The Jericho Mile (1979) (TV)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Michael Mann

Writers:

Patrick J. Nolan (story)
Patrick J. Nolan (teleplay) ...

Release Date:

18 March 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Sport

Tagline:

He's running for his freedom ... and his life.

Plot:

Rain Murphy is a man sentenced to life in prison, choosing to do his time in near-isolation, and engages...

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Running | Revenge | Drugs

Awards:

Won 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Peter Strauss	...	Larry 'Rain' Murphy
Richard Lawson	...	R.C. Stiles
Roger E. Mosley	...	Cotton Crown
Brian Dennehy	...	Dr. D
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Dr. Bill Janowski
Billy Green Bush	...	Warden Earl Gulliver
Ed Lauter	...	Jerry Beloit
Beverly Todd	...	Wylene
William Prince	...	O.A.U. Chairman
Miguel Pinero	...	Rubio
Richard Moll	...	Joker Gibb
Edmund Penney	...	OAU Official
Burton Gilliam	...	Jimmy-Jack
Ji-Tu Cumbuka	...	Brother Lateef
Wilmore Thomas	...	Moo-Moo

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:PG | Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) | Norway:16 (theatrical rating) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:18

Filming Locations:

Folsom State Prison - 300 Prison Road, Represa, California, USA

Company:

ABC Circle Films

Trivia:

Murphy's line 'Are you gonna tell me they invented a hard time you cannot handle?' is almost exactly the same as Beedan's line 'There ain't been a hard time invented that I cannot handle' in Heat (1995), also written and directed by Michael Mann.

Quotes:

Dr. D: [Asked who did something] Lickety split!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'Heat' (2005) (V)

Strauss is convincing in an otherwise confusing TV movie.

THE JERICHO MILE scores a qualifying time for presenting a determined Peter Strauss who gives this one a good amount of stamina. His role is an inmate who has the love and desire for running. In a prison world filled with intolerance, he wants a chance to return to society again by changing his ways and become an Olympic hopeful. This must be a cross between CHARIOTS OF FIRE and the cult classic PENITENTIARY, and while it has its own variety of moments, the film is better off confused by focusing heavy on racial violence and rapid-fire tensions. It should have greatly kept up with showcasing the spirit of "flying high" into the wide open spaces. Otherwise, a good and honest effort in displaying harsh prison life to the screen, but don't expect much in terms of hope and glory.