
Marathon Man. 1977. USA. Directed by John Schlesinger. Screenplay by William Goldman. With Dustin Hoffman, Laurence Olivier, Roy Scheider, William Devane, Marthe Keller. DCP. 125 min.
John Schlesinger reunites with Dustin Hoffman eight years after Midnight Cowboy for another New York story, this one about a student and marathon runner who becomes involved in a mysterious plot by secret agents and a Nazi war criminal (chillingly played by Laurence Olivier). Its infamous torture scene—certainly unpopular with dentists—has been described as one of the most terrifying in cinema, even after initial reactions in preview screenings made it shorter than originally intended. More than a political thriller, Marathon Man is about a character unexpectedly consumed by the anxiety brought on by uncertainty, and the endurance of evil in a violent, hostile world.