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'Marathon Man' With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan

June 18, 2025 · Marathon Man (1976) · Crime · Drama · Thriller · 1:35:38

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

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Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 11:25Dustin Hoffman — Bob Evans got all his first choices - they went five for five with desired casting including Dustin Hoffman, Laurence Olivier, William Devane, and Roy Scheider. Mentioned Hoffman took the role partly because he heard Pacino wanted it.
Chris Ryan▶ 11:38There were some rumors about alternate casting possibilities if people said no, and John Schlesinger might have wanted different actors, but Evans ultimately got his first draft picks.

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 34:35the crazy car chase / Old Man Road Rage

Overacting Award

Bill Simmons▶ 34:41boat drivers

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 58:04Elsa working for Zell the whole time and the farmhouse sequence - finds both elements weak and unnecessary
Chris Ryan▶ 1:00:31The childhood flashbacks - feels they don't add necessary information and take up too much time

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:03:40Two-part take: If making this in 1976, it would be a better Harrison Ford part, but in 1984 this is an epic Tom Cruise part - 'the most cruisiest part that's not a cruise movie'

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:07:50Mentions Shider but Chris Ryan says he's in too much
Chris Ryan▶ 1:07:53Lada Palfi Andor as Zell

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:14:12William Goldman — Hoffman - Kramer vs. Kramer; Scheider - Jaws; Devane - Bad News Bears and Breaking Training; Goldman - this movie (Marathon Man) because he has this and All the President's Men in 76; Marthe Keller - yes, this is her apex; Olivier - no way this is his apex
Chris Ryan▶ 1:14:14Dustin Hoffman — Hoffman - 1976 with Marathon Man and All the President's Men in one year; Scheider - Jaws; Marthe Keller - yes, this is her apex; Schlesinger - Midnight Cowboy because it won the Oscar

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:21:51Stephen A. Smith — Stephen A. Smith (doing his Stephen A. impression with Christian Szell asking 'is it safe')
Chris Ryan▶ 1:21:27Samuel L. Jackson — Samuel L. Jackson (quoting his Pulp Fiction lines with 'is it safe')
Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:21:32Samuel L. Jackson — Supports Samuel L. Jackson option by continuing the Pulp Fiction quote mashup

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:58Conrad Hall — Conrad Hall (cinematographer)
Chris Ryan▶ 1:23:00Conrad Hall — Conrad Hall (cinematographer) - agrees with Bill's pick and provides supporting details about Hall's career and his extraordinary portrayal of New York City

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:27:42Don't trust the Nazis
Chris Ryan▶ 1:27:46If you kill the Nazi dentist, take his diamonds - you earned it

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 1:28:00The Boys from Brazil — Boys from Brazil paired with an Olivia film, Uncut Gems for diamond district theme, or Munich

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:29:32Laurence Olivier — Olivier
Chris Ryan▶ 1:29:36Laurence Olivier — Olivier
Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:30:06Discussed enjoying the movie's structure and pacing but didn't give a specific 'Who Won the Movie' pick

Movies Referenced (53)

All the President's Men (1976)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 12:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jaws (1975)

7 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 18:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Miami Vice (2006)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 1:06:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Munich (2005)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 3:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Straight Time (1978)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 13:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Beautiful Girls (1996)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:06:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Black Sunday (1960)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 32:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lincoln (2012)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 1:28:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rocky (1976)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 27:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 30:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Godfather (1972)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 11:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Death Wish (2018)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 29:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (4)

John Schlesinger

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Midnight Cowboy, Darling, Marathon Man▶ 11:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bob Fosse

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for All That Jazz▶ 18:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jayson Clute

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Titanic, American Psycho▶ 1:02:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Brady

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Hot Chick▶ 20:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (60)

William Devane

17 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Craig Horlbeck · Known for Marathon Man▶ 1:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dustin Hoffman

16 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Craig Horlbeck · Known for Rain Man, Tootsie, Midnight Cowboy▶ 1:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roy Scheider

13 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Jaws, The French Connection, All That Jazz▶ 1:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ned Beatty

7 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Craig Horlbeck · Known for Network, Deliverance, Shooter▶ 16:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Evans

6 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Chinatown, Marathon Man▶ 9:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cali Swag District

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Craig Horlbeck▶ 3:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Neil Diamond

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Craig Horlbeck · Known for Saving Silverman▶ 21:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Christoph Waltz

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained▶ 3:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Madsen

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Hateful Eight, Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Species▶ 16:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Janeway

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Fifty Shades of Grey, Life of the Party▶ 45:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Harrison Ford

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, The Fugitive▶ 1:02:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Richard Bright

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Godfather Part II, Once Upon a Time in America▶ 1:06:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (3)

Robert Towne

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Chinatown, Mission: Impossible, The Last Detail▶ 26:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Vivian Lee

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 51:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

William Shakespeare

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 25:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (3)

Conrad Hall

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 53:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jeff Mart

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Proof of Life, Hard Target▶ 1:05:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Grantland

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Other Guys▶ 33:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