Biography. Mark Schultz - wrestler and coach Mark Schultz - mixed martial arts fighter

Illustration copyright Annapurna Pictures Image caption The film "Foxcatcher" centers on the tragic fate of mentally unstable billionaire John Dupont.

In the Oscar nomination bustle, among the many worthy and high-profile films rightly nominated for the main prizes, the film “Foxcatcher” got somewhat lost and certainly did not receive the attention it deserved.

As often happens, a word-for-word translation of the original English name Foxcatcher doesn't explain anything. There is no hunting or foxes in the film, and Foxcatcher is just the name of a stud farm in American state Pennsylvania. Here, since its founding in the mid-20s, the farm-owning family of American millionaires, the Du Ponts, have raised dozens of the most famous thoroughbred horses, regularly winning first prizes at major American horse races.

But the film is not about horses or horse racing. Although there are horses in it. The film is about another sport – wrestling.

Films about sports have some difficulty in overcoming the prejudices of the somewhat snobbish film world towards physical exercise. Although the problems, passions, and even tragedies there are no less intense than in the wars, westerns or detective films beloved by filmmakers and viewers. And the artistic result may turn out to be quite convincing - just remember the relatively recent “The Wrestler” with Mickey Rourke and “The Fighter” with Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg.

Two wrestlers

"Foxcatcher" is based on a true story. Brothers Mark and David Schultz, Olympic champions in freestyle wrestling, on the eve of the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, receive an offer from John DuPont, owner of one of the world's largest chemical companies DuPont, heir famous family American industrialists. The Du Ponts fled to America from the French Revolution back in late XVIII century. Their American company was founded in 1802, almost at the dawn of US independence, which automatically ranks them among the elite of the American financial and industrial aristocracy. Hence horses are the same purebred and aristocratic sport as the family itself.

John Dupont, however, turned out to be extremely indifferent to aristocratic horses, which caused the obvious displeasure of his arrogant mother (in the film she is played by the regal and majestic Vanessa Redgrave). Displeasure grew into outright contempt when the son became interested in what his mother considered a plebeian struggle.

The proposal that DuPont made to Mrak and Dave Schultz was that he would give them the maximum comfortable conditions and complete financial support to prepare themselves and other American wrestlers for the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. Training can be carried out in the specially built Foxcatcher training complex on the DuPont farm. From now on, the American national wrestling team receives the same name, and the vain John Dupont - he liked to be called "Eagle" by wrestlers - is listed not only as its sponsor, but also as its mentor, mentor, and coach.

The brothers agree - the lonely, withdrawn and socially infantile Mark (Channing Tatum) is immediately, but the much more experienced one, living with a charming wife (Sienna Miller) and two children and, after the loss of his parents, plays the role of not only an older brother for Mark, but also a coach and even father and mother Dave (Mark Ruffalo) - only after some hesitation and intense persuasion from Dupont. From this moment on, the life of the brothers under the wing of an extravagant billionaire turns into a real psychodrama with a tragic end.

Madcap Billionaire

The figure of John Dupont - both real and cinematic - is of considerable interest. Heir to one of the richest families America, he lived all his life in the feeling of total freedom granted by financial omnipotence. Freedom to fulfill any of your dreams, indulge any of your whims.

This freedom was translated, however, not into revelry and debauchery, but into completely worthy hobbies. “Ornithologist, specialist in shells and mollusks, philatelist and philanthropist” is how he introduces himself at the beginning of the film. A doctor of zoology, he discovered several dozen species of new birds and was the author of one of the fundamental books on modern ornithology. In his youth, he competed in Olympic pentathlon, but then became interested in wrestling. He got carried away to such an extent that he thought of himself as nothing other than a messiah, called to save American wrestling and wrestlers, to bring the national team to the highest world level.

“He wanted to be the first in everything. He craved respect and admiration. He wanted to be looked at with the same admiration as Dave Schultz. But gradually he realized that he could not compete with Dave, his authority and skill. He wanted to become one of the fighters, but at the same time insisted that he be treated as the most important thing,” says leading actor Steve Carrell about his hero.

Mark Schultz falls under the irresistible and increasingly destructive influence of Dupont. Dave, without refusing Dupont's help, is still trying to resist this influence, protect his brother from alcohol and drugs, and preserve his talent as a wrestler.

Du Pont, being a mentally unstable person, perceives the struggle for influence over Mark as a personal challenge from Dave. In January 1996, in a moment of insanity, he kills his older brother.

