Marathon Man

Genre: suspense

With: Dustin Hoffman (Thomas ‟Babe” Levy), Laurence Olivier (Christian Szell), Roy Scheider (Babe’s brother, ‟Doc”), William Devane (Peter Janeway), Marthe Keller (Elsa Opel), Fritz Weaver (Professor Biesenthal)

Director: John Schlesinger

Screenplay: William Goldman (based on his novel)

Release: 1976

Studio: Paramount Pictures, Robert Evans Company

Rating: 14A

MBiS score: 8.5/10

 

 

What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger

 

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Story-line: Babe Levy, who studies at Columbia University and trains as a long-distance runner, gets tangled up in a sinister affair when an elderly German he doesn’t even know perishes in a car accident.

Pluses: stellar performances by Dustin Hoffman, Laurence Olivier (in an Oscar-nominated turn) and cast (including that old Parisian in a brilliant cameo), a cold, cryptic and complicated screenplay that generates much anxiety, danger and one unbearable chase scene, strong direction that sustains mystery, a chilling musical score and advantageous production values.

Minuses: although logical, the plot may confuse you at times because it covers a lot of ground.

Comments: MARATHON MAN is another fantastic entry from American cinema’s most productive and prestigious period. It also boasts a very likeable hero in Babe Levy, a young man who has faced emotional trauma as a child and now finds himself in a nightmarish situation over which he has no control. One note about the dialogues: although much emphasis is placed on the catchy line “Is it safe?”, my favourite is Janeway’s “We provide”, a euphemism that all politicians should add to their repertoire.    

  

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