The Flying Scotsman
Based on the remarkable true story of Scottish cyclist Graeme Obree. In 1993, and as an unemployed amateur, Obree broke the world one-hour record on a bike of his own revolutionary design, which he constructed out of scrap metal and parts of a washing machine. He went up against the sport's Governing body who kept on making rules to disqualify him, but his innovation kept him in front & won him 2 world titles. The film starts with Graeme Obree (Jonny Lee Miller) cycling into a wooded area preparing to hang himself; he has bipolar disorder. There is then a flashback to Obree's childhood, where he (Sean Brown) was physically attacked at school by other pupils, events which leave severe psychological scars. Bur Obree refuses to squeal the names of his tormentors to his parents. One day Obree is given a bicycle by his parents, and we see Obree evading the bullies on his bike. The adult Obree, living in Glasglow in 1993, is married to Anne (Laura Fraser) with a child and while competing in local races runs a failing cycle shop and having to supplement his income as a courier. A local rival runs a much more successful "Smart Cycles" shop exactly opposite to Obree's shop (which had items on clearance and is in a generally run-down shape). Graeme encounters Malky McGovern (Boyd), a fellow bike courier, who recognizes Graeme, and they become fast friends. An ex-minister turned boatyard owner Baxter (Brian Cox) befriends Obree. Baxter wanted his cycle repaired and walks into Obree's shop, despite its run-down condition. Obree challenges a local business owner to a race. The local owner was buying his cycles in a clearance sale for 200 pounds and Obree offers the cycles for free if the business owner reaches his destination in a van, before Obree reaches the destination on his cycle. If Obree beats him, he gets 300 pounds. Baxter witnesses how fast Obree is, even though he loses. Graeme narrowly beats the driver but the van steers into him. Obree loves to tinker with his bike, with new handle positions, sitting positions and such, to make it go faster. This ultimately results in Obree coming up with a daring idea - he's going to try and beat the hour record within the next 8 weeks. Baxter sees Obree stealing parts from Smart Cycles shop at night, but decides to help Obree instead, when he hears Obree's idea about how he would beat the world record. This is unlikely as Obree has neither the funding nor the machine required to take on such a record. Determined to succeed, he asks Malky to take over his management and fund-raising from his wife Anne who is overwhelmed with work and raising their child. Baxter turns out to be a boatyard owner and offers Graeme and Malky his yard to build a fitting bike. Graeme sets himself 8 weeks to build a bike, raise funds for the challenge, and pay for access to a fitting velodrome. The driving force for such a tight deadline is due to Chris Boardman's attempt to break the record in the 9th week. Obree is determined and constructs "Old Faithful", a revolutionary bicycle, designed by Obree for maximum efficiency. Modifications include pedals which are closer together, the width of a single banana. Also pedal gear made from the spinning drum of a washing machine since it has the best bearings of any equipment in the market. Malky is not impressed as the current world record bike took 500,000 pounds to develop and was designed on a computer. Obree argues that his bike is designed with the laws of physics and there is a scientific reason for every single part on it. With help from his friend Malky McGovern (Billy Boyd), who becomes his manager (& tries very hard to get some funding for Obree's attempt. Small local Scottish businesses agree to support Obree). Malky, Anne, and Graeme arrive in Norway for their attempt, and Graeme is derided by officials. Malky reveals to Graeme that he has had a proper bike built based on the prototype of Old Faithful. Graeme grudgingly agrees to use the new bike but his first attempt at the record proves to be a failure, and he comes up short. Graeme tells everyone he intends to go again as he has the velodrome booked for 24 hours. Due to the grueling nature of the 1-hour challenge, everyone cautions him against making a second attempt. Graeme devises a cunning way to prevent his body from seizing up and cramping and exercises throughout the night. The next morning, he and Anne sleep in and rush to find Malky, who unknown to Graeme has rebuilt the bike using Old Faithful's parts. Graeme embarks on his attempts and this time is successful in beating the record. However, his initial victory is short-lived, when his record is broken by Chris Boardman a week later. The Union Cycliste Internationale holds a meeting where they devise rules to discourage Obree from using his experimental bicycle in the future. They reckon people won't buy expensive bikes if world records can be broken on bikes made from household appliances. It is shown that on the night Obree breaks the record he is severely depressed. This is exacerbated when Boardman breaks the record and when Obree is confronted and taunted by the four bullies who had victimized him years earlier at school. Baxter attempts to counsel him, but Obree feels betrayed when he discovers that Baxter is the pastor of a local church and the younger Obree is agnostic towards religion. He recovers enough to compete in the Individual Pursuit World Championship in 1993, in which he uses his bicycle design again. The UCI officials begin rigorously enforcing the new ruling, penalizing him for riding in the "Tuck" stance that his bicycle design is intended to support. The physical and emotional exertion take their toll, and he crashes disastrously, breaking his arm. The plot then returns to the opening of the film. The rope Graeme attempts to use to hang himself breaks, and he is found by another cyclist who summons the authorities. Graeme initially resists treatment, until Baxter tells him about his wife, who also suffered from bipolar disorder and ultimately took her own life. At Graeme's request, his wife, Anne, a hospital nurse, agrees to help him begin treatment. Graeme later makes a comeback and regains the 1-hour record as well as his world title. The new bicycle configuration that he uses, which supports the "Superman" stance, is later banned by the UCI after eight riders win gold medals with it.
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