Director: Tony Richardson
Producer: Tony Richardson
A rebellious youth, sentenced to a boy’s reformatory for robbing a bakery, rises through the ranks of the institution by impressing its Governor through his prowess as a long distance runner. He is encouraged to compete in an upcoming race, but faces ridicule from his peers.
104 min
Rating: 7.2/10
Released
Watch Trailer
Top Cast
Michael Redgrave
Ruxton Towers Reformatory Governor
Tom Courtenay
Colin Smith
Avis Bunnage
Mrs. Smith
Alec McCowen
Brown, House Master
James Bolam
Mike
Joe Robinson
Roach
Movie Info
Director: Tony Richardson
Producer: Tony Richardson
Production Companies: Woodfall Film Productions
Countries: United Kingdom
Similar Movies
Journeyman
2018-03-30
Good Time
2017-08-11
Blue Crush
2002-08-08
Männerpension
1996-01-31
The Longest Yard
2005-05-27
Chariots of Fire
1981-05-15
Buffalo '66
1998-01-20
He Got Game
1998-05-01
Chopper
2000-06-21
Running for His Life: The Lawrence Phillips Story
2016-12-16
Mean Machine
2001-12-26
Wild Seven
2006-01-01
Orgasmo perverso
1986-03-31
Contrainte par corps
1988-06-29
Whirlpool
1934-04-10
The Cable Guy
1996-06-10
Two for the Money
2005-10-07
Lock Up
1989-08-04
Asterisk
2016-12-02User Reviews
What Others Said
CinemaSerf:
Tom Courtenay is superb as "Colin Smith" who, along with his pal "Mike" (James Bolam) spends much of his time committing petty crimes to alleviate the boredom of his life. When his father dies, his rather venal mother (Avis Bunnage) can't wait for the insurance money; hooks up almost immediately with another man and this all serves to push "Colin" further into his criminal activities. He is eventually apprehended after robbing a bakery and sent to a reformatory where warden Michael Redgrave spots his abilities as a runner. Determined to help the boy from his path of self-destruction the two begin an uneasy relationship that continues after his release when he must race for his school against a neighbouring private school that has advantage and privilege. It is a superbly paced, considerately directed rite-of-passage story; a young man facing indifference from family and society who lucks out, to some extent, with an authority figure who actually gives a damn. At times bleak, it offers quite an interesting insight into the (lack of) opportunity for many in early sixties Britain. The performances are strong, based on good, solid writing supported well by a few now familiar faces - Edward & James Fox; Frank Finlay and Derek Fowlds.