The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962) - a day out (with commentary)

A scene from the DVD of Tony Richardson's 'The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner' with commentary from film historian Robert Murphy and Tom Courtenay; featured in the clip are Courtenay, James Bolam, Topsy Jane and Julia Foster.

[sanchopanzam]

Love this film...and his speech about "the whip hand" types seems quite apt right now....

[ChoppingtonOtter]

Fantastic film. Along with Saturday night and Sunday morning, absolute classics. So much more nuanced than the crud they churn out now.

[MrMoggyman]

Topsy Jane Legge was lovely in this film. She really epitomizes young women from that era. So innocently cautious and gentle, but sometimes willing to take a risk, and always knowing when a man was pushing his luck too far. Lovely, you can really feel Topsy's warmth and concern as Audrey. She became pregnant, and this prevented her taking up a part in A Kind of Loving. In Billy Liar she had to withdraw from the film because of illness, but Courtenay always thought highly of her. Later still she suffered a full nervous breakdown that really ruined her acting career, and she died in her seventies in 2014 having never achieved the acclaim Julia Foster did who played Gladys. Tom Courtenay and other aspiring actors such as James Bolam and John Thaw really make this film, but other than Courtenay in the lead role it was Topsy that made it for I remember the women from that was just wonderful, and got everything perfectly right. Whenever I see this film, especially the Skegness sequences, I sigh. Topsy could have been my girlfriend anytime, I just loved her and always had the feeling that I wanted to hold her close. Not many actresses make me feel like that. Beautiful actress, beautiful heart. RIP lovely talented lass.

[honved]

James Bolam features here & Rodney Bewes a year later with Courtenay, in Billy Liar. They later went on to become the Likely Lads. Topsy Jane was one of the hottest properties of the time, featuring in seven BBC dramas in 1961 alone. She was destined for stardom & cast as Billy Liar's (Courtenay) girlfriend in the John Schlesinger directed film. She had a nervous breakdown on-set & pulled out after filming some early scenes. Her replacement was a newbie Julie Christe & Billy Liar launched her to international stardom. Topsy Jane however vanished & was never heard from again as an actress. A tragic end to such promise.

[janettemohan]

One of the few instances where narration enhances a clip. Sincere thanks for posting this, Paul.

[Shiteoutlander]

I cant wait until real, mature, sophisticated as well as hard hitting British cinema comes back and it will. It's fucking dire as it stands. Great film this.