| In the Book |
In the Movie |
|
Eddie had a knee infection at age 11 with required numerous casts on his leg and 4 months in the hospital. |
Eddie is shown with a leg brace on his left leg for a period of time for an unspecified injury/condition. |
|
Eddie goes into detail about his teenage skiing days on snow and artificial surfaces. |
Not much detail is shown other than a wall of awards and some of his days as a novice.
|
|
Eddie was an accomplished speed skier and diver. He also enjoyed stunt skiing. |
Not mentioned in the movie. |
|
Eddie was offered a job as a ski instructor in Austria based on his performance on the artificial slope in Gloucester. This was prior to school graduation (O level). He turned down the offer. |
No job offer.
|
|
Eddie went to work (age 18) with the Schools Abroad organization at the Italian resort of Coile di Tenda. |
This does not happen. |
|
Eddie hones his downhill racing skills in Italy. He challenges Nino Viale, a local champion to a race with the prize of asking June, the company rep, out on a date. He seriously injures his back in a crash. |
This does not happen, June and Nino do not appear in the movie. Eddie's most serious injury is during his first 40 meter jump where he ends up in the hospital.
|
|
During his three years in Italy working Eddie acted as a popular unofficial skiing instructor. |
Eddie is never shown as a skiing instructor. |
|
Eddie was denied a spot on the English Team because he was accused of setting a bad example to other skiers and bring the sport into disrepute. |
Eddie is shown being rejected by a team after he accidentally falls and knocks down the team while they are standing in a line in front of sponsors.
|
|
After being rejected by the English Team, Eddie decides to try out fr the British Team. His mother also tells him to try for the Olympics. |
While Eddies parents are supportive and pay for his skiing, they are not as supportive as in the book. |
|
Eddie's parents bought him a camper van to drive around Europe while competing. |
He is seen taking his dad's van without permission to go on tour.
|
|
Members of Eddie's family sometimes join him on the road between ski meets. |
His family is never with him during the skiing tours. |
|
Eddie gets involved in a stunt with him on skies strapped to the top of a fast car but fails to set a speed record due to an inadequate straightaway. |
Eddie is shown training as a jumper while on top of his van while his coach drives.
|
|
in 1985 Eddie went to Lake Placid to train in downhill skiing as it was easier to place near the top and qualify in the USA than in Europe. |
Eddie never goes to Lake Placid. |
|
While in Lake Placid Eddie realizes he can't afford to continue to prepare for a place on a downhill ski team so he switches to ski jumping as the jump ramps are free to use. |
Eddie decides to learn to ski jump while in England after he is rejected by their downhill ski team.
|
|
Eddie starts out on the 10 meter jump in Lake Placid, falling several times on his face.After he masters the landings on the 10 meter ramp he goes on to the 15 meter ramp. |
Eddie starts out on the 15 meter ramp in Europe where it takes him several attempts to land properly. |
|
The same day Eddie masters the 15 meter ramp he goes on to the 40 meter ramp which he finds to be not hard at all. He then decides to use the 70 meter ramp but Jay Rand tells him not to as he lacks experience. Eddie goes back to the 40 meter under the watchful eye of John Viskome who gives him valuable pointers. |
Eddie decides to use the 40 meter jump while Bronson Peary (fictional person) watches. Eddie crashes and badly injures himself, ending up in the hostipal with unspecified injuries.
|
|
Eddie enters a Nodic Combined event in Lake Placid but is only able to do the downhill and jumping portion as he lack any cross country gear. |
Eddie is never shown entering a Nordic Combined event. |
|
Eddie goes to Switzerland to work and train. He trains on the 60 meter jump receiving lots of help and advice from others. |
Eddie only ever receives coaching and advice from a single person throughout the movie.
|
|
During Eddie's first time on the 90 meter ramp in Switzerland he backs down and goes back to the 60 meter ramp. He later gets up the nerve to jump regularly from the 90 meter ramp. |
Eddie's first time on any 90 meter ramp is during the Calgary Olympics. This would never be allowed at the games. |
|
Eddie is the fortunate recipient of equipment from other friendly jumpers and is able to completely outfit himself due to their generous nature. |
Eddie is shown stealing equipment with his coach.
|
|
Eddie is sponsored by Fred Coombes, 5000 pounds. |
Eddie never receives any sponsorship prior to the Olympics. |
|
Eddie injured his knee (requiring surgery) while jumping in poor conditions in a competition in Germany. |
No knee injures.
|
|
Eddie received lots of publicity as the only British person representing the ski jumping world in European competitions prior to the 1988 Olympics. |
No recognition for Eddie until the Olympic games. |
|
At a competition in Norway where the competition was at a high level, the officials bent the rules a bit and let Eddie start a bit higher on the ramp, they even gave him a push. |
No advantages given to Eddie.
|
|
Geir Hammer, a Norwegian coach was a great help to Eddie while training in 1987 in Switzerland. Eddie jumped a personal best of 91 meters during practice. |
The Norwegian coach depicted was an obstacle to Eddie's progress and provided no help at all. |
|
Eddie talks about various girlfriends he had over the years. |
No girlfriends for Eddie, I think he was a nun. :)
|
|
Eddie is invited to train in Finland with their national squad. |
Does not happen. Eddie does not train with any other ski jumpers. |
|
The British Ski Association required that Eddie jump at least 71 meters to qualify for the Olympics. It was not a surprise. |
He was required to jump 61 meters. This was told to him after he had assumed he qualified by being the only ski jumper on the British team.
|
|
Eddie qualified with a 71 meter jump while training in Finland and living at a mental hospital. |
He qualified with a 61 meter jump in Germany. |
|
Eddie has lots of attention from the press upon his arrival at Calgary due to his competition in Europe and setting British jumping records. |
Eddie doesn't receive much attention until he completes his first jump and hops around in glee in the landing area.
|
|
Eddie does't do anything he needs to apologize for. |
After Eddies coach criticizes him for his antics, Eddie apologizes in front of the press. |
|
This doesn't happen. |
The other British athletes at the Games treat Eddie poorly and haze him.
|
|
Eddie received 600 pounds (after the Olympics) from the British Olympic Association for Games preparation. Eddie had to pay his own way to Calgary Canada via the USA where he did additional training. |
Eddie is shown traveling with the British Olympic team to the Games. |
|
Eddie jumped with cameras attached to his body for an American camera crew. |
Did not happen.
|
|
Eddie met Princess Diana twice while in Calgary. |
This did not happen. |
|
Eddie's parents and sister borrowed money to go to Calgary to watch Eddie compete. |
Eddie's parents watched him on TV in England.
|
|
A press agent wrote "Eagle" on Eddie's helmet. |
Coach Bronson writes it. |
|
Today newspaper offered Eddie $10,000 for a photo of him with his girl friend, but he turned them down because of a news blackout he agreed to. |
No girl friend, no news blackout on Eddie.
|
|
Eddie had many 90 meter jumps and never hesitated. |
Eddie is shown to hesitate for a long time at the 90 meter jump; as it was his first time on the 90 meter ramp. |
|
After the 90 meter jump and prior to the closing ceremony Eddie appeared on the Tonight Show where he met Burt Reynolds. |
Did not happen.
|
|
The book ends in 1988 with Eddie describing the commercial deals he took and others he turned down. He goes on to say that he plans on training for the next Olympics. |
Eddie meets his parents at the airport in England among a large crowd of fans. |