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

Miguel Pinero,a real life ex-con who wrote the prison movie Short Eyes, plays a convict. He would have a reoccurring role in Michael Mann's Miami Vice years later before dying at age 41.

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Quotes

Larry 'Rain' Murphy: [recalling his crime] They say I shot him over and over.

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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 The First Lecktor: An Interview with Brian Cox (2016)

User Reviews

DVD Release?

You know, all the copyright holder for this flick would need to do is put this on a DVD with some documentary/behind the scenes stuff, or a copy of the original story, and i'd shell out money.

Good movies get bought, period.

This is another reason why people pirate flicks, most of the films we see are filler and fluff and hype, and nothing more.

We need more movies like THIS available

Made for tv movies usually get a bad rap. The only bad rap I can give this movie is it's VHS only release.

Ben Affleck may have been "the bomb in Phantoms", but Straus was the bomb in THIS flick.

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