Running Brave

1983 film by Donald Shebib

Robby Benson
Pat Hingle
Claudia Cron
Jeff McCracken

CinematographyFrançois ProtatEdited byPeter ZinnerMusic byMike Post

Production
company

Englander Productions

Distributed byBuena Vista Distribution

Release date

November 4, 1983 (1983-11-04)

Running time

106 minutesLanguageEnglishBudget$8 millionBox office$3 million

Running Brave is a 1983 Canadian biographical sports drama film^[1]^[2] based on the story of Billy Mills, a member or the Oglala Sioux tribe located in South Dakota. Mills was born on the reservation, and later attended the University of Kansas ^[3] where he was recruited by the Olympic running team^[1]^[4] and won the gold medal in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics for the 10,000 meter race.^[5] In one of the great upsets in sports history, Mills sprinted from third place for the win. Mills is still the only American in history to win the Olympic 10,000 meter run. Robby Benson portrays Mills. Pat Hingle and a young Graham Greene also star.

Plot

The story of Billy Mills, the American Indian who came from obscurity to win the 10,000-meter long-distance foot-race in the Tokyo Olympics in 1964.

Cast

Per Turner Classic Movies.^[6]

Robby Benson as Billy Mills
Pat Hingle as Coach Bill Easton
Claudia Cron as Pat
Graham Greene as Eddie
Wendell Smith as Chris Mitchell

Production

The film was directed by Donald Shebib, ultimately crediting himself with "D.S. Everett" due to an editing dispute.^[7] Billy Mills was actively involved in the making of this film.

Reception

The film is renowned for its accurate and sensitive depiction of Native culture.^{[citation needed]}

References

^ ^a ^b Harkness, John (February 1984). "D.S. Everett's Running Brave". Cinema Canada (104): 18–19.
^ Berumen, Frank Javier Garcia (2019). "Representative Films: Running Brave". American Indian Image Makers of Hollywood. McFarland. pp. 200–201. ISBN 9781476636474.
^ "Billy Mills: Hero to Native Americans and Olympians everywhere | NCAA.org - The Official Site of the NCAA". www.ncaa.org. Archived from the original on 2015-05-01.
^ Paraschak, Victoria (2000). "Billy Mills". In Kirsch, George B. (ed.). Encyclopedia of Ethnicity and Sports in the United States. Greenwood. p. 317. ISBN 9780313299117.
^ Burfoot, Amby (2009). "Appreciating Your Opponents". Runner's World Complete Book of Running: Everything You Need to Run for Weight Loss, Fitness, and Competition. Rodale Books. p. 142. ISBN 9781605295794.
^ "Running Brave (1983) - Full Credits - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
^ Walz, Eugene P., ed. (2002). Canada's Best Features: Critical Essays on 15 Canadian Films. Amsterdam; New York: Editions Rodopi B.V. p. 21. ISBN 9042012099. Retrieved 10 June 2020.