Saint Ralph (2004)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Michael McGowan

Writer:

Michael McGowan (writer)

Release Date:

8 April 2005 (Canada)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Sport

Tagline:

Finding yourself on the starting line of life.

Plot:

Saint Ralph is the unlikely story of Ralph Walker, a ninth grader who outran everyone's expectations except his own in his bold quest of trying to win the 1954 Boston Marathon.

Plot Keywords:

Marathon | Running | Miracle | Coma | Confession

Awards:

6 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Adam Butcher	...	Ralph Walker
Campbell Scott	...	Father George Hibbert
Gordon Pinsent	...	Father Fitzpatrick
Jennifer Tilly	...	Nurse Alice
Shauna MacDonald	...	Emma Walker
Tamara Hope	...	Claire Collins
Frank Crudele	...	Mr. Karl
Michael Kanev	...	Chester Jones
Chris Ploszczansky	...	Hulk
Paulette Sinclair	...	Secretary Roddy
Lubica Kucerova	...	Woman in Shower
Ben Gans	...	Senior Citizen No. 1
Jock McLeod	...	Senior Citizen No. 2
Jeff Baxter	...	Cattana
Daniel Karasik	...	Bolan

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content and partial nudity.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Germany:6 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | USA:PG-13 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva)

Filming Locations:

Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Alliance Atlantis Communications

Trivia:

The nurse who refuses to let Ralph see his mother when he visits on Christmas Eve is wearing a nursing pin from the prestigious St. Mary's School of Nursing in Montreal.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The marathon route looks nothing like the true course even considering the time period. There is no turn out of Hopkinton at the start, the final turn at the finish is a left, not a right and the hill does not drop off to the right of heartbreak hill.

Quotes:

Father George Hibbert: [as Ralph shows up for his first Cross Country workout] We run in Cross Country, Ralph... Run.
Ralph Walker: How in Christ did I ever end up here?
Father George Hibbert: I ask myself that every day.

Soundtrack:

Dark Angel

Be inspired...

I'm not a catholic, certainly not a saint, and can hardly even call myself a jogger, but I found this movie wonderfully inspiring, witty and enjoyable from start to finish. I was thoroughly impressed with Adam Butcher's performance; he portrayed young Ralph's emotions (and the struggles of youth) so genuinely that he brought tears to my eyes during several scenes. A truly uplifting message in the film, brought home with brilliance. The producers were able to turn back the clock on Hamilton in a convincing way, with the appropriate prudishness of dress and behaviour for the private catholic school community in the mid-'50s. The sound track / score was excellent as well.