Links from Dupont and his lawyers to mental disorder The court rejected the accused. Du Pont was sentenced to 30 years in prison, and from the closing credits of the film we learn that he died in prison in December 2010.

Radical transformation

For quite a long time I peered at the appearance of the screen John Dupont, trying to catch the similarity with the leading actor Steve Carrel, stated in the credits. And it’s not just the huge prosthetic nose that transformed him beyond recognition. The sickly pale skin color, the appearance of a midget dwarf, the fussy habits, the manner of speaking through the nose - all this had nothing in common with the famous master of comedies, farcical comedies, grotesque comedies. His most famous roles are “The 40-Year-Old Virgin”, “Bruce Almighty”, and the unlucky manager in the comedy television series “The Office”. He voiced Gru in the popular cartoon "Despicable Me" and, according to Life magazine, was recognized as the funniest, most funny person America.

Carrel admitted in an interview that the offer to play this role was completely unexpected for him. This decision required considerable foresight on the part of director Bennett Miller.

“Everyone who knew Du Pont simply misunderstood, underestimated what was really going on in his soul,” Miller says about his choice. “The same with Steve Carrel. When we first started discussing the role, Steve admitted that he had never been play exclusively soft, sentimental people, almost weaker. And Dupont - even though at first he may seem so - is not a soft person inside, and his sharpness is dangerous.”

Director and prizes

"Foxcatcher" is only the third film by 48-year-old Bennett Miller. His debut in feature films – the film “Capote” – won him universal recognition, for main role writer Truman Capote, in which the recently deceased great actor Philip Seymour Hoffman received his only Oscar. Miller has not yet entered the galaxy of the most famous and most authoritative directors, but recognition, apparently, is not far off. At last year's Cannes Film Festival he won the Palme d'Or for best director, and although Foxcatcher was nominated for an Oscar best movie not even nominated, Miller has a nomination for best director. Members of the Academy could not help but note his incredibly subtle psychological elaboration of the complex conflict between the heroes.

"Foxcatcher" has a total of five nominations this year. Steve Carrell deserves the victory most, of course. But, even if this does not happen, the role of John Dupont has already opened up new, completely unknown horizons for the actor who until recently seemed quite good, but very unambiguous.

Scandalous postscript

Mark Schultz quite willingly collaborated with the creative team of the film “Foxcatcher” and is even listed in the credits of the film as its consultant. However, after the film was released, he made the following statement:

"The characters in the film and the relationships between them portrayed on screen are largely fictitious and in some ways even offensive. The viewer may get the impression that John Du Pont and I had a sexual relationship. This is a disgusting and offensive lie."

“I asked Bennett Miller to cut this scene,” continues Mark Schultz, “but he responded by saying that it was needed to show how Du Pont invaded my privacy and personal space. This scene was by no means overtly sexual, So I agreed that she should remain in the film. Now, having read several reviews in which she was regarded as clearly sexual, I realized that the film was thereby damaging my reputation, and I felt it necessary to make such a statement."

As you know, nothing contributes to success more than a good scandal - especially a sexual one.

David Leslie "Dave" Schultz(eng. David Leslie "Dave" Schultz; June 6, 1959, Palo Alto, California, USA - January 26, 1996, Newton Square, Pennsylvania, USA) - American freestyle wrestler, Olympic champion, world champion, three-time World Cup winner , champion of the Pan American Games, US champion in freestyle wrestling (1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995), multiple US champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling according to the NCCA (1978, 1981, 1982) according to AAU (1977, 1981, 1982). Brother of Mark Schultz, also Olympic champion in wrestling.

Biography

Born in Palo Alto. As a child, he was overweight and suffered from dyslexia. Started wrestling in high school, and in 1977 became a state champion and won his first national titles. Then he studied at the University of Oklahoma, where he continued wrestling.

In 1978 he was second in the World Cup. In 1979 he remained sixth at the World Junior Championships. In 1980 he won the World Cup for the first time. In 1981 he was second at the World Cup and second at the Universiade. In 1983 he won the title of world champion and for the first time won the tournament in memory of Henri Deglan. In 1984 he won the prestigious international tournament in Tbilisi.

