Saint Ralph (2004)

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.

Director:

Michael McGowan

Writer:

Michael McGowan

Stars:

Adam Butcher, Michael Kanev, Campbell Scott

6 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Adam Butcher	...	Ralph Walker
Michael Kanev	...	Chester Jones
Gordon Pinsent	...	Father Fitzpatrick
Tamara Hope	...	Claire Collins
Chris Anton	...	Hulk (as Chris Ploszczansky)
Paulette Sinclair	...	Secretary Roddy
Campbell Scott	...	Father George Hibbert
Shauna MacDonald	...	Emma Walker
Jennifer Tilly	...	Nurse Alice
Lubica Kucerova	...	Woman in Shower
Ben Gans	...	Senior Citizen #1
Jock McLeod	...	Senior Citizen #2
Jeff Baxter	...	Cattana
Daniel Karasik	...	Bolan
Frank Crudele	...	Mr. Karl

Storyline

It's the 1953/54 school year at St. Magnus Catholic School in Hamilton, Ontario. Fourteen year old Ralph Walker is in many ways a typical teenager. He is experimenting with smoking and is openly preoccupied with the opposite sex, which makes him the brunt of jokes amongst his male classmates and which constantly gets him into trouble with the school's strict headmaster, Father Fitzpatrick. As penance and to redirect his energies, Father Fitzpatrick orders Ralph to join the school's cross country running team under the tutelage of the school's avant-garde thinking teacher, Father Hibbert. Some of the more unusual circumstances of Ralph's life are that he lives by himself in the family home, telling the authorities that he is living with his paternal grandparents (who are in reality deceased), and telling his widowed hospitalized mother (Ralph's father was killed in the war) that he is staying with a friend. Ralph's focus in life changes after his mother falls into a coma. It will take ...

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Plot Keywords:

boston marathon | marathon | running | miracles | coma | 

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Taglines:

He's hoping for a miracle. He doesn't have a prayer.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content and partial nudity

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 April 2005 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Em Busca De Um Milagre

Filming Locations:

Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

CAD 6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$140,881 (USA) (5 August 2005)

Gross:

$795,126 (USA) (28 October 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alliance Atlantis Communications, Amaze Film + Television, Running Miracles Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The 30 kilometre Hamilton Round the Bay Race, which Ralph wins in the movie, is an actual event; in fact, it is the oldest structured road race in North America, predating the Boston Marathon (started 1897) by three years. The film's director, Michael McGowan, won the Round the Bay Race in 1995 with a time of 1:36:09.

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Goofs

The announcer in Hopkinton at the start of the marathon says "Welcome to the 53rd running of the Boston Marathon". The 1954 Marathon would be the 58th running.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Ralph Walker: Forgive me father for I have sinned. It has been 11 weeks since my last confession.

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Connections

Featured in The Hour: Episode #7.24 (2010)

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Soundtracks

"Goodnight Moon"
Performed by Will Kimbrough
From the Album "This"
Written by Will Kimbrough and Gwil Owen
Published by Will Kimbrough Music (BMI)/Turgid Tunes (BMI)
Courtesy of Waxy Silver Records

User Reviews

Pleasant Canadian Comedy

was pleasantly surprised by Saint Ralph. It's a Canadian film about a 14 year old boy who goes to Catholic School in 1950's Hamilton. It stars Campbell Scott, Gordon Pinsent, Adam Butcher, Shauna MacDonald and was directed by Michael McGowan. It's about a Ralph Walker who's mother is sick in hospital and who's father died long ago. He is a smooth operator, sort of an Eddie Haskell type with the adults but a complete loser with his peers. When his mother goes into a coma he's told that only a miracle would wake her up. He is forced to join the track team as punishment where the coach, Father Hibbert (Campbell Scott) jokes about there only being 6 months until the Boston Marathon. When Ralph asks if the team is going to run in Boston, Father Hibbert tells him he was only joking and that it would be a miracle if anyone on the team won the Boston Marathon. Thus, Ralph becomes committed to the idea of winning the Marathon and getting the miracle so his mom will wake up. In the way is Father Fitzpatrick (played by Gordon Pinsent) the head of the school who feels that chasing miracles borders on blasphemy. There is a mix of comedy and drama and the ending is a bit of a heart-tugger but I enjoyed this film. Note, I would not bring children under 12 to see it since there is a scene in the pool where Ralph accidentally sees into the women's change room and at the same time encounters a water jet which causes him to lose control. There is also some smoking and drinking by Ralph and a few swear words. It sort of reminded me of Heaven Help Us but funnier and more poignant. Adam Butcher was quite funny and earnest while Campbell Scott is always solid and Gordon Pinsent is one of Canada's best kept acting secrets. Even if you aren't Canadian it was a nice popcorn film 7.5/10.