Great Britain

Once every four years the world goes to war, and they call it The Games.
A fascinating look into the world of long distance running as four athletes prepare for the gruelling 26 mile marathon in the Rome Olympics. The film follows the athletes - English amateur Michael Crawford, Yale undergraduate Ryan O'Neal, Aborigine mechanic Athol Compton and 41-year-old Czech colonel Charles Aznavour - from their training for the race through to the race itself which produces drama of the kind that only the marathon can provide! Stanley Baker as Crawford's fanatical trainer and Jeremy Kemp as a small-time promoter both have key roles and the screenplay is by Erich Segal (author of Love Story), himself a former amateur marathon runner. A Michael Winner film.