Chariots of Fire
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Categories: 1981 films | 20th Century Fox films | Best Foreign Language Film Golden Globe winners | Best Picture Academy Award winners | British films | Sports films based on actual events | Christian films | Films set in the 1920s | Running films | Warner Bros. films | English-language films | French-language films
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This article is about the film. For the original score album, see Chariots of Fire (album).
Chariots of Fire is a British film released in 1981. Written by Colin Welland and directed by Hugh Hudson, it is based on the true story of British athletes preparing for and competing in the 1924 Summer Olympics. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won four, including Best Picture. The title is a quotation from the hymn Jerusalem which is a setting of a poem by William Blake. The film's working title was "Running" until Welland saw the scene with the singing of the hymn and decided to change the title.
SynopsisThe movie is based on the true story of two British athletes competing in the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. Englishman Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross), who is Jewish, overcomes anti-Semitism and class prejudice in order to compete against the "Flying Scotsman", Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson), in the 100 metre race. In 1919, Abrahams enters Cambridge University. He attempts and succeeds at the Trinity Great Court run, which involves running around the court before the clock finishes striking 12. Meanwhile, Liddell sees running as a way of glorifying God before traveling to China to work as a missionary. He represents Scotland against Ireland, and preaches a sermon on "Life as a race" afterwards. At their first meeting, Liddell shakes Abrahams' hand to wish him well, then beats him in a race. Abrahams takes it badly, but Sam Mussabini (Ian Holm), a professional trainer that he had approached earlier, offers to take him on to improve his technique. However, this attracts criticism from the college authorities. Eric's sister Jenny (Cheryl Campbell) worries he is too busy running to concern himself with their mission, but Eric tells her he feels inspired: "I believe that God made me for a purpose... (the mission), but He also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure." Despite pressure from the Prince of Wales and the British Olympic committee, Liddell refuses to run a heat of the 100 metres at the Olympics because his Christian convictions prevent him from running on Sunday. Liddell is allowed to compete in the 400 metre race instead. Liddell at church on Sunday is seen quoting Isaiah 40, verse 31:
The story compares the similar athletic experiences of Abrahams and Liddell while portraying their vastly different characters and reactions to adversity. Historical accuracy
This very successful film is centred on Abrahams, and, to maintain this focus many historical incidents have been misrepresented. One scene in the film recreates a race in which the runners attempt to run round the perimeter of the Great Court at Trinity College, Cambridge in the time it takes the clock to strike 24 at midday. The film shows the race happening at Caius College, and Abrahams performing the feat for the first time in history. In fact, the only people known to have succeeded are Lord Burghley in 1927 and Sam Dobin in 2007 in a recorded time of 42.77s. The film omits the fact that it was Liddell who introduced Abrahams to Sam Mussabini[1]. In the film, Liddell is tripped up by a Frenchman in the 400 metre event of a Scotland–France international athletic meeting. He recovers, makes up a 20 metre deficit, and wins. This was based on fact, though his achievement was in fact even greater, as he had already won the 100- and 220-yard events that day.[2] A major historical inaccuracy surrounds Liddell's refusal to race on a Sunday. In the film, he only learns on boarding the boat to Paris that one of the heats is to be held on ‘The Sabbath’. In fact, the schedule was made public several months in advance, and Liddell spent the remaining months training for the 400 metres, an event in which he had previously excelled. In the film, the 100m bronze medallist is a fictional character called 'Tom Watson'; the real medallist was Arthur Porritt of New Zealand, who refused permission for his name to be used in the film, allegedly out of modesty[3]. The character of Lord Lindsay is loosely based on Lord Burghley, who was in reality eliminated in the heats of 110 metre hurdles in the 1924 Olympics. He did not give up his place in the 400 metres for Liddell. He went on to become a major figure in athletics, winning gold in the 1928 Olympics and organising the London 1948 Olympics. The name-change was in deference to his wishes; it is thought he resented the misrepresentation of his Trinity Court record; he refused to watch the film, and died in the year it was made. The film does not mention the further exploits of the protagonists at the Olympics. After winning the 100 metres, Abrahams also reached the final of the 200 metres but finished last. This is hinted at in the film during the athletic montage which accompanies Liddell's Sunday sermon in Paris, with Mussabini scolding Abrahams ("Juvenile!") for rocking backward at the start; and, during the scene where Abrahams speaks with his friend Montague ("You are my most complete man") while receiving a massage from Mussabini, there is a French newspaper clipping showing Scholz and Paddock with a headline which, when translated, states that the 200 metres was a triumph for the United States. In the same conversation, Abrahams laments getting "beaten out of sight" in the 200. Eric Liddell also ran in the 200 m and finished third (behind Paddock and gold medal winner Jackson Scholz). (This was the only time that Liddell and Abrahams competed in the same race. Their meeting in the 1923 AAA Championship in the film was fictitious, though Liddell's win spurred Abrahams to train even harder[4].) As an opening runner for the 4 x 100 metres relay team, Abrahams won a silver medal (see article on 1924 Olympics.) Production detailsFilming locationsImage:Chariots of Fire beach.jpg
The famous beach running scene
The famous beach scenes associated with the theme tune were filmed at West Sands, St. Andrews (the last scene of the opening titles crosses the 18th hole at St. Andrews Golf Course); a plaque commemorating the filming can be found there today. The scene at Trinity College, Cambridge was actually filmed at Eton College. The Colombes Olympic Stadium was represented by The Oval Sports Centre, Bebington, Merseyside. The nearby Woodside ferry terminal was used to represent the scenes set in Dover. Other scenes were filmed at Birchington, Kent. A scene depicting a performance of The Mikado was filmed in the Savoy Theatre with members of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, which lead to a small inaccuracy-the costumes worn by the performers were designed several years after the historical events depicted in the film. MusicAlthough the film is a period piece, set in the 1920's, the Academy Award-winning original soundtrack composed by Vangelis uses a modern, 1980's electronic sound with a strong use of synthesizer and piano among other instruments. This was a bold and significant departure from earlier period films which employed sweeping orchestral instrumentals. The title theme of the film has become iconic and has been used in subsequent films and television shows during slow-motion. The film also incorporates a traditional work: a British choir singing "Jerusalem" at the 1978 funeral of Harold Abrahams, the event which bookends and presumably inspired the making of the film. Gilbert and Sullivan also features heavily. CastStarring
Supporting Cast
RatingsThe film is rated PG in the UK for thematic elements. In the US, to avoid the initial child's G rating which might have hindered sales, Puttnam dubbed in a swear word in order to be awarded a PG rating.[5] Awards and recognitionAcademy Awards (1981)Chariots of Fire was very successful at the Academy Awards. When he accepted his Oscar for Best Original Screenplay Colin Welland famously announced "The British are coming"
Cannes Film Festival (1981)
BAFTA Awards (1981)
Golden GlobesGrammy Awards (1983)
Popular lists
References in popular culture
See alsoNotes
External linksWikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
de:Die Stunde des Siegers el:Οι Δρόμοι της Φωτιάς es:Chariots of Fire fr:Les Chariots de feu (film) it:Momenti di gloria hu:Tűzszekerek nl:Chariots of Fire ja:炎のランナー no:Ildvognene pl:Rydwany ognia pt:Chariots of Fire ro:Chariots of Fire ru:Огненные колесницы (фильм) fi:Tulivaunut sv:Triumfens ögonblick ta:சாரியட்ஸ் ஆப் பயர் | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
