History Film / BriansSong

The new arrangement works well for a season, but then Piccolo's weight starts dropping and his 40-yard dash time slows down. The coach sticks with him as the starter for a little while longer, but then his performance starts to suffer on the field, he wheezes on the sidelines complaining of allergies, and he is benched. Halas wonders whether Piccolo has an injury he isn't revealing or if family troubles are affecting his mentality and emotions. Then it turns out that he actually has a tumor in his right lung, has to have surgery, and will probably never play football again. The two friends' prior roles are reversed as Sayers sticks with his friend through the rehab, but then it is discovered that the tumors are spreading and a second operation will be required....

They end up becoming great friends, although Sayers is the star and Piccolo rarely plays. But after Sayers injures his leg, Piccolo is given the starter role and puts up great numbers, while constantly visiting his injured friend to push Sayers through rehab -- Piccolo knowing he himself will become a better player if he has to compete with a healthy, fully-recovered Sayers. With a dilemma over whom to play, coach George Halas decides to switch Piccolo to fullback -- even though he's undersized for the position -- and keep the speedier Sayers at halfback, [[TakeAThirdOption so they can both start.]]

They end up becoming great friends, although Sayers is the star and Piccolo rarely plays. But after Sayers injures his leg, Piccolo is given the starter role and puts up great numbers, while constantly visiting his injured friend to push Sayers through rehab -- Piccolo knowing he himself will become a better player if he has to compete with a healthy, fully-recovered Sayers. With a dilemma over whom to play, coach George Halas decides to switch Piccolo to fullback, even though he's undersized for the position, and keep the speedier Sayers at halfback, [[TakeAThirdOption so they can both start.]]

They end up becoming great friends, although Sayers is the star and Piccolo rarely plays. But after Sayers injures his leg, Piccolo is made the starter and puts up great numbers, while constantly visiting his injured friend to push Sayers through rehab -- Piccolo knowing he himself will become a better player if he has to compete with a healthy, fully-recovered Sayers. With a dilemma over whom to play, coach George Halas decides to switch Piccolo to fullback, even though he's undersized for the position, and keep the speedier Sayers at halfback, [[TakeAThirdOption so they can both start.]]

They end up becoming great friends, although Sayers is the star and Piccolo rarely plays. But after Sayers injures his leg, Piccolo becomes the starter and puts up great numbers, while constantly visiting his injured friend to push Sayers through rehab -- Piccolo knowing he himself will become a better player if he has to compete with a healthy, fully-recovered Sayers. With a dilemma over whom to play, coach George Halas decides to switch Piccolo to fullback, even though he's undersized for the position, and keep the speedier Sayers at halfback, [[TakeAThirdOption so they can both start.]]

Caan and Williams respectively play Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers, two star running backs in college (Piccolo led the nation in rushing and scoring during his senior year) who are both rookies for the Bears and thus competing for the same position. Piccolo is a loud, goofy extrovert and Sayers very softspoken and reserved, but after getting on each other's nerves with a couple of pranks early in their career, they are asked to room together (since the team is going to room by position), and become the first white and black players in team history to share a room.

They end up becoming great friends even though Sayers is the star and Piccolo rarely plays. Then Sayers badly injures his leg and Piccolo becomes the starter and puts up great numbers, while constantly visiting his injured friend to push Sayers through rehab -- Piccolo knowing he himself will become a better player if he has to compete with a healthy, fully-recovered Sayers. With a dilemma over whom to play, coach George Halas decides to switch Piccolo to fullback, even though he's undersized for the position, and keep the speedier Sayers at halfback, [[TakeAThirdOption so they can both start.]]

* SaltAndPepper: Piccolo and Sayers, when they become roommates.

They end up becoming great friends even though Sayers is the star and Piccolo rarely plays. Then Sayers badly injures his leg and Piccolo becomes the starter and puts up great numbers, while constantly visting his injured friend to push Sayers through rehab -- Piccolo knowing he himself will become a better player if he has to compete with a healthy, fully-recovered Sayers. With a dilemma over whom to play, coach George Halas decides to switch Piccolo to fullback, even though he's undersized for the position, and keep the speedier Sayers at halfback, [[TakeAThirdOption so they can both start.]]

