Chariots of Fire

I beg to differ with several previous reviewers. This film is neither bland nor is it solely about professionalism vs. amateurism.

This film is about what drives people to do what they do. Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson) runs for the glory of God, whereas Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross) runs to prove his worth to a society that was anti-Semitic. Even though they run for different reasons, their drive and determination spur them on. They stand up for what they believe in and refuse to sacrifice their principles because it is the easy way out.

The supporting cast is also extraordinary, with Nigel Havers, Nicholas Farrell, Ian Holm and Sir John Gielgud all making important contributions to the final product.

There is absolutely nothing unnecessary in this film. The writing, the direction, the acting, the dialogue are all outstanding. And then there's that haunting score.

Once again, this is truly an outstanding film. One with universal themes that transcend time and place.

The strength of this movie is the study in character contrast and development, with the added attractions of a historical setting and the soaring, ethereal musical score of Evangelos Papathanassiou.

The film is anchored in the character study of the introspective, brooding, and complex persona of Harold Abrahams, wonderfully portrayed by Ben Cross. Here is a man with all of the outward trappings of success: academic achievement, unexcelled athletic ability, wildly popular with his peers, yet tortured by an inbred inferiority complex and driven to lash out at the world in response. In the end, he conquers his inner demons through hard work, sacrifice, understanding of his fellow man, and the love of a good woman, to whom he opens his heart. I found myself thinking that Harold Abrahams is the kind of man I would want as my best friend, yet at the same time would find hard to become close with and relate to.

Ian Charleston's character (Eric Liddell) is a bit more one-dimensional. He is the archetypical Good Man, faithful to his family, his country, his friends, and his God. And in the end he triumphs through sheer force of will and by tapping that reservoir of inner strength that sustains him. As the crusty coach Sam Mussambini says, "He's a gut runner. Digs deep...".

It's a bit of a pity that the movie, long though it is, could not have delved more deeply into the other characters' background. Lord Andrew Lindsey is particularly appealing as Harold's and Eric's faithful friend who gives up his spot in his specialty race (the 400 m) to allow Eric a chance at the gold. Sybil Gordon is wonderful as Harold's love interest who tries to draw him out of his lonely world of bitterness and resentment and self-hatred ("You ran like a God. I was proud of you...", even after Harold loses a race for the first time in his life to a more determined Eric). Even some of the American competitors, who are only peripherally portrayed in the concluding segments, lend some color. Jackson Scholtz' reaching out to Eric Liddell gives one the sense that he knows the greatness of spirit that quietly resides in this unassuming Scotsman.

Its a wonderful story wonderfully told, and when its over you find yourself longing for it to continue, to see how these characters we've come to know over the previous two hours will turn out in the rest of their lives. Alas, the story of their lives is noted only in subtitles as the film closes.

On a basic level it is the ultimate British Oscar-winning period piece and influential, uplifting feel-good film. Its two chief qualities are its subsequently strong realism and the resonant Vangelis soundtrack that, as with 'Blade Runner', increases the strength and significance of scenes through sound. Although it has a specific setting or historical background, the music adds an appropriate timelessness to the powerfully relevant human themes. These include winning and losing, of having what it takes to run the race, and of the old gentlemanly values of religion, decency and personal honour. It is the determining of the self, the inner strength, by understanding and will. The real-life characters and events are brought to life with the engaging realization that a climax will arrive at the end. At its core is a rivalry, less of a personal one and more the dilemma of two men wanting to win the same race. However, the climax is not predictable for such a straight-forward competition cannot occur. That is to say, they are both dedicated and honest men, with completely different religions, and it is this combination of resolution and talent which enables them both to win their own race. Around this central thread of training and determination, the film-makers have recreated the world surrounding these university characters in the 1920s. Scenes are filled with the casual, graceful attitudes that are a very British ideal; sophisticated prowess, decency, honesty, religion and intellect, values which seem to be less respected in this modern time. It portrays a credible idealism.

