The Running Man (1981 film)

The Running Man is a Canadian television film, directed by Donald Brittain and broadcast in 1981 as an episode of the CBC Television drama anthology For the Record.[1] It was Brittain's first narrative fiction film in a career making documentary films,[2] and the first Canadian television film ever to explicitly address the subject of homosexuality.[1]

The Running Man
Written byAnna Sandor
Directed byDonald Brittain
StarringChuck Shamata
Barbara Gordon
Don Scanlon
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
Production
Running time60 minutes
Release
Original networkCBC Television
Original release
  • February 22, 1981 (1981-02-22)

The film stars Chuck Shamata as Ben Garfield, a married teacher struggling to come to terms with his own sexuality after one of his students comes out as gay.[3] The film also stars Barbara Gordon as his wife Liz and Don Scanlon as his openly gay friend Michael, as well as Colm Feore, Kate Trotter and Linda Sorenson.

David Mole of The Body Politic covered the film's production, criticizing it heavily for being a film about homosexuality made by non-gay filmmakers.[4] Rick Groen of The Globe and Mail wrote that the film "never actually stumbles. But, after a quick sprint out of the blocks, it settles for cruising to the tape with a disappointing time."[5]

The film won three Bijou Awards in 1981, for Best Actor in a Non-Feature (Shamata), Best Director of a Drama (Brittain) and Best Sound (Ed Chong).[6]

References
  1. Gerald Pratley, A Century of Canadian Cinema. Lynx Images, 2003. ISBN 1-894073-21-5. p. 188.
  2. Meg Floyd, "Canada's king of documentary tackles drama". The Globe and Mail, February 21, 1981.
  3. "Shamata to play in CBC-TV drama". The Globe and Mail, July 16, 1980.
  4. David Mole, "Watching them watching us". The Body Politic, #69 (December 1980/January 1981). pp. 28-29.
  5. "Running Man tires quickly after early sprint". The Globe and Mail, February 21, 1981.
  6. "CBC, NFB sweep new Bijou Awards". Calgary Herald, October 29, 1981.
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