At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, he fought in the up to 74 kilogram category (welterweight). The tournament participants, numbering 22 people in the category, were divided into two groups. Points were awarded for victories in battles, ranging from 4 points for a pure victory and 0 points for a pure defeat. When three wrestlers with the highest scores were determined in each group (the fight took place according to a system with elimination after two defeats), they competed for places in the group. Then the group winners competed for first and second places, the second place winners for third and fourth places, and the third place winners for fifth and sixth places. In the preliminary fights, the current world champion Dave Schultz had no difficulties; He had difficult encounters in the second final bout in the group and in the final, but he was able to win and became the Olympic champion.

In 1985, he took first place in a tournament called the World Super Championship, and remained second in the regular championship, and third the next year. Also in 1986 he won the Goodwill Games. In 1987 he won the Pan American Championship and Pan American Games and won silver at the World Championships. In 1990-1991 he was the winner of the tournament in memory of Henri Deglan. In 1991, he won the international tournament in Tbilisi, thus becoming the only American to win this tournament twice. In 1993, he won another silver medal at the World Championships. In 1994 he won the World Cup, and was only seventh at the World Championships. In 1995, he remained third at the Pan American Games and again won the World Cup, and remained fifth at the World Championships.

Brief profile of Dave Schultz, prepared by the Soviet coaching staff.

Schultz is a strong-willed fighter, has a high mental stability, purposeful. He fights aggressively. Favorite techniques in the stand are one-legged passes, a throw over the back with a one-arm grab on the shoulder. On the ground, he perfectly performs rollover coups by grabbing the torso, and extension coups by grabbing the neck from under the shoulder. The one fighting him must always be ahead of him in organizing the attack, not giving him the opportunity to seize the initiative. In the second period, he increases the pace of the fight, trying to wear down his opponent. Misses deflection throws. Has a strong but inflexible bridge. He senses the opponent well in a tight grip when the latter enters his leg, defending himself, throws it back and, grabbing the attacker by the head with his hand on top, performs a deflection coup. If the opponent recognizes this countermeasure in a timely manner, he distracts his attention by placing his hand on the inside of the knee, and then again switches to this coup.

During his career, he served as an assistant coach at the University of Oklahoma, Stanford University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Death

In the early 1990s, he accepted an offer from John DuPont, a well-known philanthropist, philanthropist, sponsor and scientist, a member of the DuPont family, which founded the DuPont company, to create a wrestling team, Team Foxcatcher, in Pennsylvania. He coached the team and at the same time intended to compete in the qualifying competitions with a view to participating in the 1996 Olympic Games.

Dave Schultz was shot and killed three times on January 26, 1996, by John DuPont in a car on DuPont's estate. The latter's schizophrenia is considered the cause of the murder. Dave Schultz's body was cremated.

Member of the US National Wrestling Hall of Fame (1997). In memory of Dave Schultz, a foundation has been established in his name and a wrestling tournament is held in Colorado Springs.

In art

Bennett Miller made the 2014 film Foxcatcher about the murder of Dave Schultz.

magazine "CARAVAN OF STORIES", February 2000.

The towns surrounding Wilmington seem like a piece of France - road signs flash every now and then: Nemours, Cheanne. Bore de Fosse, Monchanet and Granois. On the streets of each of them, until recently, French speech prevailed - for a hundred years in a row, the Du Ponts hired mainly French people.

For outsiders, DuPont de Nemours is a giant transnational company: the size of its assets is $211 billion, branches in Europe and Latin America, a global monopoly on nylon, Orlon, Dacron and Teflon, dozens of chemical plants, aircraft and weapons production. By the middle of the twentieth century, there were already about one and a half thousand Du Ponts; five hundred people were considered multimillionaires, two hundred and fifty were part of the family’s inner circle, eight decided its fate. Delaware is accustomed to the Du Ponts: Edward Du Pont, first vice president of the Wilmington Trust Company, the center of the clan's financial power, until recently sat with his managers in the city club and was one of the best parishioners of the city church.

The Du Ponts' famous hunts and balls go back a long way - after the First World War, which brought them hundreds of millions, they hunted foxes on blood stallions, surrounded by hunters and packs of hounds, wearing eighteenth-century doublets, cocked hats and powdered wigs. On family holidays they danced in the costumes of marquises and marquises from the time of Louis XV and went home in gilded carriages - their estates, built in the manner of feudal castles and Versailles palaces, still surround Wilmington. For about two hundred years, the Du Ponts have personified a special aristocratic style - inconspicuous wealth and effective power; Legends are still told about their family secrets, adultery, suicides, sudden and tragic deaths, and the madness that haunts this kind of people in the city.

