IMDb RATING
7.5/10
9.4K
YOUR RATING
A young thief takes up long-distance running when he is sent to a borstal.A young thief takes up long-distance running when he is sent to a borstal.A young thief takes up long-distance running when he is sent to a borstal.
- Won 1 BAFTA Award
- 5 wins & 2 nominations total
Ray Austin
- Harry Craig
- (uncredited)
Ernest Blyth
- Army Officer at Sports Day
- (uncredited)
Jim Brady
- Man in Cafe
- (uncredited)
John Brooking
- Green
- (uncredited)
James Cairncross
- Mr. Jones
- (uncredited)
Dallas Cavell
- Lord Jaspers
- (uncredited)
Peter Duguid
- Doctor
- (uncredited)
Charles Dyer
- Bit Part
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaReal borstal inmates were used as extras, primarily in the riot scene. Director of Photography Walter Lassally stated: "The mix was so good that you couldn't-, unless you knew that this is an actor and this is an extra and this is a Borstal boy, you couldn't tell. The only time you could tell was at lunchtime, because they were absolutely ravenous. It looked like in the Borstal they were never properly fed because they were always looking. If you'd finished your dinner and you'd left something on your plate, they'd say, can I have that? They participated with great glee in the riot."
- GoofsEarly in the movie, when the new boys are in the van on the way to the borstal, they are shown in handcuffs and chains; when they emerge from the van, the restraints are gone. However, one of their guards is heard referring to removing their restraints after they pass through the outer gate.
- Quotes
Colin Smith: Running's always been a big thing in our family, especially running away from the police.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Free Cinema (1986)
- SoundtracksJerusalem
Music by Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (uncredited)
Lyrics by William Blake (uncredited)
Sung by the lads in the audience at the close of the concert scene
Several instrumental variations of the melody are heard throughout the soundtrack
Featured review
Black & White rules!
I saw the last few minutes of this flick on Tyne Tees telly a couple of years after its theater rounds. In that part of England in those days there was only subsequent run at the Odeon, ABC and Majestic and I never got the chance to see it on a big screen. I can always hope.
I also remember the lurid cover on the paperback as it sat on the rack at Boots alongside Brendan Behan's "Borstal Boy." I had to settle for Mickey Spillane or Ian Fleming instead.
The film is far more gritty than Billy Liar, but Courtenay is identical in both roles in that he has to triumph over adversity in both films. In this role he rejects the life of his father which was subservience to the mill in favor of living large, but not very. In short he aspired to be a spiv just to blend in. But he needs to impress a couple of birds too, and that takes money -- and love of money is the root of all evil.
Then he gets a mini-vacation in a castle stolen by Oliver Cromwell and eventually converted to a government-owned barracks to meet the conveniences of World War II. I have never seen the concrete post with barbed wire any other place than England. In this boot camp styled borstal he has to confront his demons and decide just exactly who he wants to be. The Head has an ax to grind with the local school and naively hopes that sports is the way to channel these boys' anger. Should that fail, there are posters plastering the walls touting a man's life in the army. And that's why this film doesn't waste a scene.
Americans watching this film might have some trouble with an almost extinct dialect, but human nature does not change.
Favorite scenes 1) when he burns the pound note and 2) the romp on the dunes at Skegness.
I also remember the lurid cover on the paperback as it sat on the rack at Boots alongside Brendan Behan's "Borstal Boy." I had to settle for Mickey Spillane or Ian Fleming instead.
The film is far more gritty than Billy Liar, but Courtenay is identical in both roles in that he has to triumph over adversity in both films. In this role he rejects the life of his father which was subservience to the mill in favor of living large, but not very. In short he aspired to be a spiv just to blend in. But he needs to impress a couple of birds too, and that takes money -- and love of money is the root of all evil.
Then he gets a mini-vacation in a castle stolen by Oliver Cromwell and eventually converted to a government-owned barracks to meet the conveniences of World War II. I have never seen the concrete post with barbed wire any other place than England. In this boot camp styled borstal he has to confront his demons and decide just exactly who he wants to be. The Head has an ax to grind with the local school and naively hopes that sports is the way to channel these boys' anger. Should that fail, there are posters plastering the walls touting a man's life in the army. And that's why this film doesn't waste a scene.
Americans watching this film might have some trouble with an almost extinct dialect, but human nature does not change.
Favorite scenes 1) when he burns the pound note and 2) the romp on the dunes at Skegness.
helpful•131
- gingergurl75
- Oct 6, 2006
- How long is The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Usamljenost trkača na duge staze
- Filming locations
- Riddlesdown Quarry, Whyteleafe, Surrey, England, UK(the view of the railway line and gas-holder)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 44 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.66 : 1
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Top Gap
By what name was The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962) officially released in India in English?
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