Is it safe?
If you’ve seen the 1976 thriller, those three words probably just sent a cold shiver down your spine. Most people remember The Marathon Man movie for one thing and one thing only: Laurence Olivier leaning over a strapped-down Dustin Hoffman with a dental probe. It’s the kind of visceral, nightmare-fuel cinema that didn’t just win awards; it actually changed how people felt about going to the dentist for a generation.
But honestly, the film is way more than just a dental horror show. It’s a messy, paranoid, brilliantly acted piece of 70s grit that captures a specific kind of post-Watergate anxiety. You have Dustin Hoffman playing "Babe" Levy, a graduate student who just wants to run marathons and clear his father’s name, getting sucked into a world of Nazi war criminals and double-crossing spies. It’s a lot.
The Dental Scene That Ruined Oral Hygiene
Let’s just get the "Is it safe?" of it all out of the way.
The scene where the villainous Dr. Christian Szell (Olivier) tortures Babe (Hoffman) is a masterclass in psychological dread. Director John Schlesinger knew that showing less was actually more effective. You don't see the tool enter the tooth in a gory, slasher-film way. Instead, you see Hoffman's eyes bugging out. You hear the scrape of metal. You feel the vulnerability of being horizontal in a chair while someone explores your nerves without Novocaine.
Interestingly, Laurence Olivier was actually quite ill during the filming of The Marathon Man movie. He was battling cancer and a degenerative muscle disease, yet he turned in a performance so chilling that he grabbed an Oscar nomination for it. He plays Szell—"The White Angel of Auschwitz"—with a terrifying, polite detachment. He isn’t a screaming maniac. He’s a guy who treats torture like a mundane clerical task. That's way scarier.
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When Method Acting Met Old School Class
There’s a legendary story from the set that perfectly captures the clash of acting styles between Hoffman and Olivier.
Hoffman, a devotee of "The Method," reportedly stayed up for two nights straight to look and feel as exhausted as his character. When he showed up on set looking like absolute hell, Olivier famously asked why he looked so distressed. Hoffman explained his process of sleep deprivation. Olivier’s response? "My dear boy, why don't you just try acting? It's so much easier."
Whether that story is 100% literal or slightly embellished over the years at Hollywood parties, it highlights why the chemistry works. You have Hoffman’s high-strung, sweaty realism bouncing off Olivier’s cold, calculated Shakespearean precision. It creates a friction that makes the thriller elements feel heavy and dangerous rather than like a cartoon.
Why 1970s NYC Was the Perfect Setting
If you watch The Marathon Man movie today, the setting feels like a character itself. 1970s New York City wasn't the sanitized, Disney-fied version of Times Square we see now. It was dirty. It was breaking down. It was dangerous.
The film uses real locations—Central Park, the Diamond District, the Upper West Side—to ground the ridiculous spy plot in a reality that feels oppressive. When Babe is running through the night, trying to escape Szell’s henchmen, the shadows of the city feel like they’re closing in. It’s a paranoid thriller because the world is actually out to get him.
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The Plot Layers You Probably Forgot
- Babe’s Father: The whole reason Babe is a runner is linked to his father’s suicide during the McCarthy era. This adds a layer of "the sins of the father" to the whole movie.
- The Brother: Roy Scheider plays Babe’s brother, "Doc." Babe thinks he’s a businessman; turns out, he’s a courier for a secret government agency called "The Division."
- The Diamonds: This isn't just about revenge. It's about a massive cache of diamonds stolen from Jewish prisoners during the Holocaust. It's about greed masquerading as politics.
Behind the Camera: Schlesinger and Goldman
The screenplay was written by William Goldman, based on his own novel. Goldman is a legend—he wrote The Princess Bride and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He knew how to structure a hook. But he and director John Schlesinger didn't always see eye to eye.
Schlesinger was coming off Midnight Cowboy. He brought a European sensibility to the Hollywood thriller. He lingered on the grotesque and the uncomfortable. Because of this, The Marathon Man movie feels slower than a modern action flick, but the payoff is much more intense. It builds. It simmers. Then it boils over in that final confrontation at the reservoir.
Common Misconceptions About the Ending
Some people find the ending of the film a bit jarring compared to the book. In Goldman's novel, the resolution is a bit more cynical. In the movie, Babe forces Szell to swallow his own diamonds. It’s a more "cinematic" justice.
There's also a misconception that the film is just about the Holocaust. While Szell’s past is central, the movie is really about the loss of innocence. Babe starts the movie as a guy who believes in the system and his studies. By the end, he’s a man who has had to kill to survive. The "marathon" isn't just a race; it's a metaphor for endurance in a world that has gone completely insane.
How to Watch It Today
If you’re going to revisit The Marathon Man movie, don't expect a fast-paced John Wick experience. It’s a slow burn.
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Pay attention to the sound design. The way the city sounds, the hum of the dental drill, the silence of the park at night. It’s all designed to make you feel as isolated as Babe.
Actionable Takeaways for Cinephiles
- Look for the recurring "Running" motif: Notice how Babe’s running style changes from the start of the film (disciplined, athletic) to the end (desperate, survivalist).
- Compare it to "The Conversation": If you like the paranoid vibes of The Marathon Man movie, watch Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation. They make a perfect 70s paranoia double feature.
- Check out the Diamond District: If you ever visit NYC, walk through 47th Street. It still looks remarkably similar to the way it did when Szell walked through it, terrified that someone would recognize him.
- Research the McCarthy Era: To really get why Babe is so obsessed with his father's reputation, spend twenty minutes reading about the Hollywood Blacklist. It makes the character's motivations way clearer.
The film remains a powerhouse of tension because it taps into a universal fear: being completely helpless in the hands of someone who has no empathy. It's a reminder that sometimes the most dangerous people aren't the ones with guns, but the ones with a probe and a question you can't answer.
Next time you have a cleaning scheduled, maybe don't watch this right before you go. You've been warned.
To fully appreciate the legacy of this thriller, track down the 4K restoration. The grain of 70s film stock adds a texture to the sweat and grime of New York that digital just can't replicate. Once you've finished the film, read William Goldman’s book Which Lie Did I Tell? for his firsthand account of the chaotic production process and why he thought the movie succeeded despite the behind-the-scenes drama.