Alan Sillitoe's autobiographical novel about a rebellious 18-year-old living in dreary Lancashire proved to be the perfect material for Tony Richardson to adapt in the early 1960s. The film stars Tom Courtenay as the disaffected Colin Smith, who ends up in a Borstal, or reform school, after robbing a bakery. The Governor (Sir .. Read more
| Starring | Tom Courtenay, Michael Redgrave, James Bolam, John Thaw |
|---|---|
| Director | Tony Richardson |
| Genres | Drama |
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Alan Sillitoe's autobiographical novel about a rebellious 18-year-old living in dreary Lancashire proved to be the perfect material for Tony Richardson to adapt in the early 1960s. The film stars Tom Courtenay as the disaffected Colin Smith, who ends up in a Borstal, or reform school, after robbing a bakery. The Governor (Sir Michael Redgrave), the institution's chief authority, believes in physical training as a means of rehabilitating his charges. Despite his contempt for all authority, Colin one day inadvertently outruns the school's leading long-distance runner, and the Governor immediately assigns him to be trained for an imminent competition with a well-known public school. During his solitary training exercises, Colin flashes back to scenes of his chaotic youth: his father, a blue-collar worker dying of cancer, and his mother, a foul-mouthed harridan, blowing the insurance settlement on a new lover and a new TV. On the day of the big race, the two schools must share a locker room, and Gunthorpe (James Fox), the captain of the opposing team, reflexively wishes Colin good luck. The surprised boy looks at him as though these are the only words of encouragement he's ever received. Courtenay is exceptional in his film debut, exuding the bitterness typical of the director's early 'angry young man' films. Employing jump cuts and undercranked scenes borrowed from the Nouvelle Vague, the film emphasizes the oppressiveness of the boy's environment and the temporary freedom that running offers him.
| Starring | Tom Courtenay, Michael Redgrave, James Bolam, John Thaw, Alec McCowen, Julia Foster, Joe Robinson |
|---|---|
| Director | Tony Richardson |
| Studio | BFI VIDEO |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 40 mins Blu-ray: 1 hr 44 mins |
| Certificate |  |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English Blu-ray: English |
| Released | Production year: 1962 To Rent: DVD: 23 Mar 2009 Blu-ray: 23 Mar 2009 |
An unusual take on class war as a rebellious working-class delinquent takes part in a climactic race against a team of public schoolboys; interesting scenes, though, do not quite form a compelling whole.
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In a class of its own
Set in the 1960s Nottingham, an edgy 17-year-old boy, Smith, is sent to Borstal after robbing a bakery.
He lives in a small bungalow with his working... read more »
[Highly rated reviewer]
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"And Always Remember, They've Got The Whip Hand" !!!
'The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner', set in a Borstal, where punishment for bad behaviour cures you of committing crime and gives you self-... read more »
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doesn't complete the distance
Of its time, a little bit kitchen sink and a little bit class war. Fun to see some faces in their early days such as John Thaw and James Fox.
... read more »
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Ending spoilt it for me
This is a classic movie, and a well-made one. However as a runner I absolutely hated the ending. It completely spoilt it for me. I just wanted to yell at the ... read more »
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