In the front room of the Wilmington Trust Company, darkened family portraits hang: the gallery is opened by a fair-haired lady and a stately, broad-faced gentleman in a powdered wig. The official family tree of the Du Ponts describes the meeting of the founders of the dynasty in idyllic tones: a fragile blond girl sat in her attic on the rue Richelieu, drawing miniatures and looking out the window opposite. There, a strong young man, Pierre Samuel Dupont, her watchmaker neighbor, took beautiful poses, practicing the noble art of fencing: a feint was replaced by a stop, a sword pierced a target painted on the wall... Anna Alexandrina had big Blue eyes, delicate skin and a highly developed imagination: she dreamed of great love and saw in her neighbor ( large nose, proud to stand and shoulders wide) the embodiment of all perfections. Anna Alexandrina, left an orphan at the age of 8, lived at the mercy of rich relatives until she was sixteen - her uncle and aunt had their own daughter growing up, and the girls became friends. When they turned into young ladies, the pupil was offered the position of housekeeper on a distant estate - otherwise she could go to all four directions. She chose the latter: now, having settled on the street of watchmakers, the homeless woman made her living by painting dials. A few months later, Samuel and Anna Alexandrina got married: the gentleman watchmaker was a Protestant and, having learned that his pretty neighbor shared his faith, decided to walk her down the aisle. She moved her belongings across the Rue Richelieu and settled in the very room where she had once seen her husband for the first time. Anna Alexandrina is only sixteen. In a few years she will be severely disappointed in her marriage.

One of the main life principles of Mr. Dupont was deep ignorance: his ancestors professed Protestantism (and were considered dissidents in Catholic France), many of his Huguenot friends were in prison, which is why Samuel preferred to keep a low profile. He had his own method of self-preservation: Mr. Dupont could neither read nor write - therefore, royal officials could not accuse him of studying forbidden books. He didn’t know a single letter or a single number, and on top of that, he was as stubborn as a donkey and narcissistic as a peacock. The educated and well-mannered Anna Alexandrina had a hard time with him.

Their son Pierre grew up an extraordinary child. He resembled his father only with his huge nose, like an eagle’s beak ( a big nose still remains a hereditary feature of the Du Ponts - like the heavy jaw of the Habsburgs or the protruding lip of the Bourbons). Since childhood, Pierre was lame, weak and unhealthy, but he was distinguished by a brilliant memory and quick mind: at the age of twelve he knew French grammar by heart and translated fluently from Latin. Pierre turned out to be a kind boy: when the red-haired, freckled and stupid cousin Marianne fell ill with smallpox, his brother sat at her bedside for days and as a result became infected. A few days later, doctors, unable to find a pulse, pronounced him dead. The whole night before the funeral, grief-stricken Anna sat at her son’s coffin, praying for the repose of his soul. By morning, the mother dozed off, when suddenly she was awakened by Pierre's scream: the boy survived, although his face was hopelessly disfigured.

His cheeks and forehead were covered with smallpox marks, one eye was struck by farsightedness, the other by myopia: over the years, Pierre Dupont decided that in this way fate marks its chosen ones. “I am grateful to nature and chance,” he wrote in his memoirs, “for giving me the opportunity to have the entire range of vision.” The mother cried, the father forced his son to take up fencing - Samuel Dupont considered the sword a universal remedy that strengthens the body and spirit. In the evenings they practiced lunges, and spent their days at work: the father decided to make his son a watchmaker. Several years passed like this, and then Anna Alexandrina died in childbirth. Before her death, joining the hands of her husband and son, she said: “Try to live happily.”

They failed to do this - after the death of his mother, Pierre lost his way. He made acquaintances with aspiring writers and young actors, drank with them, disappeared behind the scenes and visited brothels. In addition, the young man fell into writing poetry and became addicted to empty thoughts: he locked himself in the attic and meditated for hours, staring at the ceiling beam. One day, having caught Pierre doing this, his father beat him like a dog and then threw him out of the house. A lame, disfigured by smallpox, half-blind young man found himself on the streets of Paris penniless - this is how it began brilliant career Pierre Dupont, publicist and businessman, friend American President and close associate of the French king.

Friends did not let the poor fellow die of hunger - a familiar watchmaker took him to work. A few years later, Pierre came to his father’s workshop, holding in his hands a magnificent watch in a carved oak case, with a hammered silver dial. It was engraved with the inscription: “Designed and made by the son of Dupont, dedicated to his father.” Pierre bowed silently, handed Samuel a gift and left his home - this time forever. So he paid his filial duty and got rid of the feeling of guilt forever. And the fact that the priest could not read the dedication and did not understand its meaning even when a literate neighbor came to his aid - Pierre did not care in the slightest.

