The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner: Tony Richardson

Tony Richardson's The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner is a sad yet illuminating glimpse into the soul of a young man thrown to the wayside by British society. Brought up in desperate poverty and a broken home, Colin Smith lived as a petty criminal until he was arrested for breaking into a bakery and stealing their cashbox. Instead of prison, he is sent to Ruxton Towers, a reform school for juvenile offenders. There, he quickly catches the eye of "The Governor," the school's overseer, after he discovers that he is a skilled runner. Eager for Ruxton Towers to gain glory at an upcoming five-mile cross country race against a wealthy public school, The Governor gives Colin special privileges in exchange for promising to compete. But this isolates him from his peers. And those lonely training sessions by himself in the woods around the school keep bringing up memories of his old life and his old resentment towards authority...The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner is well-shot and visually engaging despite its meager budget. As an entry of the British New Wave, it is essential. As a human drama, it is indispensable.

8/10