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The Jericho Mile

The Jericho Mile

Behind the wall of this prison is a man traning to challenge the Olympic record..

TV movie197997 minMidcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Director
Michael Mann
Starring
Peter Strauss, Roger E. Mosley, Richard Lawson, Brian Dennehy

A runner, serving a life sentence at Folsom Prison, works at becoming the world's fastest miler and wins a chance to compete for a spot on the Olympic team.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Jericho Mile?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list The Jericho Mile on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Jericho Mile?

The Jericho Mile earns 4 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Jericho Mile worth watching?

The Jericho Mile's Midcredits score is the 79th percentile of all films, from 7.1K ratings across 4 sources. 74% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

79th percentile

Better received than 79% of films

81st percentile among Crime80th percentile among 1970s
Acclaim (how much people like it)72nd
Approval (how many liked it)84th

68 /100

72nd percentile of all films

75th percentile among Crime73rd percentile among 1970s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.4 — solid but not unanimous.

74% liked it

84th percentile of all films

83rd percentile among Crime85th percentile among 1970s
74% rated it 7–1026% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 5 wins / 1 noms overall

68th percentile

7.1K ratings across platforms

61st percentile among Crime71st percentile among 1970s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 30% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$1.1M

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a Michael Mann-directed prison sports drama about a talented runner trapped in the system, with a mix of sports uplift and prison rawness.

Fans praised

  • Peter Strauss's performance as stoic lifer Rain Murphy
  • Gritty realism from Folsom Prison location and inmate extras
  • Michael Mann's early stylistic promise and atmospheric direction

Detractors panned

  • Flat, TV-budget production values and lack of visual style
  • Clichéd dialogue and unintentionally laughable serious scenes
  • Watered-down grit due to TV restrictions

What stands out

ActingDivisive80

Peter Strauss's Emmy-winning lead performance; supporting cast strong but some detractors find it terrible

Emotional impactDivisive80

Deeply affecting for fans; detractors laugh at serious scenes

EndingDivisive78

Defiant finish satisfying; detractors see clichéd freeze-frame

AtmosphereDivisive75

Gritty authenticity from Folsom location and prison extras; detractors see community theater

Sound and musicDivisive75

Memorable Rolling Stones 'Sympathy for the Devil' and groovy soundtrack

CharactersDivisive72

Protagonist's stoic, self-punishing loner; but detractors see paper-thin archetypes

Plot and storyDivisive68

Simple story of inmate finding Olympic hope; detractors call it clichéd and recycled

DialogueDivisive55

Edgy jive talk replacing profanity; unintentionally amusing to some

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 16 points higher than non-US viewers.

Watch experience

What is The Jericho Mile like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you fired up. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseHopeful
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Warm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its prison drama and sports story straight, with gritty realism and sincere emotion.
The rideThe prison atmosphere keeps tension high, while the training arc builds hope, and the final confrontation is the emotional peak.
StructureA conventional chronological story: setup, training, conflict with the board, and a defiant conclusion.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Fired up.

Rousing · 10% of filmsBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you inspired by the protagonist's defiance and determination, even though the system fails him.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rags
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3% (this title): Underdog triumph 2% (this title) · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rags to riches: A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition. · Underdog triumph: Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).

3% of films fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

Why this archetypeA lifer discovers his running talent and pursues Olympic glory while facing institutional barriers.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Purpose · 9% of filmsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores a man finding meaning and purpose through running while confined in prison.
StanceThe film affirms that even in the most confining circumstances, a person can find purpose and dignity, and it celebrates the protagonist's defiant pursuit of his dream.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalRockForeground music · original score · Jimmie Haskell
SettingFolsom State Prison, California
MusicA groovy, soulful score that complements the prison setting and the running sequences.

Content guide

Is The Jericho Mile okay for kids?

As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100), language at moderate (50/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (25/100) and frightening material at mild (17/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (4 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (19 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Jericho Mile have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Jericho Mile?

Cast

Peter Strauss
as Larry 'Rain' Murphy
Roger E. Mosley
as Cotton Crown
Richard Lawson
as R.C. Stiles
Brian Dennehy
as Dr. D
Geoffrey Lewis
as Dr. Bill Janowski
Billy Green Bush
as Warden Earl Gulliver
Ed Lauter
as Jerry Beloit
Beverly Todd
as Wylene
William Prince
as O.A.U. Chairman
Miguel Pinero
as Rubio

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Jericho Mile?

Movies like The Jericho Mile include The Flying Scotsman (2006), Gridiron Gang (2006) and Goal! The Dream Begins (2005). Of the 12 closest matches, most are sports underdog stories, and most are stories about mentors and protégés.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its subject: purpose. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Jericho Mile?

682 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: prison drama. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.