Review of Chariots of Fire (1981) by Loris R — 21 Jun 2010

CHARIOTS OF FIRE is a film about athletic motivation inspired by two English figures from the 1924 Paris Olympics. Eric Lidell (Ian Charleson), born in China to Scottish missionaries, runs ultimately to glorify God. The Jewish runner Harold Abrahams (Ian Cross) does to overcome anti-Semitism and his family's immigrant background. The film tracks the development of their careers as Lidell tries to reconcile his prowess and his faith, while Abrahams studies at Cambridge and works with coach Sam Mussabini (Ian Holm). Abrahams' classmates and Lidell's devout sister are also major figures in the film.

The story of these athletes is told in a generally entertaining fashion, but CHARIOTS OF FIRE has some weaknesses. Even before one knows the history behind the film, one can tell where the screenwriters have added material to make it fit Hollywood norms (e.g. Abrahams' relationship with an actress), and the film has unimaginative cinematography. In spite of the grand reception given to CHARIOTS OF FIRE upon its release, including multiple awards, it seems to me today as a mere movie to be rather fluff. But the real value in the film for me is that it spurred me on to read more about the figures and events mentioned in the movie. The generation of these athletes is a fascinating one. They watched fathers and older brothers die in World War I, competed in much less commercial athletic events than today, and were a sort of Renaissance men combining athletic prowess and rigorous traditional schooling.