New Delhi, Feb. 8 -- Long before the free-spirited Bode Miller, there was David Chappellet, a driven, do-things-my-way downhill racer representing the U.S. ski team.

Sure, Chappellet's story was make-believe and straight out out Hollywood, a brash prospect played by the late actor Robert Redford coming out of nowhere (Idaho Springs, Colorado) to fill in for an injured teammate and becoming an Olympic champion. But decades later, the character from the 1969 film "Downhill Racer" still resonates.

To this day, Redford's Chappellet serves as a badge of honor for American downhillers, the personification of their ethos and underdog status in a Europe-centric sport. The movie stands up, too, due to its gritty camerawork and picturesque scener...