Review of Marathon Man (1976) by Aaron N — 22 Mar 2008

Janeway: In 1945, Szell let it be known around Auschwitz he could provide escape for anybody who could pay the price. He started out with gold naturally, but very quickly worked his way up to diamonds.

Babe: Why did you say "naturally" when you said he started with gold?

Janeway: Szell knocked it out of the Jews' teeth before he burned them. Szell was a dentist.

Dustin Hoffman stars in film that works very well as a thriller, especially if one doen't analyze everything while its happening and simply lets them self be involved with the film. I say this because by the end of the film, we see characters go through hell, but there are some loose ends to question. Still the film is very effective as a thriller.

Hoffman stars as Babe Levy, a graduate student at Columbia university. He also practices daily for the marathon. Another aspect of his life involves the image of his father's suicide, which he had witnessed early in his life.

Another plot of this story involves Babe's older brother Doc, played by Roy Scheider. Doc is an American spy who has become involved with the affairs of a sinister man named Szell, Laurence Olivier, who is known as the most notorious Nazi war criminal still around during the time of this movie.

Soon Doc's life crosses with Babe's, leading to an impossible situation for Babe, including a classic torture scene, all of which is made worse because we know there is really no way out for Babe. This film is a testament to Hoffman's talent as a method actor, because by the later half of this movie we see all the exhaustion and pain he has gone through.

This whole movie is made with 70s A-list talent, including actors Hoffman, Olivier, Scheider, and Devane. Director John Schlesinger (All the President's Men). Producer Robert Evans. And renowned screenwriter William Goldman.

There talents combined with many others have made a very fine film in terms of having an effective thriller with several memorable moments and a very villainous antagonist.

There are elements that don't work as well as they should, but the various reveals and unfolding of the plot make this film work well enough to make it very enjoyable as a tense thriller.

Christian Szell: Is it safe?... Is it safe?

Babe: You're talking to me?

Christian Szell: Is it safe?

Babe: Is what safe?

Christian Szell: Is it safe?

Babe: I don't know what you mean. I can't tell you something's safe or not, unless I know specifically what you're talking about.

Christian Szell: Is it safe?

Babe: Tell me what the "it" refers to.

Christian Szell: Is it safe?

Babe: Yes, it's safe, it's very safe, it's so safe you wouldn't believe it.

Christian Szell: Is it safe?

Babe: No. It's not safe, it's... very dangerous, be careful.