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

Larry 'Rain' Murphy: I'm gonna nail you. Stiles was my brother.

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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 Making of 'Heat' (2005)

User Reviews

One of the best TV movies ever made!

This movie was exceptional. It tells the story of a man who, after he was sentenced to life imprisonment for killing his father-in-law when he found him raping his sister, sets out to become a world-class runner. It not only gave a realistic portrayal of prison life, but also deftly portrays the mentality of someone who is serving such a sentence. Peter Strauss played the role perfectly. Along with "Rich Man, Poor Man", this movie was probably the best performance of his career.

Probably the best scene in this movie was when Murphy was before the civilian board trying to get permission to run in the race and he sees right through the man's preconceptions and bigotry concerning convicts. This man did not see Murphy as a person but rather as something other than what he was. Very rarely has such passion and intelligence come from a made-for-TV movie.

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