for them 'cause they don't speak the language.

I thought that was interesting, that choice.

'cause so many movies in the past, you know,

they all speak English or something and it wouldn't work.

But the way this was done, was

that always the way it was gonna be more, it's, uh,

the way you approach this?

Yeah, I think that was a crucial thing that day that they,

uh, like, I mean the, the, the character of, uh,

Mariani Gipa is based on many characters that they, so, um,

there were like, um, translators like her that helped out,

but there, there, I think the a, BC crew crew,

they grabbed almost every German they could grab that day.

They even grabbed like, uh, Ish's driver to,

to do some translations or getting the info.

So she's like a combination of all the, those characters,

because it's about information.

It's about getting something done that was never done

before while doing it.

And, um, I think that that was like a very interesting part,

or a very interesting aspect that we told in her character.

And the other interesting aspect we really wanted

to show is this, this high hope

of a new generation in Germany that puts so much hope in

that new serene games and that image.

And we're so eager, like Tim said, to show a new,

a new liberal phase of Germany to the world.

And then seeing that getting, like shattered that day

and the whole Serene games.

And we really wanted to tell that as well.

I kind of channel channeled my parents in,

in Mariani gi part and, and their generation,

because I was born in Munich.

And so yeah, that was, I think, a very complex character,

but Leoni then brought her to life so

that she feels like a human being.

Yeah. And, and this, you being German

and writing this story

and everything, it meant a lot to you.

That meant a, a great deal to me. Yeah.

Because, because, um, as someone being born in Munich, uh,

this story was around for like always in, in my family.

My parents attended the, the games as,

as just as spectators.

But, but, uh, yeah, it's, um,

I think it's a very important story.

But the, the role

of the media brings another layer in that story.

And the interesting thing is that all those questions

that they ask themselves that day, the journalists are now

in some way, like questions we all have

to ask ourselves when we have like a

smartphone and social media.

Uh, suddenly it's, it's questions for everybody now.

Yeah. It, it is.

And you know, it's getting this, that's what also makes this

so pertinent the way we are seeing media now

and misinformation

and that snap judgment of what you have to tell, uh,

that goes out, that people are going to believe.

And it's gotten, it's gone downhill, quite frankly,

you know, from the standards that we used to see here.

And, uh, this movie is a, is a lesson

in showing the importance of that, uh, going, going through.

And also, I loved Hans Jorg.

I gotta ask you, all the equipment, everything

that was recreated here in this thing is authentic as well,

right down to the editing machines and everything. Yeah,

Yeah. It, it is

like our, our production designer, uh,

Julian Wagner collected every literary, everything Tim can,

uh, uh, know, knows it better For me, myself,

it was a travel back in time

because the, the flatbed editing table you see in the film,

uh, uh, what was still in,

in function in the early nineties when I started

as, as an editor.

And, and I even cut my first four films on

a machine like that.

So I was very familiar with, with the way it,

it it was working and I,

I could help the actors a little bit or,

or what I saw on the footage.

I, I, uh, I pretty much, uh, knew very well how

to put it together, uh, that it actually was working.

That is hilarious. And

so it's like a nostalgic, uh, editing.

Yeah. Yeah, it is. Yeah.

I also, in, in film school, still had to edit my,

the first film on, on Steam Beck.

And I wanna add Pete to what you just said about, about

how our movie might be a lesson.

I think in a way, our movie is also very much about

how technology has an influence on the media

and what we are experienced right now.

We don't even know now. Everything is getting fast.

And as you said, every everyone has a, a TV

and a camera in their pocket,

and we don't even know yet what that means.

And we wanted to show

how back then also technology had an influence

and on, on how a world event was perceived.

Mm-hmm. And it's, it's all also like, like a,

a structural element of, of the story.

Like the, the fact that they, they are waiting

for the pictures.

And we, we have so much talking about the events

before they are actually be able, uh, are able

to show the first, uh, 16 millimeter footage

because that has, has to be brought into the studio.

It has to be developed.

Uh, uh, and, and,

and then they, they were able to, to, uh, show it.

And, and we use that as a, a structural element,

uh, to the film.

And when we, uh, show the, uh, the first image of the Mask,

man, uh, it's the first time we, we, we show the

archival footage on in full screen to, to give that impact.

And it's so loaded, uh, at, at the time, uh,

of the movie then.

So. Amazing. Well, thank you so much for, uh,

sharing the Secrets of the making of September five

and best of luck as it now opens wide all over the country

here in the world, uh,

everyone's getting a chance to see it.

And we are so happy that we got a chance, uh,

tonight on the Deadline Virtual screening series.

Thanks guys. Pete,

Thank you so much.

Thank you very much. Thanks.