Chariots of Fire
Seen it?1981 | 123 min | Drama, History
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It won 4 Oscars, people are still talking about it and it earned strong reviews (84% on Rotten Tomatoes). A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for history buffs. If you loved Rudy or Seabiscuit, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 3 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
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.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
84% on Rotten Tomatoes, 78 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.8 out of 10
- AwardsVery strong
Won 4 Oscars: Academy Awards: Best Picture, Academy Awards: Best Original Screenplay, Academy Awards: Best Costume Design, Academy Awards: Best Original Score. Won 1 Golden Globe: Golden Globe Awards: Best Foreign Film. Won 3 BAFTAs: British Academy Film Awards: Best Film, British Academy Film Awards: Best Supporting Artist, British Academy Film Awards: Best Costume Design. Won 2 Cannes awards: Cannes Film Festival: Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature Film, Cannes Film Festival: Best Supporting Actor. Also nominated for 3 more Oscars, 7 more BAFTAs and 1 DGA Award. Plus 5 other awards.
- Box office & staying powerStrong
$59 million worldwide on a $6 million budget
- Buzz & cultural impactVery strong
About 456K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Hugh Hudson
- Ben CrossHarold Abrahams
- Ian CharlesonEric Liddell
- Cheryl CampbellJennie Liddell
- Alice KrigeSybil Gordon
- Nigel HaversLord Andrew Lindsay
- Ian HolmSam Mussabini
- Nicholas FarrellAubrey Montague
- Daniel GerrollHenry Stallard
- John GielgudMaster of Trinity
- Lindsay AndersonMaster of Caius