One of the first scenes of the film shows the running students. It celebrates this stage in life of onsetting maturity, comraderie and destiny through this bygone group of individual characters, united by the shared realization of their strengths. Throughout there is also the vague impression of higher powers at work, not so much the embedded attitudes of the old generation, but the position of man's humility in experiencing the challenge of life's great race created for them, and not only feeling the love that can be found, but rising to shine in one's own glory, enabled because of the higher glory. Not many viewers, especially today, accept such adherence and orthodoxy to Christianity, that can be seen as the motivation for the character Liddell. This film reminds us of the prominence and influence it had over so many aspects of society and the beneficial, empowering effects it could give to individuals. Alternatively the character Abrahams is a jew, and relies more on the attributes of his character which include a desperate determinism that reaps a reward of its own, takes him to his limits - although of greater significance is the love of a woman which detracts from perhaps a too heightened focus on himself. Through him we must also realise that there will always be those greater than ourselves, the very fact of our losing, and ultimately swallow pride and feel awe and goodness for the victory of our rivals and our friends. At the end of the film, the race has been run; they have gloriously discovered and revelled in their talents, their time, the fruits of aspiring to something greater than themselves. 'For it says in the good book, he that honours me, I will honour'.

This is a movie that fascinates me for a variety of reasons: the Edwardian attitudes in a time of moral upheaval (post-WWI), the contrast between a "muscular Christian" and a man running to beat the anti-Semitic bias of his time, etc. Because the movie asserted that it is "A True Story" I figured it would be fun to find out more about the various characters. What a disillusionment. The more I was able to find out the facts, the more the central conflicts in the movie fell apart. Harold Abrahams, while he did hire a professional trainer, was considered one of the most popular students at university and, if he was snubbed, it didn't bother him much. He certainly wasn't motivated to run by any anti-Semitism he encountered. He didn't meet He didn't meet Sybil Gordon until after his career was ended by a broken leg while demonstrating the long jump for reporters. His good friend and roommate, Aubrey Montague, turned out to be a rival runner at Oxford, who once wrote his mother after losing to Abrahams that he hoped Abrahams' Cambridge teamates, who had triumphantly carried him off the field, would drop him and break his leg. (The two became friends later in life, when they served together in amateur athletic organizations.) Abrahams was not the first runner to beat the school clock chimes; that was done by a brash aristocratic sprinter whose personality resembles the entirely fictional Lord Lindsay in the movie.

Eric Lidell was aware months before the team left for Paris that heat was scheduled for a Sunday and was always slated to run in the 400 -- no last minute switch to avoid running on the Sabbath. (Something like what was depicted did happen in the 1912 Olympics, but the runners were Americans from Penn, if I recall correctly.) Jennie Lidell never discourage Eric from training for Olympics. Jackson Scholz barely met Eric Lidell and never gave him an encouraging note. (I talked to Scholz by phone before he died at his home in Del Ray Beach and he told me that if he had given Lidell a note it wouldn't have been a biblical quotation because "my religious training was, well, a little casual.")

Scholz and Jennie Lidell, who were listed as technical advisers to the movie, were both more than a little offended by the inaccuracies in the movie and Scholz refused to see it because he felt it portrayed the Americans as overbearing and egotistical; he said that, in reality, "you couldn't have wanted to meet a bunch of nicer guys."

Does it matter? Probably not, but if it doesn't, why pretend the movie is true? Why not "based on actual events," or something of that sort? It really takes something away from the movie when you realize that none of the main characters had any of the personal, social or religious motivations the movie relies on to create drama. It makes one wonder what really motivated the real characters. I wrote and called Colin Welland a few times, but he never responded.

I still enjoy the movie, but now it's about a bunch of fictional characters, about whom it's harder to feel much interest. Sort as if one learned that Becket was, in fact, not killed by Henry II's barons, but was merely mugged in the park. Somehow the movie wouldn't be the same afterwards.

I wonder what kind of a movie could have been made about the real characters and events of the 1924 Olympics?

What an amazing movie it is... amazing is the word! I saw the movie today - on the 5th of Feb '09. What a pity that i couldn't experience the movie's aura earlier!

Chariots of Fire is an outstanding piece of work which may be easily, and deservedly so, termed as LEGENDARY! Watch this movie and you'll know what is inspiration and dedication...

The characterization is such exemplary that each and every character tell their own little story... The two main characters - Lindell and Abrahams - are such that you'll only want to know them better as you go on watching the movie... especially that of Lindell. The guy is so so dedicated and truthful that i for one would just feel honored to know him closely.

Guys, WATCH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!