The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962)

Director:

Tony Richardson

Writers:

Alan Sillitoe (screenplay)
Alan Sillitoe (short story)

Release Date:

8 October 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Plot:

A rebellious youth, sentenced to a boy's reformatory for robbing a bakery, rises through the ranks of...

Plot Keywords:

Runner | Told In Flashback | Flashback | Rebellion | Family Relationships

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win

Cast

Michael Redgrave	...	Ruxton Towers Reformatory governor
Tom Courtenay	...	Colin Smith
Avis Bunnage	...	Mrs. Smith
Alec McCowen	...	Brown, House Master
James Bolam	...	Mike
Joe Robinson	...	Roach
Dervis Ward	...	Detective
Topsy Jane	...	Audrey
Julia Foster	...	Gladys
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ray Austin	...	Craig
John Brooking	...	Green
John Bull	...	Ronalds
James Cairncross	...	Mr. Jones
Peter Duguid	...	Doctor
Raymond Dyer	...	Gordon, Mrs. Smith's Boyfriend
Frank Finlay	...	Booking Office Clerk
James Fox	...	Willy Gunthorpe - Ranley School Runner
William Ash Hammond	...	Johnny Smith
Peter Kriss	...	Scott
Peter Madden	...	Mr. Smith
Philip Martin	...	Stacy, Drake House Leader
Arthur Mullard	...	Craig
Christopher Parker	...	Bill Smith
Robert Percival	...	Tory Politician
Anthony Sagar	...	Fenton
John Thaw	...	Bosworth
Chris Williams	...	Public School Boy
Anita Oliver	...	Alice Smith (uncredited)

Directed by
Tony Richardson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Alan Sillitoe		screenplay
Alan Sillitoe		short story

Produced by
Michael Holden	....	associate producer
Tony Richardson	....	producer

Original Music by
John Addison

Cinematography by
Walter Lassally		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Antony Gibbs

Production Design by
Ralph W. Brinton		(as Ralph Brinton)

Art Direction by
Ted Marshall

Costume Design by
Sophie Devine		(as Motley)

Makeup Department
Jimmy Evans	....	makeup artist
Bobbie Smith	....	hair stylist (as Bobby Smith)

Production Management
Leigh Aman	....	production supervisor
Robert Sterne	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Basil Rayburn	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Norman Bolland	....	sound recordist
Don Challis	....	sound editor
Stephen Dalby	....	sound director

Stunts
Dave Tracey	....	stunts (uncredited)
Robin Webb	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Desmond Davis	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Brenda Dabbs	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Brian Smedley-Aston	....	assistant editor

Music Department
John Addison	....	conductor
John Addison	....	music arranger

Other crew
Rita Davison	....	continuity
Alan Kaplan	....	production executive

Production Companies

• Woodfall Film Productions

Distributors

• British Lion-Columbia Distributors (BLC) (1962) (UK) (theatrical)
• Continental Distributing (1962) (USA) (theatrical)
• British Film Institute (BFI) (2002) (UK) (theatrical)
• Atlantic Film (2009) (Sweden) (DVD)
• British Film Institute (BFI) (2001) (UK) (VHS)
• Castle Pictures (1990) (UK) (VHS)
• PolyGram Video (1993) (UK) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Rebel with a Cause
A hosszútávfutó magányossága (Hungary) [hu]
Die Einsamkeit des Langstreckenläufers (West Germany) [de]
Gioventù amore e rabbia (Italy) [it]
Kaikista kapinallisin (Finland) [fi]
Långdistanslöparen (Sweden) [sv]
La soledad del corredor de fondo (Spain) [es]
La solitude du coureur de fond (France) [fr]
O epanastatis (Greece) [el]
Sejr eller nederlag? (Denmark) [da]

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Hong Kong:IIA | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | UK:12 (re-rating) (2002) | UK:15 (video rating) (1990) | UK:X (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Camber Sands, Camber, East Sussex, England, UK

Company:

Woodfall Film Productions

Trivia:

First film of Julia Foster.

Quotes:

Ruxton Towers Reformatory governor: It was that new lad Smith who scored that goal, wasn't it?
Mr. Jones: Right sir.
Ruxton Towers Reformatory governor: He can run.
Mr. Jones: He's not bad sir.
Ruxton Towers Reformatory governor: He might be useful to us, we better keep an eye on him.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Master Ninja II (#4.24)" (1992)

A magnificent unappreciated film

I recently watched this movie again on TV. The wonderful performances by Tom

Courtenay and Michael Redgrave have not diminished with time. The movie is

also full of technical innovations at the time. One of these is common today, a fast switching between the two time frames of the story. The life of the hero in a quasi-prison and the family life that led to his capture and conviction. The movie also predates the current of "Angry Young Men" that was to be so prolific in

British Cinema. Others have remarked on the wondrous scenes of Courtenay

running in open countryside as he trains for a long distance competition. The accompaniment of a jazz trumpet also fit well. But to me the core of the movie is the rage of the hero towards the "establishment" beautifully symbolized by

Michael Redgrave's Headmaster. Don't miss this movie if you have a chance.