DramaHistory

Chariots of Fire

- This is the story of two men who run, not to run, but to prove something to the world. They will sacrifice anything to achieve their goals... except their honor.

In the class-obsessed and religiously divided UK of the early 1920s, two determined young runners train for the 1924 Paris Olympics. Eric Liddell, a devout Christian born to Scottish missionaries in China, sees running as part of his worship of God's glory and refuses to train or compete on the Sabbath. Harold Abrahams overcomes anti-Semitism and class bias, but neglects his beloved sweetheart in his single-minded quest.

Release Date : 1981-05-15

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Enigma ProductionsAllied Stars20th Century Fox

Production Country : United KingdomUnited States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Harold Abrahams

Original Name : Ben Cross

Gender : Male

Character Name : Eric Liddell

Original Name : Ian Charleson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jennie Liddell

Original Name : Cheryl Campbell

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sybil Gordon

Original Name : Alice Krige

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lord Andrew Lindsay

Original Name : Nigel Havers

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sam Mussabini

Original Name : Ian Holm

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aubrey Montague

Original Name : Nicholas Farrell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henry Stallard

Original Name : Daniel Gerroll

Gender : Male

Character Name : Master of Trinity

Original Name : John Gielgud

Gender : Male

Character Name : Master of Caius

Original Name : Lindsay Anderson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lord Birkenhead

Original Name : Nigel Davenport

Gender : Male

Character Name : Charles Paddock

Original Name : Dennis Christopher

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jackson Scholz

Original Name : Brad Davis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lord Cadogan

Original Name : Patrick Magee

Gender : Male

Character Name : Duke of Sutherland

Original Name : Peter Egan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sandy McGrath

Original Name : Struan Rodger

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prince of Wales

Original Name : David Yelland

Gender : Male

Character Name : Head Porter - Caius College

Original Name : Richard Griffiths

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jimmie

Original Name : Patrick Doyle

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rev. J.D. Liddell

Original Name : John Young

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs Liddell

Original Name : Yvonne Gilan

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ernest Liddell

Original Name : David John

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rob Liddell

Original Name : Benny Young

Gender : Male

Character Name : George Andre

Original Name : Yves Beneyton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Watson

Original Name : Stephen Mallatratt

Gender : Male

Character Name : Colonel John Keddie

Original Name : Gerry Slevin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Taylor

Original Name : Colin Bruce

Gender : Male

Character Name : Paxton

Original Name : Alan Polonsky

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fitch

Original Name : Edward Wiley

Gender : Male

Character Name : President - Gilbert and Sullivan Society

Original Name : Jeremy Sinden

Gender : Male

Character Name : Secretary - Gilbert and Sullivan Society

Original Name : Andrew Hawkins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sleeping Car Attendant

Original Name : Jack Smethurst

Gender : Male

Character Name : Head Waiter - The Savoy

Original Name : Peter Cellier

Gender : Male

Character Name : US Coach

Original Name : Philip O'Brien

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bunty

Original Name : Ruby Wax

Gender : Female

Character Name : Harbour Master

Original Name : Ralph Lawton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sybil's Maid

Original Name : Kim Clifford

Gender : Male

Character Name : Caius Porter

Original Name : John Rutland

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Peter Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : Tommy Boyle

Gender : Male

Character Name : Highland Provost

Original Name : Wallace Campbell

Gender : Male

Character Name : President - Cambridge Athletic Club

Original Name : Gordon Hammersley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Caius Manservant

Original Name : Alan Dudley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Schoolgirl

Original Name : Tess Dignan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Footman

Original Name : Michael Jeyes

Gender : Male

Character Name : First Scots Boy

Original Name : David Kivlin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Second Scots Boy

Original Name : Eddie Hughson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Garth Jones (scenes deleted)

Original Name : Michael Lonsdale

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shot Putter (uncredited)

Original Name : Ted Robbins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cambridge Student at Society Day (uncredited)

Original Name : Kenneth Branagh

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cambridge Student at Society Day (uncredited)

Original Name : Stephen Fry

Gender : Male

Character Name : University Professor (uncredited)

Original Name : Barrie Holland

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-07-02

The opening bars of the Oscar-winning Vangelis score coupled with the shot of the athletes running along the beach, barefoot, at St. Andrews is amongst the most iconic opening scenes from any film, but somehow the rest of this strays all too often into mediocrity thereafter. It tells the story of two British athletes who strove to thrive at the Olympiad in Paris in 1924. Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross) comes from a Lithuanian Jewish background. who is welcomed to Cambridge University, but never quite accepted. The other is Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson), a devout Christian who comes from missionary stock and who believes that he must serve God before himself - and that includes not running any races on the Sabbath. Both of these men have considerable athletic skills, and the story intertwines their efforts to get to the Games, whilst both must deal with their differing priorities and challenges. It's this middle portion of the film, the prologued character development phase, that all plods along too slowly. It has too little pace and too many characters, and that just drags the film down. The last fifteen minutes liven up considerably though, not just with the events on the track - but amongst those determined to ensure that the whole team attains success making sacrifices and compromises along the way. It has a classy look to it, the costumes and settings are top drawer, but I found the leading performances rather disjointed and at over two hours long, I did struggle to stay engaged.