Many years have passed since then, but Samuel Dupont never saw his son again. Pierre didn't even come to his funeral - now he lived a different life. Pierre Dupont became a friend and adviser to the Prime Minister of France, Baron Turgot, edited an influential magazine, successfully speculated on the stock exchange and attended receptions with the king.

It all started with what Pierre Dupont wrote economic essay, which accidentally caught the eye of Baron Turgot. The dignitary was struck by the style and perfection of the argumentation, and he took the young talent under his wing. Soon Pierre was offered perfect place with a big salary. His career was secured, and now he could think about his family.

When he was poor and persecuted, he was sheltered by his mother's relatives, gentlemen Dor. Charlotte Marie Louise Le Dais, who was also a distant relative of Pierre, lived on their estate. She was a slightly overripe girl (at that time she was already eighteen), and her closest neighbor, a fifty-five-year-old tax collector, a widower who had driven two wives to the grave, was considered a good match by Maria Louise’s patrons. Pierre was always distinguished by knightly inclinations, and Marie was smart and pretty, and he rushed to her aid, promising to marry. The young man asked to give him two years - during this time he promised to put his affairs in order. Young Dupont kept his promise, although by that time it had already become clear that there was no trace of love. However, this did not stop Marie Le Dais from giving him two sons - one of them, following an already established family tradition, rebelled against his father...

Portraits of both of Pierre Dupont's sons hang in the front room of the Wilmington Trust Company. Tall, dark-haired, handsome Victor did not want to study and failed any task: he was like two peas in a pod like his grandfather, Samuel Dupont. The youngest, Eleter Irene, inherited his father’s traits and talent: short stature, firm mouth, pronounced abilities for science and a serious attitude towards life. Pierre sent him to study with his friend, the famous chemist Lavoisier, who headed the gunpowder mines of the French kingdom. A few years later, Elether Irené knew absolutely everything about gunpowder: it was he who laid the foundation of the Du Pont empire.

But the revolution swept away their old life - in 1799 the Du Ponts fled France, because they were among those who tried to protect the king. The father and sons, together with the courtiers loyal to Louis XVI, shot back from the sans-culottes in the Tuileries Palace, then, miraculously escaping the guillotine, lay low - and still could not settle into their new life. The American Eagle, which left Toulon, was loaded with their furniture, pianos and silverware. The entire three-month journey across the Atlantic, the Du Ponts guarded their goods with drawn swords in their hands - the team did not inspire confidence in them.

The American Eagle docked in Newport Harbor, Rhode Island, and the Du Ponts went ashore and headed to the nearest house. Pierre knocked, but they did not open the door for him; he looked out the window and saw the table set. The bells were ringing, a Christmas service was going on in the church, turkey and apple pie were waiting for the owners of the house, which they never tried: the Du Ponts broke into the house and, in the name of freedom, equality and fraternity, ate everything that was on the table. The dawn of the frosty morning of January 1, 1800 began new Age, and in America it became the century of Du Pont.

They brought with them two hundred thousand francs in cash - before leaving France, Pierre Dupont established Joint-Stock Company"Pontiana" and issued shares. But America was swarming with its own speculators, who had long inflated prices for undeveloped lands. Then Pierre Dupont began smuggling Spanish gold, which he also did not succeed in. He never got rich, but he made a contribution to history - Du Pont Sr., while still in France, met the future US President Thomas Jefferson, and he entrusted him with mediation in negotiations between France and the United States. Thanks to Dupont, Napoleon sold Louisiana to America, and its territory doubled.

The United States saved a lot of money on this deal, but Pierre Dupont himself did not make a cent from it. Victor forced him out of business and, becoming the head of the company, finally destroyed Pontiania. Pierre fell into melancholy and died a few years later. Victor briefly outlived his father, dying on a New York street from a heart attack. Now the family was headed by Eleter Irene. During his reign, the Duponts turned into a closed clan, shrouded in legends, living by its own laws. Irene had three sons and twenty-four grandchildren. They were fond of chemistry, tried their hand at business, and the family business, according to tradition, went to the most gifted and resourceful. The Du Ponts no longer made land - they now made money from death...

