The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner **** (1962, Tom Courtenay, Michael Redgrave, James Fox) Classic Movie Review 1648

Producer-director Tony Richardson’s 1962 movie The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner does full just to its source author Alan Sillitoe, who provides a commendably taut screenplay from his own novella about a reform school boy called Colin Smith (Tom Courtenay) who sets out to humble the upper-class governor (Michael Redgrave) in this vital British Sixties new wave film. Like its hero, the film is an efficient lean machine.

The film’s central pride and joy is a lean, haggard and starved-looking young Courtenay’s faultless performance of a sympathetic misfit, a British rebel without a cause. But James Fox is also ideal as his toffy-nosed public school running rival, Willy Gunthorpe, a competitor from the opposing Ranley School team. (Fox’s brother Edward appears as an extra in the film.)

Sentenced to the Ruxton Towers boys’ reformatory for robbing a bakery, Colin Smith rises through the ranks of the institution through his athletic prowess and gains a privileged status as the governor’s prize long distance runner. As he runs alone, he reviews his life and re-evaluates his present status as governor’s pet in a class war sort of way.

The issues and characters are well and economically etched by Sillitoe, with lots of tight, sinewy muscle and no flab. And the film is flawlessly directed by a clearly involved Richardson and the then in-vogue spirit of poetic realism is beautifully enhanced by Walter Lassally’s gloriously raw black and white visuals.

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner may be downbeat and depressing – it is – but it’s bursting with the dynamism and power of frustrated, repressed, raw emotion.

John Thaw appears in his feature film debut as Bosworth, and James Bolam (Mike), Avis Bunnage (as Colin’s mum Mrs Smith), Alec McCowen (Mr Brown), Joe Robinson (Mr Roach), Julia Foster (as Gladys), Peter Madden, Arthur Mullard (as the Chief Borstal Officer), Topsy Jane (as Audrey), James Cairncross, Brian Hammond, Anthony Sagar, Dervis Ward, and Frank Finlay are also in the vintage cast.

Derek Fowlds (1937 – 2020) makes his film debut as Borstal Inmate (uncredited).

Alan Sillitoe is the author of Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, which made an even greater film.

Richardson is best known for Look Back in Anger (1959), A Taste of Honey (1961), Tom Jones (1963) and The Sailor from Gibraltar (1967).

Tom Courtenay won the 1963 BAFTA Film Award Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles. Walter Lassally’s gloriously raw black and white visuals went completely unnoticed at awards season.

Walter Lassally.

RIP Walter Lassally (18 December 1926 – 23 October 2017).

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© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1648

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