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Saint Ralph

  • 2004
  • PG-13
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
6.2K
YOUR RATING
Saint Ralph (2004)
Theatrical Trailer from Samuel Goldwyn
Play trailer2:07
1 Video
11 Photos
ComedyDramaSport

Saint Ralph is the unlikely story of Ralph Walker, a ninth-grader who outran everyone's expectations except his own in his bold quest to win the 1954 Boston Marathon.Saint Ralph is the unlikely story of Ralph Walker, a ninth-grader who outran everyone's expectations except his own in his bold quest to win the 1954 Boston Marathon.Saint Ralph is the unlikely story of Ralph Walker, a ninth-grader who outran everyone's expectations except his own in his bold quest to win the 1954 Boston Marathon.

  • Director
    • Michael McGowan
  • Writer
    • Michael McGowan
  • Stars
    • Adam Butcher
    • Campbell Scott
    • Jennifer Tilly
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    6.2K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Michael McGowan
    • Writer
      • Michael McGowan
    • Stars
      • Adam Butcher
      • Campbell Scott
      • Jennifer Tilly
    • 56User reviews
    • 48Critic reviews
    • 51Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 9 nominations

    Videos1

    Saint Ralph
    Trailer 2:07
    Watch Saint Ralph

    Photos11

    Adam Butcher in Saint Ralph (2004)
    Shauna MacDonald and Rob Smith (The Walkers), goofing on set - "Saint Ralph", 2003.
    Saint Ralph (2004)
    Saint Ralph (2004)
    Adam Butcher and Michael Kanevsky in Saint Ralph (2004)
    Adam Butcher in Saint Ralph (2004)
    Saint Ralph (2004)
    Saint Ralph (2004)
    Saint Ralph (2004)
    Campbell Scott in Saint Ralph (2004)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Adam Butcher
    Adam Butcher
    • Ralph Walker
    Campbell Scott
    Campbell Scott
    • Father George Hibbert
    Jennifer Tilly
    Jennifer Tilly
    • Nurse Alice
    Michael Kanevsky
    • Chester Jones
    • (as Michael Kanev)
    Gordon Pinsent
    Gordon Pinsent
    • Father Fitzpatrick
    Tamara Hope
    Tamara Hope
    • Claire Collins
    Chris Anton
    Chris Anton
    • Hulk
    • (as Chris Ploszczansky)
    Paulette Sinclair
    • Secretary Roddy
    Shauna MacDonald
    Shauna MacDonald
    • Emma Walker
    Lubica Kucerova
    • Woman in Shower
    Ben Gans
    • Senior Citizen #1
    Jock McLeod
    • Senior Citizen #2
    Jeff Baxter
    • Cattana
    Daniel Karasik
    • Bolan
    Frank Crudele
    • Mr. Karl
    Jonathan Walker
    Jonathan Walker
    • Mr. Collins
    Keir Gilchrist
    Keir Gilchrist
    • Kid Collins
    Jonathan Wilson
    Jonathan Wilson
    • Father Gregg
    • Director
      • Michael McGowan
    • Writer
      • Michael McGowan
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The 30-kilometre Hamilton Round the Bay Race, which Ralph wins in the movie, is an actual event; in fact, it is the oldest structured road race in North America, predating the Boston Marathon (started in 1897) by three years. The film's director, Michael McGowan, won the Round the Bay Race in 1995 with a time of 1:36:09.
    • Goofs
      The announcer in Hopkinton at the start of the marathon says "Welcome to the 53rd running of the Boston Marathon". The 1954 Marathon was the 58th running.
    • Quotes

      Emma Walker: [Ralph has been caught gratifying himself with the public pool's water jets, and comes in upset] What's wrong, 'Doom and Gloom'?

      Ralph Walker: What's the most embarrassing thing you ever did?

      Emma Walker: What happened?

      Ralph Walker: [sighing] I got caught committing a venal sin in the pool. It was an accident, obviously, a technical oversight by the pool's manufacturer. If you want to blame anyone.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Hour: Episode #7.24 (2010)
    • Soundtracks
      Halleluia Proprium Missae
      In Domenica Tertia Post Pentecosten

      Halleluia / aleluja Diligam te

      (Public Domain)

      Slovenski Madrigalisti, Ltg./Cond.: Janez Bole

      (P) Point Classics, Courtesy of Morning Music Limited

    User reviews56

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    Athletic determination of a spirited boy against a backdrop of pathos.
    Clearly the best movie out this month (July/August 2005 - I've seen most of them). The easiest way to tell you about it is to compare it to similar movies, and the first that came to mind were Lucas (Corey Haim) and Rudy (Sean Astin). What Saint Ralph shares in common with these films is the extreme athletic determination, against all odds, of a spirited boy from a pathetic background. And it's the best of it's kind since Rudy (1993), at least, and in my opinion since Lucas (1986).

    Ralph (Adam Butcher) is a naughty but naive 14-year-old boy, ready to take almost everything literally, now faced with the paradox of faith. His widowed mother is apparently dying in the hospital, and falls into a coma early in the story. A doctor says it will take a miracle to wake her.

    Ralph is an interesting character, his even blend of pure and impure motives providing both the humor that make the film entertaining, and the realism that make it believable. His self-abuse in every sense defines the term, from the usual meaning to literally sanding his knees to pray in a pan of alcohol, the latter recommended by his girlfriend, who aspires to be a nun.

    When his Catholic school's cross country coach says it would be a miracle if anyone on his team won the Boston Marathon, Ralph's literal mind seizes a fallacious opportunity. If he wins the Boston Marathon, it would be a miracle, and that's what his mother needs to survive. Most of the movie is about his training to run that race, both physical and spiritual, with the help of a priest (Campbell Scott), a nurse (Jennifer Tilly), and his girlfriend (Tamara Hope).

    The blend of comedy and pathos is effective, the film kept entertaining by the comedy in the foreground, while the fact that Ralph's mother is dying keeps us interested in the outcome and rooting for the boy. Even if you don't like running or sports in general, the life at stake, or at least the boy's faith at stake, makes this race important.

    There may be a bit too much sexual comedy for most parents to let small children see. For instance, after Ralph's caught in a venal sin in the swimming pool, that involved spying on the girl's locker room, he tells his mother "It was really an accident. The manufacture of the pool was faulty." The incident becomes a running joke, demonstrating Ralph's character trait of not caring what other people think. He later says they didn't really need to drain the pool (I'm not going to explain that, you've got to see it, but it was funny). But it's not as crude as other current comedies like The Wedding Crashers and The Bad News Bears.

    I recommend Saint Ralph specifically to anyone who liked Lucas or Rudy, and generally to anyone old enough to take the humor maturely.
    helpful•15
    2
    • SpaceComics
    • Aug 6, 2005

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 8, 2005 (Canada)
    • Country of origin
      • Canada
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Miracle of Saint Ralph
    • Filming locations
      • Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Alliance Atlantis Communications
      • Amaze Film + Television
      • Running Miracles Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • CA$6,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $489,389
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $140,881
      • Aug 7, 2005
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,881,975
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 38 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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