Running (film)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Running is a 1979 drama/sports film. It is about the fictional American marathon runner and Olympics hopeful Michael Andropolis and his struggle to compete in the Olympic Games. It stars Michael Douglas and Susan Anspach.

[edit] Overview

Michael Andropolis (Douglas) is a US hopeful for the Olympic Games as a marathon runner. However, his life is fraught with trouble. His marriage, which produced two children, has fallen apart and ended in divorce. He struggles with unemployment and his coach is reluctant to endorse him for the games. Andropolis always starts races strong, but because of his over-competitive strive, he pulls ahead of the pack too soon, sapping strength he'll need for the final minutes of the race. So he tends to not come in first, having used his stamina too early. His coach feels he is a quitter.

However, he makes it through to the Olympics and surprises everyone, by pacing himself early in the race, only pulling ahead halfway through the race. Well on his way to the finish line ahead of the main pack, Andropolis slips on wet leaves rounding a turn. The fall leaves him with head and leg injuries as other runners pass him by.

As paramedics tend to him where he fell, as darkness falls, Andropolis is overcome by the need to "finish" the task of the race. He gets up, limping by and winding his way through traffic on roads that have been re-opened, since the final runner had crossed the finish line hours earlier. Exhausted by the grueling ordeal of finishing the race with numerous injuries, Andropolis is greeted with cheers and support, though he finishes dead last. He is met at the finish line by his ex-wife (Anspach).