Chariots of Fire (1981)
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The film follows the parallel journeys of two British athletes, a devout Christian and a determined Jew, as they prepare for the 1924 Olympics.
The story
In the lead-up to the 1924 Olympics, two very different athletes find themselves on a path toward the same goal. Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian, views his running as a way of glorifying God, while Harold Abrahams, an English Jew, seeks to overcome prejudice through his athletic pursuits. As they train and compete in various national competitions, their paths cross, leading to a profound exploration of faith, identity, and the personal costs of athletic ambition. The narrative follows their preparation and the internal and external conflicts they face as they prepare to represent Great Britain on the world stage.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film begins with a 1978 funeral for Harold Abrahams, leading into a flashback to his youth. In 1919, Abrahams enters the University of Cambridge, where he faces antisemitism but finds success in running. He meets Eric Liddell, a Scottish Christian who views running as a divine calling. The two become rivals; Liddell wins their first race, and Abrahams seeks professional coaching to improve. As they prepare for the 1924 Olympics in Paris, Liddell faces a crisis of faith when he learns the 100-metre heats are on a Sunday. He refuses to run on the Lord's Day, and a teammate gives him his spot in the 400-metre race. At the Olympics, Abrahams loses the 200-metre race but triumphs in the 100-metre final. Liddell wins the 400-metre gold. The film concludes with an epilogue showing Abrahams marrying his girlfriend and becoming a figure in athletics, while Liddell becomes a missionary in China and is later mourned by all of Scotland.
- First release year
- 1981
- Runtime (minutes)
- 124
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Hugh Hudson
- Writers
- Colin Welland · writer
- Cast and characters
- Ian Charleson · Eric Liddell; Ben Cross · Harold Abrahams; Nicholas Farrell · Aubrey Montague; Nigel Havers · Lord Andrew Lindsay; Daniel Gerroll · Henry Stallard; Ian Holm · Sam Mussabini; John Gielgud · none; Lindsay Anderson · none
- Genres
- historical sports drama
- Themes
- faith; identity; prejudice; sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- inspiring; patriotic
- Premise and plot tags
- biographical; sports; religion; historical
- Source material / true-story basis
- true story
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics and was highly successful at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing British film of 1981.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 84% · scale: percentage · review count: 117
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Picture · win; Academy Award · Best Original Screenplay · win; Academy Award · Best Original Score · win; British Academy Film Award · Best Film · win; Toronto International Film Festival · People's Choice Award · win
- Production trivia
- The film's score by Vangelis used a contemporary 1980s electronic sound.; The film was used as a recurring theme in promotions for the 2012 London Olympics.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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