THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER

UK, 1962, 103 minutes, Black and white.
Tom Courtenay, Michael Redgrave, James Bolam, Alec Mc Cowen, Julia Foster.
Directed by Tony Richardson.

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner is based on a short story by Alan Sillitoe, the author of Saturday Night and Sunday Morning. He is an author who represents the British realism in the cinema in the late 50s and early 60s. He also wrote the screenplay for this film. Direction is by Tony Richardson who had made his mark the year before with A Taste of Honey and who was to win the Oscar the next year for Tom Jones. Richardson was derivative of many styles in the cinema at the time but gave them a British touch - some people criticised this film for being too arty and stylish when it needed straightforward presentation. Richardson's career has been a mixed one during the 60s and 70s. Tom Courtenay embodies Colin Smith very well as he did with John Schlesinger’s Billy Liar the next year. He is a representative actor along with Richard Harris in The Sporting Life and Albert Finney in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning of this particular era.

Michael Redgrave is very good as the kindly but paternalistic Governor of the prison. James Bolam who was to appear as one of the Likely Lads is Colin's friend. Alec Mc Cowan has a brief effective role and Julia Foster is one of the girlfriends.

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner has been used in succeeding years very much for discussions on social and personal issues.

1. The impact of this film in the 60s? Tony Richardson and the other directors of realistic British drama of the time? Its status over the years especially for discussion work? An example of early 60s British film-making?

2. The realistic treatment of people and themes? The visual presentation of Nottingham, Borstal? The emphasis on particular incidents and small details? An authentic atmosphere? Black and white photography, the emphasis on squalor and ugliness and the landscapes of Britain? The importance of the score especially the trumpet pieces? The contrast with the stylistic exercise material ? e.g. the buying spree, the collage of memories during the run etc.?

3. The importance of the structure: the prologue and the significance of the title? The basic story of Colin Smith at Borstal? The placing of the flashbacks especially while he was running?

4. The significance of the title as explained by Colin at the beginning? The significance of loneliness as embodied in Colin and the people that he represented? The symbol of the long distance runner and his effort, exertion, possibilities, achievement, self-determination? The visual presentation of long distance running?

5. The political background and emphases of the film? The presentation of British classes and their clashes? The world of the workers especially Colin's father and his mother collecting the 500 pounds? The contrast with the wealthy, the Conservative government stances? The Governor and his bland and well-meaning approach but its paternalism? The role of prisons and Borstals within British society? The attitude of intellectuals and psychologists of the time? The irony of the TV speech? its contents and the gestures when the words were taken away? The governing boards? The employment question, the police? The future of Britain and the words of optimism? The irony of the boys singing the Jerusalem hymn and its ironic contrast with Britain in the 60s?

6. How well did Colin Smith represent and symbolise the young British man of the early 60s? His age, ordinariness? Tom Courtenay's performance? His appearance, manner, thin, facial expressions, surliness, blankness yet shrewd and intelligent? His comments on long distance running, the arrival at Borstal and the truck, the arrival itself, the pressures, numbers, clothes? The first impact of the Governor? Colin and his basic rebellious spirit, his never wishing to conform even when he went through the motions? How did he remain the same in his attitudes despite all the experiences at Borstal? In all the incidents of the film?

7. His enjoyment of the football, his scoring of the goal, his being singled out especially by the Governor, his running and the exertion to beat Stacey, his clash with Stacey and fighting, his work within the Borstal? His being smiled on by the Governor? His presence at meals, the changing attitudes of the others? Did he develop as a character during his time at Borstal?

8. Comment on the presentation of training within the system? the work, the workshops? The contrast with Colin's training for running and the experience of freedom, the open gate, the swirling countryside, trees and sky? The snow landscapes and the water on the ground? The trumpet solo for the mood of the running? The effect on him of effort, possibilities? The insertion of his memories while he ran, rested? Given the freedom and yet his returning? The expectations being placed on him by the other prisoners, by the Governor, the trainer? His discovering of his capacities, the possibility of Athletics as a future? The build-up to the race and all its drama, the meeting of the college boy and his courtesy towards him - with a touch of irony? The running of the race, the exertion, the memories and the pressures crowding in? The barracking? The expectations of the Governor and his disappointment? His standing back instead of winning?

9. The aftermath of the race and life going on as normal, the Governor's reaction to having his dreams not fulfilled, seeing him in his true colours?

10. How much was revealed during the flashbacks? How effective were they? Colin in his life at Nottingham, his place within the family, his mother and her sharp tongue and attitudes, the younger children and their noise? His father's illness, the visit of the doctor, refusal to go to hospital, his death? The funeral, the getting of the 500 pounds and his mother's attitude? The atmosphere of the buying spree with its comedy and enjoying of buying wealthy things? The presence of Gordon and his attitude towards Mrs. Smith, towards Colin? Mick and the bond with Colin ? their taking of the car, the joyride with Audrey and Gladys? The weekend by the sea and the train ride, the dancing, the night together, the walk on the beach, the disillusionment of the aftermath? The bond with Mick in the stealing from the bakery, the joy of getting the money, hiding it? The contrast with the lyrical happiness and its possibilities with the reality of Nottingham?

11. Life at home? Unemployment, the need for money, his mother's emphasis on this, the reason for stealing, the visits of the police and their search of the house, the irony of the way the money was revealed and he was caught? The irony of Mick eventually arriving at Borstal ? and turning against him?

12. How sympathetic was the portrait of the Governor? His place in authority, in the establishment and his establishment friends? The cliches that he mouthed? Bland, friendly, the emphasis on sport, his way of supervising, running meetings, singling out Stacey, his attitudes towards training and testing, relationship with the staff? His special favourites, his urging them on, his disappointment? His being interested in his cause?

13. The presentation of the staff and their authoritarian approach, training, the ugly memory during the hymn singing of the bashing, the training? Brown and his psychological approach, bland comments, contrast with the Governor, the taping of Colin's remarks and the psychological testing ? also a device of getting Colin to reveal himself and our learning about him? The ineffectual psychologist?

14. The presentation of the other boys in the Borstal? the details of their work, the gas masks in the workshop., the hosing, the meal and the riot? The contrast with the boys from the Public School - how sympathetically were they presented in view of the antiestablishment and even parody tone of the film?

15. Mrs. Smith as the ordinary housewife. her snapping at people, her nagging, attitude towards her husband and his death, the 500 pounds and her surliness, the spending spree and her happiness, the fight with Colin, Gordon as a fancy man? Her sticking up for her son especially against the police? A sketch of this kind of woman - authentically?

16. Television and its presence, the blandness of the advertisement and Colin's attitude, the political speech and the mouthing of ideals, their turning off the sound?

17. The presentation of the concert and the types there, the Minister, the singing, the bird calls, the hearty singing of Jerusalem and the brutal flashbacks and the reprisal of this at the end? The parody tone taken so often during the film - even in the humorous speeding up of the robbery and the policeman coming round the corner? Appropriate for this film?

18. The issues of society, opportunities, pressures, morality, education?

19. The presentation of systems and their merits, drawbacks, the need for rebellion?

20. The importance of the race, Colin's possibilities for choice, self-determination and his attitude at the end?

21. How particularly British the film? For a British audience, for a universal audience? How timeless even though particularly grounded in the early 60s?