The Jericho Mile (1979)

A prisoner gets a chance to take part in the Olympics.

Director:

Michael Mann

Writers:

Patrick J. Nolan (story), Patrick J. Nolan (teleplay)

Stars:

Peter Strauss, Richard Lawson, Roger E. Mosley

Won 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Strauss	...	Larry 'Rain' Murphy
Richard Lawson	...	R.C. Stiles
Roger E. Mosley	...	Cotton Crown
Brian Dennehy	...	Dr. D
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Dr. Bill Janowski
Billy Green Bush	...	Warden Earl Gulliver
Ed Lauter	...	Jerry Beloit
Beverly Todd	...	Wylene
William Prince	...	O.A.U. Chairman
Miguel Pinero	...	Rubio
Richard Moll	...	Joker Gibb
Edmund Penney	...	OAU Official
Burton Gilliam	...	Jimmy-Jack
Ji-Tu Cumbuka	...	Brother Lateef
Wilmore Thomas	...	Moo-Moo

Storyline

Larry "Rain" Murphy is stuck in Folsom Prison for life on a first-degree murder charge. An inmate who prefers to be alone, Murphy spends much of his time running around the facility's track. When he begins reaching a mile in under four minutes, Murphy gains the attention of the jail's officials, who contemplate entering him in the Olympics. While Murphy is initially resistant to the idea, eventually he starts training to be an Olympic competitor.

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Plot Keywords:

prison | running | bare chested male | weeping man | heroin | 

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Taglines:

He's running for his freedom ... and his life.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Sport

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Filmed at Folsom Prison in California, many actual prisoners appeared on camera. One of those prisoners acted as a bodyguard for Peter Strauss.

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Quotes

Dr. D: I'm lookin' at a dead man! I'm talkin' to a dead man!

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Crazy Credits

"This picture was filmed among the convict population and within the walls of Folsom State Penitentiary." [Text appears at the beginning of the end credits.]

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Connections

Referenced in Thief: Truth-Telling Style: Michael Mann on 'Thief' (2014)

User Reviews

I've never given a movie a 10 out of 10 before...

I've never given a movie a ten out of ten before but this is the closest I have ever come (I gave it a 9). There are very few movies that I truly love, this however is one of them. With it's gritty realism, fantastic on-site locationing, and it's great soundtrack it literally blew my young mind when I first saw it in 1979. At that point I didn't know about prisons, violence, racial tensions, or the struggle to survive & live free. I doubt that anyone who is an adult, or for that matter anyone who is growing up in todays world could be impacted by this film in the same way I was all those years ago, but I will say this: "if you haven't seen this movie I envy you"; this is because you have the chance to see this great film for the frist time. For each of us they're different, but here's to the rarest movies of them all: the ones we actually love...

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 March 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Jericho Mile

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,100,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

ABC Circle Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1