Quiet, reserved, Irene did not at all resemble a businessman. He was what he appeared to be: a scientist to the core, a man obsessed with chemical formulas. In addition to his academic merits, the new head of the clan was observant and had a sense of the situation. America turned out to be a country of armed men, and Eleter Irene knew how to make the best gunpowder in the world. And soon, in the town of Brandywine, the millstones of gunpowder mills began to spin, and the Du Ponts’ passion for the theory of explosives henceforth became hereditary. True, they changed their name: in democratic America, the plebeians Du Ponts turned into French aristocrats du Pont de Nemours. The children of the Parisian watchmaker began to call themselves marquises, Nemours, the village where Pierre Dupont met Marie Le Dais, turned into their family estate.

The people of Brandywine did not learn about what was happening in the world from newspapers. The DuPont gunpowder factories were located here, and if there was a war somewhere, the mines worked in two shifts. However, neighboring towns quickly learned about this - in a hurry, workers forgot about safety rules, and explosions were heard tens of kilometers away, and a column of fire sometimes threw people across the river, onto the streets of a neighboring village.

The Du Ponts fed the entire area, and were treated with almost religious reverence - they were lucky, rich and made ever more advanced gunpowder. But no one felt love for them: too many Brandywine men died in their mines. The stories that circulated about them in the city were more like scary tales what they tell children on Halloween.

The old people said that the Dupont clan has a special fate: they live differently, but die the same. It is no coincidence that Eleter Irene, who outlived his brother by seven years, clutched his heart on the same New York street as Victor, and was taken to the same room of the same hotel to die. It was said that they always had to pay for their sins: under Alfred Dupont, son of Irene, who took over the company in 1837 (according to the portrait, he had a large nose, fleshy cheeks and a sharp, piercing gaze), the gunpowder mines worked around the clock. Accidents followed one after another - as a result, he suffered such a strong nervous shock that he was forced to retire.

They also remembered the shadow of the unfortunate Cowan, a former worker in the Du Pont mines. Some of the old people swore that they themselves saw him wandering near the house of Henry Dupont, Alfred's younger brother and successor: in one hand the ghost was holding a Bible, in the other - that same rope... In 1852, two powder mines exploded, and Henry blamed in this Cowan. The poor fellow swore on the Bible that it was not his fault, but Dupont kicked him out the door, and that same night Cowan hanged himself.

The old men talked about retribution: a few years later, Alexis Dupont died in a mine explosion. When his brother's eyes were closed, Henry Dupont turned gray.

During the war between the North and South, the mines exploded 11 times: 43 people were killed, hundreds of people were maimed. The Du Ponts also had to pay for this: fate took its revenge on poor Charlotte Shepard Henderson Du Pont, one of the most beautiful women of her time.

She came from an old Southern family. The brothers fought on the side of the Confederates, and her husband's family armed Lincoln's army, and poor Charlotte found herself between two fires: those who were dear to her became enemies. The house was commanded by the mother-in-law, a strong-willed and powerful lady. The matter ended in a nervous breakdown, from which Charlotte never recovered and died a few years later in a mental asylum. Her husband, Irene Dupont II, blamed her mother for what happened and did not say another word to her until his death.

Some in Wilmington still believe that the Du Ponts have a special gift: they make both themselves and their loved ones unhappy. However, most do not believe this: the times when the Du Ponts traded in death are a thing of the past. Now they have a completely “vegetarian” business: nylon, Orlon, Teflon, tights, windbreakers, non-burning frying pans, mineral fertilizers, medicines - in total more than twenty thousand different products.

But the Wilmington gossips will remember the fate of Wallace Carrothers. The inventor of nylon, which brought Du Pont S4.5 billion a year, who made women's waists thin and stomachs flat, died in madness and obscurity. He struggled with the nylon formula for almost ten years - from 1928 to 1937, discovered it and ended up in a psychiatric clinic. And after leaving the hospital and celebrating his forty-first birthday, he locked himself in a hotel room and took potassium cyanide. Carrothers' wife was two months pregnant, but that didn't stop him.

