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Chariots of Fire

With wings on their heals and hope in their hearts.

Order at Amazon.com 1981
123 Minutes
Feature, PG
Available on DVD

Director Hugh Hudson's absorbing drama, based on a true story, deals with the personal struggles faced by two very different runners competing for Britain in the 1924 Paris Olympic Games. Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson) is a devout Christian who sees victory as a testament to the glory of God, while the other, Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross), is a Jewish Cambridge student who sees victory as a challenge to anti-Semitism and his ongoing struggle for acceptance by Britain's elite. Eric, a hometown Scottish hero to the people, gives rousing sermons after victory and works at a local missionary. Harold runs with a zealous commitment, upsetting Cambridge's educational upper crust (played with enjoyable wit and candor by Sir John Gielgud and Lindsay Anderson) while enjoying social life with his university chums and his beautiful showgirl girlfriend (Alice Krige). But when faced with such a competent challenger, Harold hires trainer Sam Mussabini (Ian Holm) to further his dreams of winning the gold. Ultimately, the two runners meet in Paris to run for British victory in a rousing finale. Featuring an unforgettable soundtrack by Vangelis, this film is an inspirational story of athletic excellence and spiritual awakening that captures the zeal of post-WWI Britain and the glory of the Olympics. Based on the book by W. J. Weatherby of the same title, this film won many awards including: 1981 Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score and 1982 Golden Globe Awards: Best Foreign Film.

Two items of note concerning the truth to this tale: Abrahams did not run around the Great Court at Trinity College and Liddell knew about his Sunday heats almost a year in advance. This movie can be obtained new from Amazon.com in Two-Disc Special Edition (Widescreen), VHS, and DVD fullscreen format. Frank Deford wrote a review for the September 28, 1981 issue of Sports Illustrated. This was the only running movie to break into Sports Illustrated's Top 20 Sports Movies, printed in their February 6, 2001 issue. Below is a trailer, more cover art images, and information about the movie soundtrack.



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Chariots of Fire Soundtrack

Polydor and Universal Music Catalogue released a newly remastered edition of the classic 1982 Original Soundtrack by Vangelis. The Chariots of Fire theme is one of the most recongnizable film themes of all time. This soundtrack won an Oscar in 1981 for best film score and the 2006 release ilustrates the lasting quality of this produciton. In addition, you can Order Soundtrack at Amazon.comstill find the 1995 editions of the Original Soundtrack as well as a 2000 Compilation that includes a variety of 16 tracks (not performed by Vangelis).

1. Titles
2. Five Circles
3. Abraham’s Theme
4. Eric’s Theme
5. 100 Metres
6. Jerusalem, The Ambrosian Singers
7. Chariots of Fire, Film Score