La prueba del valor

Tedious, occasionally absorbing drama chronicling the stories of four male runners from different parts of the globe preparing themselves for the Rome Olympics. Michael Crawford, as the British dairy-deliverer who is found to have an uncanny track time, is the central focus of the film and his early scenes wowing all the hardened experts are fresh and well done; Ryan O'Neal, as the American jock with the (uh oh!) heart condition, is engaging simply because he's so young and eager (he would re-team with screenwriter Erich Segal the same year for "Love Story"). British-made film from erratic director Michael Winner supposedly travels around the world, yet the various locations are not captured to any particular advantage (the look of the picture is stuck in a British rut). The relationship between Crawford and his demanding coach is the most intriguing part of the movie--yet the closer we get to the Olympics finale, the faster interest tends to wane in these characters. ** from ****