Review of Chariots of Fire (1981) by Gregg P — 17 Sep 2009

Winner of 4 Academy Awards in 1982; including Best Picture, Best Score and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. This film was widely viewed as one of the surprise winner's of the Best Picture Oscar.

The story of two very different British runners, as they prepare to compete in the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross) an English Jew faces both prejudice for origins and criticism for his use of a professional trainer Sam Mussabini (Ian Holm) in his preparations for the Olympics. His rival and teammate Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson) is a devout Christian whose life ambition is to become a missionary. Liddell see's his running as a way of glorifying god and memorably follows one of his races with a sermon. The film is both a powerful and stirring story of perseverance and also a story of conscience.

The cast included such notables as Nigel Havers, John Gielgud, Alice Krige, Brad Davis and director Lindsay Anderson.

The standout scenes for me would both be running scenes. Firstly we have The Great Court Run at Trinity College, Cambridge. Secondly of course we have the iconic opening beach running scene at St Andrews, Scotland. Strangely, for the film the Great Court Run had to be recreated at Eton College because the film makers were refused permission to film at Trinity College.

The film features a stirring soundtrack by Vangelis (Vangelis Papathanassiou), which may sound a little dated (to some perhaps) with its use of synthesizers, but regardless it remains incredibly effective. The sequence used for the aforementioned slow motion running opening scene on the beach has much used in any number of slow motion parodies.