Documentary, 2008
Director: Judd Ehrlich
USA/ English
96 minutes
This film is a tribute to Fred Lebow, the eccentric first-generation Jewish immigrant who created the New York City marathon. Of course as we learn his story, we learn the history of the marathon itself. What started as a couple of thousand people running in one area spread to tens of thousands crossing all 5 boroughs in the largest marathon in the nation. The marathon gave a boost to running as a sport, women athletes in general (who some did not want to include originally), and the city itself as every borough took pride in having the nation's eyes on them for this event.
Fred Lebow himself was a fun-loving free spirit whose love of the chase influenced his whole life causing him to dream and create the impossible but also causing him to fail to succeed at or even much try for long-term relationships in his personal life. Fred himself competed for the first and only time three years after being diagnosed with brain cancer that should have killed him in mere months. The interviews of beloved friends wonderfully mixed with archival footage make this a warm, engaging film.
Lucy Cruell