-> This is ''Film/{{Beaches}}'' for men.
--> -- [[WebVideo/GloveAndBoots Fafa the Groundhog]]

''Brian's Song'' is a 1971 MadeForTVMovie starring Creator/BillyDeeWilliams, Creator/JamesCaan, and several members of the actual [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague Chicago Bears football team]]. Caan and Williams respectively play Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers, two star running backs in college (Piccolo led the nation in rushing and scoring during his senior year) who are both rookies for the Bears and thus competing for the same position. Piccolo is a loud, goofy extrovert and Sayers very softspoken and reserved, but after getting on each other's nerves with a couple of pranks early in their career, they are asked to room together (since the team is going to room by position), and become the first white and black players in team history to share a room.

They end up becoming great friends even though Sayers is the star and Piccolo rarely plays. Then Sayers badly injures his leg and Piccolo becomes the starter and puts up great numbers, while constantly visting his injured friend to push Sayers through rehab - Piccolo knowing he himself will become a better player if he has to compete with a healthy, fully-recovered Sayers. With a dilemma over whom to play, coach George Halas decides to switch Piccolo to fullback, even though he's undersized for the position, and keep the speedier Sayers at halfback, [[TakeAThirdOption so they can both start.]]

There is a 2001 remake of this movie starring Mekhi Phifer, and Sean Maher. It was shown on television under the [[Series/WaltDisneyPresents The Wonderful World of Disney]] anthology.

* InfantImmortality: Averted; let's just say Brian isn't the only person with a terminal disease in the movie.

* {{Novelization}}: Subverted - rather than turn it into a novel, [[Series/StarskyAndHutch William]] [[{{Roots}} Blinn]]'s Emmy-winning teleplay was published in book form.

''Brian's Song'' is a 1971 MadeForTVMovie starring Billy Dee Williams, Creator/JamesCaan, and several members of the actual [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague Chicago Bears football team]]. Caan and Williams respectively play Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers, two star running backs in college (Piccolo led the nation in rushing and scoring during his senior year) who are both rookies for the Bears and thus competing for the same position. Piccolo is a loud, goofy extrovert and Sayers very softspoken and reserved, but after getting on each other's nerves with a couple of pranks early in their career, they are asked to room together (since the team is going to room by position), and become the first white and black players in team history to share a room.

* BlackBestFriend: Sayers to Piccolo, although this isn't a standard use of the trope because the film focuses on both characters equally rather than making the white guy the "main character" and the black guy "the friend". But the implications of having a best friend and roommate of another race during 1960s America are touched on, even though it never shows either man actually experiencing racist remarks from anyone else over the issue.

''Brian's Song'' is widely considered one of the best [[MadeForTVMovie made-for-TV flicks]] ever made, as well as one of the few films during which it is completely acceptable, even expected, for grown men to [[TearJerker weep]] [[ManlyTears openly]]. There is a 2001 remake of this movie starring Mekhi Phifer, and Sean Maher. It was shown on television under the [[WaltDisneyPresents The Wonderful World of Disney]] anthology.

* PlayingAgainstType: Audiences who identify Billy Dee Williams with the popularized image of the suave, debonair, smooth-talking, supercool [[ChickMagnet ladies man]] will be shocked to see his subdued performance in his portrayal of Sayers who was shy, quiet and reserved.

* ThrowItIn: James Caan decided on a whim to literally stick his tongue in his cheek in a few scenes, not knowing this was a real habit of Piccolo's. He found out when Brian's wife asked him how he knew.

They end up becoming great friends even though Sayers is the star and Piccolo rarely plays. Then Sayers badly injures his leg and Piccolo puts up great numbers in his absence, while simultaneously visting Sayers constantly to push Sayers through rehab, knowing he himself will become a better player if he has to compete with a healthy, fully-recovered Sayers. With a dilemma over whom to play, coach George Halas decides to switch Piccolo to fullback, even though he's undersized for the position, and keep the speedier Sayers at halfback, [[TakeAThirdOption so they can both start.]]

''Brian's Song'' is a 1971 MadeForTVMovie starring Billy Dee Williams, Creator/JamesCaan, and several members of the actual [[AmericanFootball Chicago Bears football team]]. Caan and Williams respectively play Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers, two star running backs in college (Piccolo led the nation in rushing and scoring during his senior year) who are both rookies for the Bears and thus competing for the same position. Piccolo is a loud, goofy extrovert and Sayers very softspoken and reserved, but after getting on each other's nerves with a couple of pranks early in their career, they are asked to room together (since the team is going to room by position), and become the first white and black players in team history to share a room.