Another reason to gossip about the Du Ponts appeared four years ago, when John Du Pont, already an elderly gentleman who had been involved in biology all his life, in a fit of sudden madness, shot his friend, Olympic wrestling champion George Schultz, who stopped by for a glass of whiskey. The lawyers worked well, and John Dupont was declared insane. This was a great success: in the worst case, he faced life imprisonment, for murder without aggravating circumstances they could get from twenty-eight to forty years, and he got off with five years in a psychiatric hospital. Those who had seen John before did not recognize him in the courtroom: a tangled beard, long dirty hair that had turned gray in one week... When the jury returned their verdict, the killer's father said that the term for which he was sentenced was of great importance does not have: in a prison uniform or without it, but John Dupont will spend the rest of his life in prison. Exactly one year later he will be released from psychiatric clinic, and he will settle away from people, on the Du Pont estate located in Philadelphia. Where one of John's relatives, the insane Charlotte Shepard Henderson Dupont, lived out her life.

But the Du Ponts themselves are not inclined to believe the ominous legends about a family curse haunting their family. The governor of the state of Delaware for a long time was the current head of the DuPont family, Pierre Samuel IV, a courteous and well-mannered gentleman, a former candidate for US president. Every year the large genus increases by about thirty strong, red-cheeked, big-nosed babies. The Du Pont empire is expanding, scientists working for him are inventing new high-tech technologies that make it easier human life toys. And one and a half thousand shareholders who had the good fortune to be born under the name Dupont live in peace and contentment.

Written for my children and dedicated to my brother Dave

With David Thomas

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition published by arrangement with Dutton, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, a Penguin Random House Company.

© Kalinin A. A., Movchan A. B., translation into Russian, 2014

© Publishing, design. LLC Publishing House "Eksmo", 2015

Stan Abel– head coach of the University of Oklahoma wrestling team, for which Mark Schultz and Dave Schultz competed; inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Alan Albright– head coach of the wrestling team at Brigham Young University (BWY); hired Mark Schultz as his assistant.

Dave Obl– Coach of Mark Schultz and Dave Schultz at the UCLA Sports Center; inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Ed Banak– Wrestled at the University of Iowa with his older brother Steve and his twin Lou; lost to Mark Schultz in the finals of the 1982 NCAA Championships.

Bruce Baumgartner- Mark Schultz's national teammate at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics, where he won two of his four Olympic medals.

Dave Beneteau(known as "Dangerous Dave") is a mixed martial artist whom Mark Schultz helped train in preparation for the Ultimate Fighting Championship tournament.

Tim Brown– wrestling coach; coached Mark Schultz in high school in Ashland, Oregon.

Rob Calabrese- the first wrestler to join the Foxcatcher team created by John Dupont; He was a coach at Villanova University with Mark Schultz.

Dan Chade– teammate of Mark Schultz and Dave Schultz on the University of Oklahoma wrestling team; He coached with Mark Schultz at Villanova University and often trained with him both at Villanova University and on the Foxcatcher team.

John Dupont- Heir to the Du Pont family fortune, who hired Mark Schultz as an assistant wrestling coach at Villanova University and as a wrestler and coach for the Foxcatcher team he created; killed Dave Schultz in January 1996; died in prison in December 2010.

Dan Gabel– one of the most awarded wrestlers and coaches in the history of wrestling in the United States; as a coach, he coached the University of Iowa wrestling team to 16 NCAA national championships; was the head coach of the American freestyle wrestling team at the 1984 Olympics, when Mark Schultz won the gold medal.

Pat Goodale- John Dupont's security chief, one of two witnesses in the Dave Schultz murder case.

Gary Goodridge(known as "Big Daddy") - Mark Schultz's opponent in his only fight at the Ultimate Fighting Championship tournament.

Sadao Hamada– gymnastics coach at Stanford University; coached Mark Schultz before he started wrestling.

Ed Hart- Trained Mark Schultz and Dave Schultz at Palo Alto, California High School.

Chris Horpel– absolute champion of America in wrestling; Mark Schultz's coach at Stanford University early in his wrestling career; as an assistant coach at UCLA, coached Mark Schultz and Dave Schultz; subsequently hired them as his assistants at Stanford University.

Jim Humphrey– assistant coach at the University of Oklahoma, where Mark Schultz and Dave Schultz competed for the wrestling team at the time; was also the head coach of the American freestyle wrestling team, for which Mark Schultz competed at the 1988 Olympics; later worked as a coach for the Foxcatcher team.

Valentin Yordanov– seven-time world champion in wrestling; athlete from Bulgaria; coached at Foxcatcher while Mark Schultz's brother lived and coached on the Foxcatcher estate.

Karabacak decides- Turkish wrestler who ranked first in his weight category before the 1984 Olympic Games; Mark Schultz's victory over Karabacak was annulled after Mark broke Karabacak's elbow during the bout.

