Four Minute Fever

Overview

Using newsreel footage, this Sportscope entry chronicles the race toward running's four-minute mile, highlighting several important contests. It starts in the 1920's, when Finland's Paavo Nurmi set the record for the distance at 4 minutes 10.4 seconds. It continues through Roger Bannister's first run under 4 minutes in 1954, and ends in spring 1956, when Australia's Joe Bailey became the first to break 4 minutes on US soil.

Directed by William Deeke

Top cast

H

Harry Wismer

Narrator

P

Paavo Nurmi

Himself (archive footage)

H

Harry Wismer

Narrator (voice)

F

Fiorello LaGuardia

Himself (archive footage)

A

Arne Andersson

Himself (archive footage)

J

Jules Ladoumegue

Himself (archive footage)

B

Bill Bonthron

Himself (archive footage)

J

John Lovelock

Himself (archive footage)

G

Glenn Cunningham

Himself (archive footage)

G

Gene Venzke

Himself (archive footage)

S

Sidney Wooderson

Himself (archive footage)

Gunder Hägg

Himself (archive footage)

R

Roger Bannister

Himself (archive footage)

J

John Landy

Himself (archive footage)

C

Christopher Chataway

Himself (archive footage)

L

Laszlo Tabori

Himself (archive footage)

R

Ron Delaney

Himself (archive footage)

J

Joe Bailey

Himself (archive footage)

Details