Chariots of Fire( 1981)

TV-MADramaHistory

68%

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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.

Overview

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.

Top Billed Cast

Ben Cross
Harold Abrahams
Ian Charleson
Eric Liddell
Cheryl Campbell
Jennie Liddell
Alice Krige
Sybil Gordon
Nigel Havers
Lord Andrew Lindsay
Ian Holm
Sam Mussabini
Nicholas Farrell
Aubrey Montague
Daniel Gerroll
Henry Stallard
John Gielgud
Master of Trinity
Lindsay Anderson
Master of Caius
Nigel Davenport
Lord Birkenhead
Dennis Christopher
Charles Paddock
Brad Davis
Jackson Scholz
Patrick Magee
Lord Cadogan
Peter Egan
Duke of Sutherland
Struan Rodger
Sandy McGrath
David Yelland
Prince of Wales
Richard Griffiths
Head Porter - Caius College
Patrick Doyle
Jimmie
John Young
Rev. J.D. Liddell
Yvonne Gilan
Mrs Liddell
David John
Ernest Liddell
Benny Young
Rob Liddell
Yves Beneyton
George Andre
Stephen Mallatratt
Watson
Gerry Slevin
Colonel John Keddie
Colin Bruce
Taylor
Alan Polonsky
Paxton
Edward Wiley
Fitch
Jeremy Sinden
President - Gilbert and Sullivan Society
Andrew Hawkins
Secretary - Gilbert and Sullivan Society
Jack Smethurst
Sleeping Car Attendant
Peter Cellier
Head Waiter - The Savoy
Philip O'Brien
US Coach
Ruby Wax
Bunty
Ralph Lawton
Harbour Master
Kim Clifford
Sybil's Maid
John Rutland
Caius Porter
Peter Jones
Tommy Boyle
Reporter
Wallace Campbell
Highland Provost
Gordon Hammersley
President - Cambridge Athletic Club
Alan Dudley
Caius Manservant
Tess Dignan
Schoolgirl
Michael Jeyes
Footman
David Kivlin
First Scots Boy
Eddie Hughson
Second Scots Boy
Michael Lonsdale
Garth Jones (scenes deleted)
Ted Robbins
Shot Putter (uncredited)
Kenneth Branagh
Cambridge Student at Society Day (uncredited)
Stephen Fry
Cambridge Student at Society Day (uncredited)
Barrie Holland
University Professor (uncredited)

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A review by CinemaSerf

Written by CinemaSerf on Sat Jul 02 2022

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 s...