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Poster for The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

1962 · 104 min

A stark, introspective character study that unfolds with quiet defiance, blending gritty social realism with moments of poetic solitude.

Overview
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.

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In the UKNo streaming, rental or purchase options known.
In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • bleakstrength 3 of 3
  • melancholicstrength 2 of 3
  • tensestrength 2 of 3
  • earneststrength 2 of 3
Pacing
slow-burn, 1 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
demanding, 4 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • class
  • rebellion
  • isolation
  • coming-of-age
  • freedom
Places
  • countryside
  • small town
  • home
Era
contemporary
Audience
adult
Form
  • nonlinear
Content intensity
  • Gore none
  • Language mild
  • Violence mild
  • Sex mild
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action3
Horror1
Humour2
Realism9
Romance2
Tension5
Darkness7
Complexity7
Emotional weight8

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Where to watch in the UK

No UK streaming, rental or purchase options are known.

Streaming data from JustWatch.TMDB

Details

Genres
drama
Directed by
Tony Richardson
Written by
Alan Sillitoe
Starring
Michael Redgrave, Tom Courtenay, Avis Bunnage, Alec McCowen, James Bolam, Joe Robinson, Dervis Ward, Topsy Jane
Cinematography
Walter Lassally
Runtime
104 min
Country
United Kingdom
Languages
English

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