98 minutes – Drama
Canadian release date: April 8, 2005
DVD release date: October 11, 2005
Canadian distributor: Odeon Films

Production still & poster courtesy of Odeon Films

It is 1954 and the city is Hamilton, Ontario. Like today mostly populated by hard-working people who expect nothing and often get much less. Much like the Walker family. The head of the household went off to World War II and never came back. Emma Walker, his widow, has contracted cancer at a time when there was no chemotherapy, no radical surgical procedures and usually no hope. Her son, Ralph, attending a strict Catholic school is told that only a “miracle” will save his mother. The path he will seek comes about after being caught during an unfortunate incident of self-abuse in the community pool. As penance, Ralph is conscripted to the cross-country team. Desperate to believe a miracle will bring his mother out of a coma, Ralph becomes a convert to the church of running, and determines to win the Boston Marathon. Saint Ralph is, in a way, a throw-back to the era in which it is set. There is a certain innocent charm to the film and it is easy to warm to the cast as the story unfolds in often poignant moments which lead to a finely crafted and subtle end. U.S. distribution rights were acquired by Samuel Goldwyn Films and the US poster is pictured above. In a media release they described the film as a “beautiful bittersweet comedy.” Meyer Gottlieb, president of Samuel Goldwyn Films said “Adam Butcher’s performance as Ralph is captivating.” And, “Saint Ralph is a feel good comedy that will be a crowd pleaser.”

Also see: A Review of Saint Ralph