Review of Marathon Man (1976) by Chris M — 01 Nov 2013

Terrific. Dustin Hoffman is great as the understated, introverted student and runner who is forced into violent self-defence and ultimately aggression. The whole cast is great - Roy Scheider is especially strong as Doc Levy, at times arrogant, funny and occasionally brutal.

There are moments of shocking violence that all carry an seedy, unsettling ambience behind them: the initial car crash with its racist road-rage, the incident in Paris, Doc's encounter with Szell, and the infamous interrogation scene and its aftermath.

As the story escalates to its climax, things still remain unsettling. Szell has to walk through the largely Jewish jewellry district. Babe Levy flees, knowing his pursuers are following, and then the final showdown.

There's little or no redemption at the end - which comes suddenly and leaves the viewer feeling almost empty. This is a high-class piece of 1970's film-making.