Lee Kemp– three-time world champion in wrestling; was, like Mark Schultz, the record holder among American wrestlers who have won the most titles in international wrestling championships.

Andre Metzger- teammate of Mark Schultz and Dave Schultz on the wrestling team at the University of Oklahoma, with which he won the title of absolute American wrestling champion four times; subsequently worked as a coach at Villanova University.

Vladimir Modosyan– world champion in wrestling; athlete from the USSR.

Chris Rinke is a Canadian wrestler who lost to Mark Schultz for the gold medal at the 1988 Olympics.

Mario Zaletnik- one of the high-ranking officials International Federation combined fighting styles, international organization, developing olympic events struggle

John Eleuther du Pont (born November 22, 1938, Philadelphia - December 9, 2010, Somerset) - American businessman and philanthropist, member famous family DuPont. Convicted of the third-degree murder of Olympic freestyle wrestling champion David Schultz in 1996. He is also known as an ornithologist, philatelist, and in freestyle wrestling as a coach, sponsor and owner of the Foxcatcher wrestling club. Dupont supported the development of freestyle wrestling in Bulgaria. He is also a sponsor of multiple world and Olympic champion Valentin Yordanov, who even lives in Dupont's mansion in the USA.

The 2014 film Foxcatcher chronicles Du Pont's life.

Personal life

John DuPont was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents were married on January 1, 1919, in Rosemont, Pennsylvania.

His maternal grandfather, William Lyster Austin, CEO company "Baldwin Locomotive Works", made a young family wedding gift- 242 acres (0.98 square kilometers). On this site in 1922, William DuPont Sr. built Liseter Hall, a luxurious 3-story building in the Georgia style.

Parents of both families immigrated to the United States in the early 19th century. John Dupont was the youngest of 4 children, had 2 sisters - Jean Dupont McConnell and Evelyn Dupont Donaldson, and a brother - Henry Dupont.

John graduated from Haverford School in 1957. He studied at college in Miami (Florida). He graduated from the University of Miami in 1965 with a bachelor's degree in zoology. Also had doctorate in Natural Sciences from Villanova University in 1973.

Murder of David Schultz

In 1997, John was convicted of the 1996 murder of Olympic wrestling medalist David Schultz. John faced a prison term of 13 to 40 years. Psychiatric experts involved in the trial said Du Pont suffered from paranoid schizophrenia.

On January 26, 1996, Dupont shot and killed Schultz on the embankment in his mansion, as Schultz's wife and the head of Dupont's security later testified. The security chief sat in the back seat of Du Pont's car while John shot David three times. The police never found a motive for the crime. Du Pont and Schultz were friends.

After the crime, the multimillionaire locked himself in his mansion, closed all entrances for two days and negotiated with the police by phone. The police did not use force to make the arrest. Dupont was arrested when he went outside to turn on the heating.

Trial

During the trial, psychiatrists claimed that Du Pont suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. He believed that Schultz was conspiring to kill him. Therefore, he allegedly hid the razors in the attic at home.

The defense argued "not guilty by reason of insanity." The jury still found Dupont guilty of third-degree murder, but emphasized that he was mentally ill. This happened on February 25, 1997. In Pennsylvania, such a charge is lenient from the second and first degrees and indicates a lack of intent. In the state's criminal code, the term "insanity" refers to a person whose "disease or defect" prevents him from analyzing and understanding his actions. Based on the decision “guilty, but with mental problems"The jury gives Judge Patricia Jenkins the right to choose the sentence: from 5 to 40 years.

Widow Nancy Schultz and two children received several million dollars in compensation after long disputes.

Defending John, his friends said in court that the use firearms was uncharacteristic of him. Famed triathlete Joy Hansen Leutner, who lived in DuPont's home for two years, said at the time that John helped her through a very difficult period in her life in the mid-1980s and he could not have committed the murder.

John's maximum sentence was until January 29, 2026, when he was 87 years old. Supreme Court The US imposed this maximum sentence in 2000.

In 2010, the Third U.S. Court of Appeals in Philadelphia rejected all attempts to appeal the verdict. The defendant's lawyers argued that Dupont was taking the Bulgarian drug N-butyl scopolamine, the use of which can complicate mental illness, and this was not taken into account in previous defense trials. The defense was probably referring to the Bulgarian drug Buscomed, which is an adjuvant antispasmodic and the active ingredient is Butylscopolamine.