Tapping into the bodybuilding movie legacy of Birmingham dating back to 1976’s Stay Hungry starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, and seemingly choosing Birmingham as its primary shooting location for that very reason, this 2018 biopic about physique-chasing titan Joe Weider (and his brother Ben) is fascinating beyond its very obvious nod to Schwarzenegger’s ties to Birmingham through local author Charles Gaines. Recounting the story of how the two Jewish brothers, who grew up impoverished and the targets of anti-semitism in their hometown of Montreal during the 1930’s and eventually became some of the most revolutionary and successful businessmen in the history of sports, Bigger is both an inspiring tale of overcoming obstacles, as well as a tour de force look at how much Birmingham has to offer in terms of being a multifaceted location for filmmaking. Used as a stand-in for spots from around the country and world— including Pennsylvania, New York City, Los Angeles, Canada and Austria— the Magic City really shines in this rags to riches story, and is a great example of how our varied architecture, landscapes, and all-around aesthetic vibe can be utilized for all manner of moviemaking magic.
Tracing the personal and professional arc of Joe’s obsession with the perfectly maximized human body— and his forays into magazine publishing (Muscle & Fitness, Men’s Fitness), bodybuilding contests and federations (Mr. Olympia, International Federation of Bodybuilders), and dietary supplements (initially through Weider Nutrition, now Schiff Nutrition International)— the film starts out with a shot of Birmingham’s skyline before transitioning into a somber scene at Temple Emanu-el in Southside where Joe is getting ready to attend his brother Ben’s funeral. The movie then utilizes remembrances of Joe and Ben’s life together, starting in the Jewish ghettos of Montreal, where Morris Avenue is used as the backdrop to help set the scene for the time period. As the brothers take interest in weightlifting to defend against neighborhood bullies and antisemites, the movie jumps through different phases of their story as they follow their dreams of working in professional bodybuilding, and areas like Forest Park are used as Canadian neighborhoods and downtown’s Thomas Jefferson Tower is used as the venue for a weightlifting competition Joe wins early on in his career. Joe then meets his first wife, and gets married at Birmingham’s City Hall, then encounters more racial hatred at a local restaurant (at the building where General is now), before heading to New York to land his first publishing deal. All of which is filmed in Birmingham as well. As Joe’s career progresses and he gets into fostering bodybuilding talent at competitions like Mr. Universe, iconic Birmingham venues like the Alabama Theatre and Lyric Theatre (itself the home of a very famous bodybuilding scene with Arnold Schwarzenegger from Stay Hungry) take centerstage, before he actually tracks down Arnold himself in real life in Austria (also shot in Birmingham) to make him the star of his upcoming Mr. Olympia competition and brand. The movie ends very soon afterward, but not before Weider is seen taking over the Harbert Center as the new location for his worldwide business endeavors, and then eventually being brought back into the present day back at Temple Emanu-el and his brother Ben’s funeral.
With that much Birmingham in one film, Bigger is one of the best examples of our capabilities as an underused location powerhouse, and is representative of so much of what we have to offer to both local filmmakers as well as people from out of state.
FUN FACT: Joe and Ben Weider’s father is played by Hollywood legend Steve Guttenberg from Police Academy/Short Circuit/Cocoon fame.
Link to Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN2-6xVpKHM