Personal Best (film)

Personal Best is a 1982 American drama film written, produced and directed by Robert Towne in his directional debut. It stars Mariel Hemingway as track runner Chris Cahill and real-life track star Patrice Donnelly as fellow runner Tory Skinner, along with Scott Glenn as their coach Terry Tingloff. The film is about the lesbian relationship between two track-and-field teammates whose relationship might interfere with their performance.

The film was shot in California and Oregon. Several issues arose during production, including a strike by the Screen Actors Guild and a $110 million lawsuit.

The film received positive reviews after its release. Both Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert placed Personal Best on their lists of the ten best films of 1982. It garnered a 74% approval rating at review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Despite its popularity with film critics, the film did not succeed at the box office.