Book Review — Marathon Man
This is the first time I have watched this 1970’s thriller. Dustin Hoffmann plays Thomas Levy, is a history Ph.D. student in history who loves running, especially along the Hudson River in New York. His father committed suicide about twenty years before after being investigated during the Joseph McCarthy era. His brother Henry Levy, whom he believes works for an oil company but us in reality a government agent. One of Henry’s jobs is to serve as a diamond courier for a notorious Nazi war criminal, Dr. Christian Szell, hiding out in South America, is superbly played by Laurence Olivier. In return, Christian Szell helps Henry track other Nazi war criminals. The diamonds are kept in a safe deposit in a bank in New York. They are withdrawn when needed by his brother Klaus Szell and given to couriers like his brother. Klaus and Christian are the only ones with the safe deposit key. When his brother is killed during a road rage accident, Christian Szell feels he can no longer trust anybody, and starts to make plans to murder all the people who handled his diamonds. Thomas would be caught in the middle, as Szell believes is working with his brother in stealing some of the diamonds for themselves. Henry would be killed, and Thomas then is in a fight for his life.
This movie is best known for the gripping scenes when Thomas is taken by Dr. Snell’s goons, and is tortured in a chair by Snell with dental implements, asking him repeatedly “Is it safe?”, who eventually using the drill to get Thomas to talk. The acting is well done, the film is exciting. I think Laurence Olivier was nominated for a best supporting actor for his role as the Nazi war doctor. I felt there were plot twist, one regarding Henry’s fellow agent, Peter Janeway and a German student, Esla Opel, Thomas love interest, I felt was a little too implausible, but convenient for the overall movie story. I guess that us what it is like with many movies.
For Catholics and other Christians, this movie does have its times of violence, and the scene of Thomas being interrogated by ‘dentist’ Szell, then using the drill on a healthy tooth will always make people skirmish. There is brief nudity. As I try to grow and trying to live a life of holiness, I am becoming more cynical at relationships portrayed in movies of a man and women who barely know one another, having sex. More I watch these films now, the more I am thinking too much of the Mortal Sin’s these characters are doing, unconsciously where sin has become normalized, which is in the case of these movies and real life. I just think, one minute someone is in the middle of killing, instead gets killed himself and is standing before God to be judged. That does make me stop to consider my own actions. For those, like myself who still like these sorts of movies, it is a good film, be it a little implausible as it is with most action/thrillers. Yes, it is a classic, I can watch it again. As I will always keep saying, be warned, this is not a film for everybody. Yes, this is definably a ‘boy’s’ film.
Directed: John Schlesinger Starring: Dustin Hoffmann, Laurence Olivier, Roy Scheider, William Devane & Marthe Keller Genre: Suspense/Thriller Rating: 15+ Year: 1976
Note: This movie review is from Carl Strehlow, a valued member of Coffin Nation. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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