Is Marty Supreme based on a true story? Meet the actual man who inspired the film
Marty Reisman was was one of the greatest ping-pong champions of all time
The highly anticipated Marty Supreme releases in cinemas this week, but with the film drawing inspiration from the real life Marty Reisman, is it based on a true story? Let’s find out!
Is Marty Supreme based on a true story?
Marty Supreme is set in 1950s New York, and focuses around Marty Mauser who is chasing his dream of becoming the best ping-pong player in the world.
And whilst the film isn’t a biopic and not an exact re-telling of a true story, Marty Supreme does draw inspiration from Marty Reisman, who was a world famous ping-pong player.
Who was Marty Reisman?
Marty Reisman was a talented ping-pong player born in the 1930s, who started his career in the sports world as a child.
He told Forbes Life in 2005 that he first started playing ping-pong following a nervous breakdown when he was nine, saying: ” Ping-pong was the ultimate escape. My racket became a sensuous connection between the ball and my brain.”
Marty Reisman then became a junior ping-pong champion when he was just a teenager, earning himself the nickname, The Needle. He became well known for his high-speed forehand shot, and his signature red sneakers and fedoras.
Marty had a long ping-pong career, winning 22 national an international championships between 1946 and 2002, including the British Open, as well as touring with the Harlem Globetrotters.
Marty passed away at 82 years old on December 7th, 2012 after suffering from heart and lung complications.
How did the life of Marty Reisman impact the plot of Marty Supreme?
The director of Marty Supreme, Josh Safdie, was influenced by the true story of Marty Reisman, and used his accomplishments to help write Marty Supreme.
He first learned about Marty Reisman after his wife found a copy of his memoir at a thrift store, and after reading it he knew he had to make a film based on similar themes.
He told The Hollywood Reporter: “It had this kind of funky-looking guy on the cover. I showed it to Timmy because he and I were talking at the very beginning of all of this.
“I said to him, ‘I want to do a movie in this world. Check out what this player looks like.’ He was my entry point into the world.”
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