Running on the big screen

As a kid I remember reading books about Roger Bannister (first runner to break the four- minute mile), Jim Ryun (1968 Olympics) and Jesse Owens (four gold medals in the 1936 Olympics).
So the question answered this column is which are the best track and field movies?
A few that missed the top five cut are: The Long Run (2000), Saint Ralph (2004) and Fire On the Track (1995).

5. Jesse Owens Story (1984)
The Jesse Owens Story is a 1984 biographical film about the black athlete Jesse Owens.
Dorian Harewood plays the Olympic gold-winning athlete.
At the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, Owens won international fame with four gold medals: 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and 4x100 meter relay.

4. Without Limits (1988)
The film follows the life of famous 1970s runner Steve Prefontaine from his youth days in Oregon to the University of Oregon where he worked with the legendary coach Bill Bowerman, later to Olympics in Munich and his early death at 24 in a car crash.
The movie Fire on the Track is also about his life.

3. Running Brave (1983)
Running Brave is a 1983 movie based on the story of Billy Mills, a North American Indian brought up on the reservation, destined against all odds to become the best distance runner in the world in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
In one of the great upsets in sports history, distance runner Mills sprinted from 3rd place and took the gold medal in the 10,000-meter race at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

2. The Jericho Mile (1979)

The Jericho Mile is set at Folsom Prison, where the movie was filmed on location in the prison itself amongst the prison population.
Peter Strauss stars as “Rain” Murphy, serving a life sentence for first-degree murder. To break up the boredom of prison life, Murphy begins running laps around the prison recreation track. Prison officials take notice when Murphy runs a mile in less than four minutes.
They lobby to enter Murphy into the Olympics, an act of largesse that not only pulls Murphy out of his misanthropy but also helps to unify his racially divided fellow prisoners.

1. Chariots of Fire (1981)
Chariots of Fire tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice.
The film is also notable for its memorable instrumental theme tune by Vangelis, who won the Academy Award for Best Original Score.
The film crosscuts between each man’s life as he trains for the competition, fueled by these very different desires.
The two main characters live out the theme that victory attained through devotion, commitment, integrity, and sacrifice is the most admirable feat that one can achieve.

UP NEXT: Top five horse racing movies