A Sneak Preview of "Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows"

On Sunday, December 20th, the A&E Network will present the documentary "Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows." The film focuses on the life and career of five-time WWF champion Bret "The Hitman" Hart. "Wrestling With Shadows" has already debuted on Canadian airwaves. I was able to preview the movie from TVO out of Ontario.

The highlight of the presentation is clearly the footage filmed behind the scenes before last year's Survivor Series in Montreal, the site of the now infamous "double cross" by WWF owner Vince McMahon. Hart was wired during a closed door meeting with McMahon, as they discussed the outcome of the Bret Hart-Shawn Michaels main event match.

Vince told Bret he was open to suggestions, although McMahon had already made up his mind to take the title off Bret. Hart had "reasonable creative control" in the last thirty days of his contract. "The Hitman" had no problem dropping the WWF title, only, he did not want to lose it in Canada, where he is a hero.

Bret emerged from the meeting to inform his wife that they decided on a disqualification ending. Already sensing the potential double cross, Bret's wife is heard saying, "I don't believe it." Hart had talked to senior WWF referee Earl Hebner, who was officiating the title match, and "swore on his kids" that nothing fishy would happen.

A close up of the sharpshooter applied by Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart is featured, when Hebner calls for the bell, even though Hart is shown attempting to reverse the move, not submitting. Hart says he heard someone shout, "ring the bell," realizing it was McMahon himself. Feeling totally betrayed, Bret spit on McMahon.

The fans are in disbelief, as his brother Owen and The British Bulldog console Bret in the ring. In a fit of rage, Bret smashes a television camera.

After the match, Bret confronts Michaels about his involvement in the double cross. Even though Michaels is not seen, you can clearly hear Shawn swearing as he denies he had any prior knowledge of the situation. Outside the locker room, Bret's wife is laying into Triple H about the double cross, claiming he was in on it.

McMahon emerges from Bret's locker room, with a black eye and noticeably limping, with his son Shane and his associates. Bret says, "Vince ran into my hand .. I drilled him." Hart would later claim it was "a Stu Hart call."

Much of the earlier footage was filmed in July of 1997, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, the home base of the Hart family. The early career of the legendary Stu Hart is examined, with some historic pictures of the grappler. The elder Hart started as a shooter, meaning he competed in non-scripted submission matches. Stu is shown in his now infamous dungeon, a basement in the Hart home, a place where Stu has trained many of today's top stars.

Bret talks about not wanting to break into the business, largely to avoid being compared to his father. Helen Hart, Bret's mother, talks about how Stu promised her that they would be out of wrestling in two years, and now all of her twelve children are (or were) involved in the sport. All eight Hart brothers became wrestlers, and Stu and Helen's four daughters married wrestlers.

During one scene, Bret's wife Julie talks about how she would like her husband to call it quits, as even Bret admits, he has been away much of the time during their marriage. It has recently been reported that Bret and Julie have divorced.

The film documents the months leading up to the double cross. Hart is shown telling his wife that Vince told him that he could no longer afford Bret's contract, less than a year after signing it. Inside his home, Bret receives a phone call from McMahon informing him he would have to lose the WWF title to Michaels at the Survivor Series. Bret is quoted during the film saying that he would rather "blow my (his) brains out," rather than losing the title in Canada. He felt losing in front of the Canadian fans would be character suicide.

Bret pleads his case on the "reasonable creative control" issue during the presentation. Hart states that he had missed two shows in fourteen years, and feels its a reasonable request to drop the title anywhere besides in Canada. Bret tells Vince that he would prefer to forfeit the title the next night on Raw, and bow out with his head up.

After another phone conversation, Bret reveals the reason Vince wanted him to drop the title at the Survivor Series. McMahon did not want Bret to show up on WCW's Nitro program with the WWF championship belt. Hart says he gave Vince his word that he would never do that. McMahon also wanted to avoid Bischoff gloating about signing his WWF champion, while he was still the champ.

The documentary is a rare look at what really happens between promoter and wrestler behind the scenes. For the real wrestling fan, it is must see.

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