RUNNING!

Before my left knee and left shoulder surgery, (preceding a 2004 right shoulder repair) I would rise at 5:00 AM in Texas and stretch for 15 minutes outside before jogging 5 miles. Jim Fixx was still alive and his book "Running" inspired me and three friends of mine (also fellow runners) who stopped by my apartment and picked me up on those Saturday mornings to run 10K's. Looking back, we had to be out of our minds! One of the 10K's was actually called "The Hotter Than Hell 10K" and of course we traveled to Northwest Texas to run that nasty course over bridges, on gravel roads, long stretches of blacktop, a quarter-mile over white clay (which gave us all severe sunburns), and those hills that today make me just shake my head at the memory. Yeah, we did all of that as a team and I have to laugh about one thing here. One of the guys with us was rather eccentric--good hearted--just a little crazy. Each of us would bring along something for the rest of us; one guy would bring Gatorade (usually me), another would bring banana's and the eccentric guy always brought along a tall glass bottle of wheat germ to share before the race. At the conclusion of "The Jingle Bell Run" (held of course in December--as I said, we were out of our minds)--my eccentric friend re-grouped with us near the Finish Line and said with total honesty: "Did you feel that wheat germ kick in around that last turn?" One of my friends was sympathetic towards him and managed to nod a 'Yes' without busting out laughing. I was too wiped out to even answer such nonsense at the time. I mean, really! So let's get to this movie. Why is it my pick for "Friday Movie Suggestion Night"?

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Well, with the Olympics on television, I have to smile at my timing--no pun intended. Believe me! This is a great opportunity to go back to 1979 and see a younger Michael Douglas as an actor coming into his own. His character in this film is struggling with his passion--running. However, something always seems to get in his way. He's a family man. But this time, to quote motivationalist Anthony Robbins--Douglas as Michael Andropolis "will not be denied". He is focused, committed, and obsessed with The Boston Marathon, with the Olympics and taking a shot at something larger than himself. While Douglas summed up this film by stating, "No one came", we (of course we all know who "We" are at "Friday Movie Suggestion Night") have never been influenced by the commercial success or failure of any film that "we" carefully select. The relationship with Andropolis and his love (Susan Anspach, who curiously made her own running themed film) amid this commitment to a life goal is realistic and applicable to each of us with a dream--whatever that dream may be. Andropolis is clearly under-employed (let's see a raise of hands if anyone can relate to this one!) and alienated from his children.

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Beyond chasing a dream and being devoted to what that entails, this is an intensely personal drama about survival and determination while struggling with doubts and finding a balance in life. It also shows the potential of Michael Douglas a full seven-years before his turn in the film "Wall Street". Where his character begins and ultimately winds up in this film will rattle you. It's also part of our continuing "Summer Series" on FMSN. The Cast: Michael Douglas is Michael Andropolis with Susan Anspach as Janet; Lesleh Donaldson plays Andrea Andropolis; Lawrence Dane is Coach Walker; Eugene Levy is Ritchie Rosenberg; Chuck Shamata is Howard and the late broadcasting legend Jim McKay is himself. Directed and Written by Steven Hilliard Stern.

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ENJOY!
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