Top 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsMost Popular Video GamesMost Popular Music VideosMost Popular Podcasts
    Release CalendarBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Runner Stumbles

  • 19791979
  • PGPG
  • 1h 49m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
324
YOUR RATING
The Runner Stumbles (1979)
Drama
Father Rivard is a priest in a small, economically depressed coal mining town. Working on what he thinks is a "controversial" work, he lives with the brutal lives of his poor parishioners, t... Read allFather Rivard is a priest in a small, economically depressed coal mining town. Working on what he thinks is a "controversial" work, he lives with the brutal lives of his poor parishioners, the old, unfriendly nuns in the nearby convent, and his own self doubts. When Rita, an ener... Read allFather Rivard is a priest in a small, economically depressed coal mining town. Working on what he thinks is a "controversial" work, he lives with the brutal lives of his poor parishioners, the old, unfriendly nuns in the nearby convent, and his own self doubts. When Rita, an energetic and bright young Sister, arrives at the parish, he finds someone he can talk to, som... Read all
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
324
YOUR RATING
    • Stanley Kramer
    • Milan Stitt(play)
  • Stars
    • Dick Van Dyke
    • Kathleen Quinlan
    • Maureen Stapleton
    • Stanley Kramer
    • Milan Stitt(play)
  • Stars
    • Dick Van Dyke
    • Kathleen Quinlan
    • Maureen Stapleton
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 7User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Sneak Previews Season 2 Episode 17
    Video 30:25
    Watch Sneak Previews Season 2 Episode 17

    Photos25

    Kathleen Quinlan and Dick Van Dyke in The Runner Stumbles (1979)
    Dick Van Dyke in The Runner Stumbles (1979)
    Dick Van Dyke in The Runner Stumbles (1979)
    Dick Van Dyke in The Runner Stumbles (1979)
    Dick Van Dyke and Tammy Grimes in The Runner Stumbles (1979)
    Dick Van Dyke in The Runner Stumbles (1979)
    Kathleen Quinlan and Dick Van Dyke in The Runner Stumbles (1979)
    Kathleen Quinlan and Dick Van Dyke in The Runner Stumbles (1979)
    Kathleen Quinlan and Dick Van Dyke in The Runner Stumbles (1979)
    Kathleen Quinlan in The Runner Stumbles (1979)
    Dick Van Dyke and Ray Bolger in The Runner Stumbles (1979)
    Kathleen Quinlan, Dick Van Dyke, and Tammy Grimes in The Runner Stumbles (1979)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Dick Van Dyke
    Dick Van Dyke
    • Father Brian Rivard
    Kathleen Quinlan
    Kathleen Quinlan
    • Sister Rita
    Maureen Stapleton
    Maureen Stapleton
    • Mrs. Shandig
    Ray Bolger
    Ray Bolger
    • Monsignor Nicholson
    Tammy Grimes
    Tammy Grimes
    • Erna Webber
    Beau Bridges
    Beau Bridges
    • Toby Felker
    Allen Nause
    Allen Nause
    • Prosecutor
    John Procaccino
    John Procaccino
    • Amos
    Billy Jayne
    Billy Jayne
    • James
    • (as Billy J. Jacoby)
    Marguerite Morrissey
    • Sister Immaculata
    • (as Sister Marguerite Morrissey)
    Zoaunne LeRoy
    • Sister Martha
    Don Riley
    • Maurice Prindle
    Ted D'Arms
    • Sheriff
    Kendall Kay Munsey
    • Louise Donnelly
    Casey Kramer
    Casey Kramer
    • Marie
    Jim Doyle
    • Matt Webber
    Kat Kramer
    Kat Kramer
    • Sophie
    • (as Katharine Kramer)
    Bill Dore
    • Judge
      • Stanley Kramer
      • Milan Stitt(play)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    R.P.M.
    5.2
    R.P.M.
    The Domino Principle
    5.7
    The Domino Principle
    Bless the Beasts & Children
    6.7
    Bless the Beasts & Children
    Oklahoma Crude
    6.3
    Oklahoma Crude
    Judgment: The Court Martial of Lieutenant William Calley
    6.0
    Judgment: The Court Martial of Lieutenant William Calley
    The Secret of Santa Vittoria
    7.3
    The Secret of Santa Vittoria
    6.4
    Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
    The Morning After
    7.7
    The Morning After
    Ship of Fools
    7.0
    Ship of Fools
    The Last Winter
    5.3
    The Last Winter
    Drop-Out Father
    7.0
    Drop-Out Father
    The Pride and the Passion
    5.7
    The Pride and the Passion

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The final feature film appearance by Ray Bolger.
    • Connections
      Featured in Sneak Previews: Windows/Heart Beat/The Runner Stumbles/Rape of Love (1980)
    • Soundtracks
      My Rumble Seat Gal
      Music by Ernest Gold

      Lyrics by Jan K. Gold (as Jeanette Keller)

    User reviews7

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Dick Van Dyke's serious role
    Dick Van Dyke is best known as the comedy writer who trips over an ottoman, and Stanley Kramer is best known as the director of movies like "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World", so a collaboration of the two men could seemingly only be the zaniest comedy. As it turns out, the result is nothing of the sort. "The Runner Stumbles" is a very serious movie. Van Dyke plays a priest charged with murdering a nun (Kathleen Quinlan) with whom he was having an affair.

    The movie is apparently based on a true story. While the love affair and subsequent trial are the main focus, the movie also seems to be dealing with - if subtly - discrimination towards Catholics in the United States in the early 20th century. The children who attend school in the church feel as if they live happy lives with the nuns and priest, but the trial allows the townspeople to be as hostile as they want towards the priest (and by extension, Catholics in general). The movie is sort of like Kramer's "Inherit the Wind" in that regard.

    So anyway, "The Runner Stumbles" isn't any kind of masterpiece, but still a good look at discrimination, and the collapse of innocence that the church undergoes. A fine end for Stanley Kramer's career, and certainly good roles for Van Dyke and Quinlan. Also starring Maureen Stapleton, Tammy Grimes, Beau Bridges and Ray Bolger (the Scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz").
    helpful•10
    5
    • lee_eisenberg
    • Jan 1, 2011

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 21, 1980 (Australia)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Ellensburg, Washington, USA
    • Production companies
      • Melvin Simon Productions
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 49 minutes
      • Color
      • Mono

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    The Runner Stumbles (1979)
    Top Gap
    What is the English language plot outline for The Runner Stumbles (1979)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.