Chariots of Fire
Movie, 1981, The '80s, Set in The 1924 Olympics
Chariots of Fire is #3 of 35 in release order and #3 of 35 in chronological order in the Sports Movies.
The story
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.
Chariots of Fire recap
Chariots of Fire (1981) follows two British sprinters, Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell, on their separate roads to the 1924 Paris Olympics. Hugh Hudson directs the track and field drama from a script by Colin Welland, and the story opens at Abrahams' 1978 memorial service before flashing back. Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross), a Jewish student at Cambridge, runs to beat the antisemitism and class snobbery he meets there, and hires the professional coach Sam Mussabini (Ian Holm), which the college masters call ungentlemanly. Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson), a Scottish missionary's son, runs because he feels God's pleasure in it, while his sister Jennie wants him back at the China mission. Liddell beats Abrahams in their first race. Both make the Olympic team, but on the boat to France Liddell learns the 100-metre heats fall on a Sunday and refuses to run, even under pressure from the Prince of Wales. The third film here by release date, it sits between Raging Bull and Hoosiers.
Chariots of Fire ending explained
Chariots of Fire ends with both men winning gold. Lord Andrew Lindsay gives up his place in the 400 metres so Liddell can run on a weekday, and Liddell wins it after preaching in a Paris church on the Sunday. Abrahams loses the 200 metres to the Americans, then wins the 100, while Mussabini, barred from the stadium, celebrates alone in his hotel room. The team returns home, and closing text says Abrahams married Sybil Gordon and Liddell died as a missionary in occupied China. The film returns to the 1978 funeral as the congregation sings "Jerusalem".
Post-credits scenes
No. Chariots of Fire has no mid- or post-credits scene.
Where to watch Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire isn't on a US streaming service right now. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.1/10, Rotten Tomatoes 84%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Raging Bull, before Hoosiers.
- Chronological order: after Raging Bull, before Hoosiers.
Cast
- Ben Cross as Harold Abrahams
- Ian Charleson as Eric Liddell
- Cheryl Campbell as Jennie Liddell
- Alice Krige as Sybil Gordon
- Nigel Havers as Lord Andrew Lindsay
- Ian Holm as Sam Mussabini
- Nicholas Farrell as Aubrey Montague
- Daniel Gerroll as Henry Stallard
- John Gielgud as Master of Trinity
- Lindsay Anderson as Master of Caius
- Nigel Davenport as Lord Birkenhead
- Dennis Christopher as Charles Paddock
Directed by Hugh Hudson.