Second Wind is a 1976 Canadian sport comedy film^[1] directed and edited by Don (Donald) Shebib, written by Hal Ackerman, and produced by James Margellos.^[2] The film stars James Naughton as a stock broker whose new jogging hobby turns into an obsession to excel at long distance running, straining his career and his relationship with his wife (Lindsay Wagner).

Cast

• James Naughton as Roger Mathieson
  
• Lindsay Wagner as Linda Mathieson
  
• Kenneth Pogue as Pete
  
• Tedde Moore as Paula
  
• Tom Harvey as Frank
  
• Louis Del Grande as Howie
  
• Gerard Parkes as Packard
  
• Jonathan Welsh as Simon
  
• Cec Linder as Graham
  
• Allan Levson as Kevin
  
• Vivian Reis as Winnie
  
• Robert Goodier as broker
  
• Mike Hurley as runner
  
• Robyn Jaffe as Rodger's secretary
  
• Robert Slee as broker
  
• John D. Henderson as runner in park
  
• Julie Bird as Howie's neighbour
  
• Les Rubie as old man at cabins
  
• Ken Camroux as broker
  

Themes

In a 2013 interview with Sam Weisberg, director Don Shebib described the themes of the film: "I like what it says and what it’s about, the guy chasing a dream, getting caught up in obsessions."^[3]

Production

In the same interview with Weisberg, Shebib admits the "script was weak in some ways, and I didn’t have time to fix it."

Reception

Critical response

John Reeves said that Second Wind is well filmed and acted, but faults the script as unbelievable: the film does not accurately show the realities of training for competition, and thereby relegates itself to the realm of melodrama.^[4] TV Guide gave the film a rating of 2 stars out of 5, calling it an "innocuous saga," and faulting it for not explaining why the protagonist "refuses to explain the character of his obsession" to his wife.^[5]

Accolades

Canadian Film Awards 1976:^[6][7]

• Best Editing (Don Shebib)
• Best Supporting Actress (Tedde Moore)