The Jericho Mile

1979

Action / Crime / Drama / Sport

8
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 77% · 2 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 77% · 100 ratings
IMDb Rating 7.0/10 10 2321 2.3K

prison drug smuggling sports fistfight revenge murder

Plot summary

A runner, serving a life sentence at Folsom Prison, works at becoming the world's fastest miler and wins a chance to compete for a spot on the Olympic team.

Director

Michael Mann Photo
Michael Mann

Top cast

Richard Lawson Photo
Richard Lawson as R.C. Stiles
Burton Gilliam Photo
Burton Gilliam as Jimmy-Jack
Edmund Penney Photo
Edmund Penney as OAU Official
Richard Moll Photo
Richard Moll as Joker Gibb
720p.BluRay 1080p.BluRay
796.01 MB
968*720
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 37 min
Seeds ...
1.52 GB
1440*1072
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 37 min
Seeds 7

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by DanTheMan2150AD 7 / 10

More than just a footnote

Before the hard-edged, dark-hued cinematic diamond that is Thief, Michael Mann got appropriately warmed up with The Jericho Mile, combining a downbeat social drama with an uplifting sports story. It's a tough and cynical prison film, where Mann's innate sense of style is evident from the get-go; the camera moves in wide motions, circling inmates as they work out in the prison yard. It's the kind of made-for-TV production that possesses the scope, energy, and potential to have become a theatrical feature, serving as an early indication of what was to come from the great man. Offering a miniature study of how men deprived of all other avenues of recreation focus on maintaining their bodies, while also vividly exploring other aspects of prison life. Close-ups capture cash and contraband sneaking around people's backs under the watchful eyes of armed guards in prison towers, while the camera also picks up on the casual segregation of inmates-groups of men staring at each other with obvious wariness. Mann never lets us forget that this is a film about people in a very dangerous position. Even at its most inspiring, the film leaves you feeling as if violence could break out at any moment, reverberating with real-world grit. Backed by a stunning performance from Peter Strauss and a groovy soundtrack to boot, The Jericho Mile is tough, soulful, and deeply affecting, deserving to be so much more than just a footnote on Mann's impressive filmography.
Reviewed by awatters1 8 / 10

great film, not common enough

An interesting and involved film about a "lifer" just trying to live out his days peacefully. Elements of the main character appear in Michael Mann's later films, like Thief (1981), Heat (1995), and so on. You can see this one at the UCLA Instructional Media Laboratory-- one of the only places in the country that has copies readily available to the public. It's a great one!
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