Four Minutes

Adapted by writer Frank Deford from his Sports Illustrated article, Charles Beeson's Four Minutes is a satisfying sports drama that hits the ground running and rarely slows down while recounting the true-life story of how Roger Bannister in 1954 crossed what was once considered the most formidable barrier in sports—breaking the four-minute mile. That mark and Mt. Everest, his father tells him, "are all that's left to conquer on God's green Earth." Bannister (Jamie MacLachlan) is not the typical sports-movie hero and, to its credit, the film does not try to smooth out his prickly edges: a gifted Oxford medical student who puts his studies first, Bannister insists on training without a coach, and does not compete in races, preferring a scientific regimen involving a homemade treadmill that monitors his heart rate. But post-World War II Britain needs a hero "to show the world our return to glory," and after failing to win a medal at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Bannister agrees to work with wheelchair-bound former champion Archie Mason (Christopher Plummer), who offers the kind of curt and crusty advice that's almost mandatory in sports movies. Romantic subplots may slow Four Minutes down in spots, but the story remains focused on Bannister's determination to break the record, culminating in an exciting real-time recreation of the historic race on May 6, 1954. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include an audio commentary (by producer Lynn Raynor, director Charles Beeson, and executive producer Gerald W. Abrams), an enhanced trivia track viewing option, a 26-minute “On the Set” behind-the-scenes documentary, a 15-minute “Barrier Breakers” featurette on the first four-minute runners, a 13-minute interview with Roger Bannister, a 12-minute interview with runner Chris Chataway, the original footage of Bannister breaking the four-minute mile (7 min.), three minutes of outtakes, deleted scenes (2 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a solid biopic.] (D. Liebenson)