Line #21 Film/TheWorldsGreatestAthlete


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/worlds_greatest_athlete.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:A Nanu kind of athlete.]]
3	''The World's Greatest Athlete'' is a 1973 live-action Creator/{{Disney}} film about two college coaches, Sam Archer (John Amos) and his assistant Milo Jackson (Creator/TimConway). A series of coincidences sends the pair to Africa, where they catch sight of the Franchise/{{Tarzan}}-like Nanu (Creator/JanMichaelVincent), a man who can outrun a cheetah in full bound.
4
5	Seeing this, the men quickly attempt to recruit the young man for their college team, but are confronted by Nanu's godfather, Gazenga (Roscoe Lee Browne). Gazenga believes that allowing Nanu into the world of competitive United States college athletics might be too much for the young and impressionable man. Disappointed but persistent, Sam and Milo learn that among Nanu and Gazenga's people, when one man saves the life of another, he has to become that man's protectorate for the rest of their lives and must follow the man he saved wherever he goes. After a few failed attempts, Sam and Milo are able to trick Nanu into ''saving'' him, from a stomachache. With the deed done, all three men (plus one stowed away tiger) get on a plane and head back to the U.S.
6
7	Nanu then discovers how much he genuinely enjoys the sports Sam has him train in and tries to make history by winning every event at the NCAA Track & Field Championship.
8
9	----
10	!!This film provides examples of:
11
12	* AccidentalAthlete: Nanu grew up in the wild jungle, which was the perfect setting for training. He doesn't consider athletics until Sam discovers him.
13	* BookEnds: The film begins and ends with Sam and Milo discovering a promising young athlete in an exotic local, first Africa then China.
14	* ButtMonkey: Leopold Maxwell
15	* ChekhovsGun: The voodoo doll Milo comes across.
16	* ChekhovsSkill: While going about his daily life in the jungle, Nanu becomes very skilled at just about every kind of acrobatics.
17	* CoolOldGuy: Chief Gazenga
18	* ExtremeDoormat: Nanu can be like this at times.
19	* ExitPursuedByABear: Exit Pursued By A Tiger: Leopold is eventually chased down by Harry.
20	* {{Expy}}: Nanu shares a few obvious traits with Franchise/{{Tarzan}}.
21	* FishOutOfWater: Sam and Milo in Africa, later Nanu in America.
22	* FriendToAllLivingThings: Nanu
23	* GentleGiant: Nanu, and his pet tiger Harry.
24	* HiddenDepths: While Sam initially tricked Nanu into coming to America in order to finally coach an athlete who can win at ''something''. He seems to genuinely care for the young man when [[spoiler: Gazenga keeps interfering.]]
25	* HollywoodVoodoo: Gazenga's chief weapon, anything from the standard dolls (which he uses to hurt Nanu at points and make him fall behind on his run) to shrinking potions. Also backfires on him at one point, when Milo makes a Gazenga doll and doesn't think it's working. He doesn't notice that as he's shaking the doll around, he's flinging Gazenga several feet into the air.
26	* HulkSpeak: Nanu, no doubt played for laughs.
27	* IncredibleShrinkingMan: Poor Milo gets shrinked by Gazenga at one point.
28	* IOweYouMyLife: An interesting twist, apparently in Nanu's tribe if one man saves the life of another, he is then bond to that man for life. Basically, the rescuer goes wherever the rescue-y goes.
29	* JerkAss: Leopold
30	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Sam Archer turns out to be one.
31	* MightyWhitey: Nanu
32	* MisplacedWildlife: Tigers like Harry don't usually live in Africa.
33	* NatureHero: Nanu, his ''best friend'' happens to be a tiger.
34	* NewscasterCameo: Frank Gifford interviews Gazenga and Howard Cosell commentates on the NCAA Track & Field Championship.
35	* NosyNeighbor: While she's technically the landlady, Ms. Peterson qualifies. First time we see her she keeps glaring at Sam, Milo and Nanu like a scientist examining a petri dish. Admittedly she does have poor eyesight, but that doesn't excuse her creepy stalker-like demeanor as they walk by.
36	* NotSoAboveItAll: When Gazenga is greeted by Maxwell and Doctor Bellamy at the airport, Dr. Bellamy says something like [[InnocentlyInsensitive "We're looking forward to meeting a real witch doctor"]] or something to that effect. Instead of getting upset Gazenga smiles turns around for a moment and once he turns back to face the group again...he has a bone sticking out of his nose.
37	* PapaWolf: Nanu may not be his biological son, but that doesn't stop Gazenga from trying his best to protect him.
38	* RaisedByNatives: Nanu (the son of missionaries) was raised by Gazenga and his tribe.
39	* RuleOfFunny: Why does Nanu own a pet tiger, when tigers aren't native to Africa? Because it's funny! [[HandWave Nanu does explain that the tiger emigrated from India to Africa as a cub.]]
40	* SavedToEnslave: Inverted and [[InvokedTrope invoked]] -- when Archer realizes there is a social code that will bind Nanu to serve anyone whose life he saves, he pretends to be in mortal peril so that Nanu will have to 'rescue' him.
41	* ShoutOut: The UBC network from ''The Barefoot Executive'' makes a reappearance, covering Nanu's story.
42	* SpoiledBrat: Leopold Maxwell
43	* SurroundedByIdiots: Seems no matter what team he coached; Archer always got stuck with the most incompetent athletes possible.
44	* UndyingLoyalty: Milo is so dedicated to his head coach Archer that the moment Archer resigned as Merrivale College coach, Milo was more than happy to follow suit.
45	* WitchDoctor: Chief Gazenga
46	* WeirdnessCensor: Everyone, except the main characters are often oblivious to the fact that a tiger in a coat and hat happens to be sitting next to them.
47	* ZanyScheme: Archer and Jackson's elaborate plans to force Nanu into saving Archer's life. In the end they only pull it off by the skin of their teeth.

Context Film / TheWorldsGreatestAthlete