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...
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Title: The Jericho Mile (TV Movie 1979)
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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 |
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Plot Summary
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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. Written by Jwelch5742
Taglines:
He's running for his freedom ... and his life.Certificate:
See all certifications »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
18 March 1979 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Comme un homme libre See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$1,100,000 (estimated)Company Credits
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
Color (Metrocolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Upon working on episodes of numerous TV shows during 1976-1978, Mann was given the chance to direct an episode of Police Woman (1974) (Police Woman: The Buttercup Killer (1977)). Impressed with his directorial work, ABC told Mann he could search through their archive of unproduced scripts to see if there was anything he wished to make as a Movie of the Week. Mann picked out the Jeffrey Bloom script, Swan Song (1980). Mann rewrote it and went into preproduction. David Soul came on board as star and producer, and the film was set to go into production when Soul suffered a spinal injury. The project was put on hiatus, and Mann went back to find another script, eventually deciding on Patrick J. Nolan's The Jericho Mile. See more »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.] See more »Connections
Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: Peter Strauss/Betty White/Victor Buono (1981) See more »Contribute to This Page
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I watched the this the other night on a local station because I didn't feel like watching tripe like 'American Idol'. Peter Strauss gives a great performance as a convict named 'Rain' Murphy who keeps to himself. He admits to his crime and makes no bones that he feels no shame for it. His cell is bare of any comforts that other inmates have like books and pictures. The only time he feels in another zone is in running. He does it often and can run a mile in under four minutes. When a college coach hears about this, he wants to prime him for a shot at the Olympics. At first, 'Rain' wants no part of this, but when his best friend is killed, he shows interest.
This is a good movie, period. Strauss is very good (What did you expect, anything less?) and Michael Mann shows hints of greatness that would come full bloom years later. This movie had that bit of realism (probably because it was filmed among convicts). It almost feels like this was a true story. The additional casting is good. There is a lot of notable names like Brian Dennehy, Roger E. Mosley, and Richard Moll as well.
My heart sank when some pompous board of directors wouldn't let him run because he didn't feel bad for his crime. His final act made me stand up and cheer. When they took his dreams away, he took them back hard. This was back when TV movies were actually good. 'The Jericho Mile' is a gem of a film. ESPN Classic, PLEASE SHOW THIS FILM!!!