Chariots of Fire

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This article is about the film. For the original score album, see Chariots of Fire (album).
For the instrumental theme see Chariots of Fire (instrumental).
Chariots of Fire

Film Poster
Directed by Hugh Hudson
Produced by David Puttnam
Jake Eberts (executive producer)
Dodi Fayed (executive producer)
James Crawford (associate producer)
Written by Colin Welland
Starring Ben Cross
Ian Charleson
Nigel Havers
Cheryl Campbell
Alice Krige
Music by Vangelis (as Vangelis Papathanassiou)
Cinematography David Watkin
Editing by Terry Rawlings
Distributed by - USA -
Warner Bros.
The Ladd Company
- non-USA -
20th Century Fox
Release date(s) Flag of the United Kingdom March, 1981
Flag of the United States 9 October 1981
Running time 123 min
Country Flag of the United Kingdom
Language English, French
Budget $5,500,000
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

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.

Contents

[edit] Synopsis

The 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 Jennie (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. To remedy the sensitive issue, his teammate Lord Andrew Lindsey (Nigel Havers) proposes to trade places with Liddell so that Lindsey would represent Great Britain in the 100m, while Liddell would instead compete in the 400 metre race on the following Thursday, thus averting his need to run on Sunday. Liddell at church on Sunday is seen quoting Isaiah 40, verse 31:

'But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and be not weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.'

The story compares the similar athletic experiences of Abrahams and Liddell while portraying their vastly different characters and reactions to adversity.

[edit] Historical accuracy

The Great Court, Trinity College, Cambridge; represented by Eton College in the film
The Great Court, Trinity College, Cambridge; represented by Eton College in the film

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 12 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 organizing 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.)

Whilst the Ivatt's Atlantic type locomotive in the livery of the former Great Northern Railway hauling the sleeping car train in 1923 is plausible despite the Great Northern having become part of the London and North Eastern Railway under the railway grouping of that year, the former South Eastern and Chatham Railway D class in the pre First World War livery of the company at the head of the boat train at the end of the film is very unlikely. A D class locomotive could have hauled the train in 1924, but assuming that it had not been repainted into the livery of the Southern Railway to which the South Eastern and Chatham had become part of under the railway it would most likely to have been painted the grey livery which was adopted by the South Eastern and Chatham at the beginning of the First World War. However one must accept that a railway engine could not be temporarily repainted for a film.

[edit] Production details

[edit] Filming locations

The famous beach running scene
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 1st and 18th holes 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.

[edit] Music

Main article: Chariots of Fire (album)

Although the film is a period piece, set in the 1920s, 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.

Chariots of fire

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[edit] Cast

[edit] Starring

[edit] Supporting Cast

[edit] Ratings

The 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 an obscenity in order to be awarded a PG rating.[5]

[edit] Awards and recognition

[edit] Academy 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"

[edit] Cannes Film Festival (1981)

  • Best Supporting Actor - Ian Holm - won
  • Prize of the Ecumenical Jury - Special Mention - Hugh Hudson - won
  • Palme d'Or (Golden Palm) - Hugh Hudson - nominated

[edit] BAFTA Awards (1981)

[edit] Popular lists

[edit] References in popular culture

  • During the 1984 Summer Olympic Games, an American Express credit card commercial ("Don't leave home without it") included Ben Cross and the 87-year-old Jackson Scholz. When Cross says something about beating Scholz, the latter remarks with mock indignation, "You never beat me!" Proving he is "still pretty fast," Scholz beats Cross to the draw in picking up the tab with his credit card.
  • The English rugby league player Martin Offiah was nicknamed "Chariots," after the film.
  • One Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner short is called Chariots of Fur.
  • On Sesame Street, one segment of Monsterpiece Theater was called "Chariots of Fur"; it involved Grover and Herry Monster having a race down the beach.
  • In one episode of Two and a Half Men, Alan Harper (Jon Cryer) is running on a beach (He has insomnia and his brother suggests exercise). He does a parody of Chariots of Fire, before being mistaken for a burglar and being picked up by the police.
  • In Mr. Mom, Jack Butler (Michael Keaton) competes in a company-sponsored decathlon, which is seen in slow motion to the famous Chariots of Fire theme.
  • In National Lampoon's Vacation, Clark and Rusty Griswold (Chevy Chase and Anthony Michael Hall respectively) are seen running through the Walley-World parking lot (in slow motion) to the famous Chariots of Fire theme.
  • In Bruce Almighty, Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey) is covering a news story on Buffalo's Biggest Cookie. He tells the camera to "cue the cheesy inspirational music", to which the movie enters a slow motion version of Bruce attempting to throw milk into a line of children's cups, all while the theme from Chariots of Fire plays in the background. He fails miserably, drenching them in the milk.
  • In Season 4 of SCTV, the movie is spoofed as "Chariots of Eggs," presented as a series of clips from a movie written and directed by comic Bobby Bittman. Though still a period piece set in the world of track and field, in the spoof the event is an egg-and-spoon race and the runners are played by musical guests Hall & Oates. They square off against Andrea Martin and Catherine O'Hara, who parody the lesbian overtones in the track-and-field film Personal Best, The spoof is available in Volume 3 of SCTV DVD series.
  • In Good Burger, Kenan and Kel run to the theme song when they deliver a burger to Shaquille O'Neal.
  • In the 1983 arcade game Track & Field, whenever a game over happens and the screen cuts to the high score table, the Chariots of Fire theme can be heard.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/sportscotland/asportingnation/article/0019/print.shtml Bio of Liddell
  2. ^ Ramsey, Russell W. (1987). God's Joyful Runner. Bridge Publishing, Inc, 54. ISBN 0882706241. 
  3. ^ Reference to Porritt's modesty
  4. ^ Recollections by Sir Arthur Marshall
  5. ^ Puttnam interviewed in BBC Radio obituary of Jack Valenti.

[edit] External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
Awards
Preceded by
Ordinary People		 Academy Award for Best Picture
1981		 Succeeded by
Gandhi
Preceded by
Tess		 Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film
1982		 Succeeded by
Gandhi
Preceded by
The Elephant Man		 BAFTA Award for Best Film
1982		 Succeeded by
Gandhi
v • d • e
Academy Award for Best Picture

Chariots of Fire (1981) · Gandhi (1982) · Terms of Endearment (1983) · Amadeus (1984) · Out of Africa (1985) · Platoon (1986) · The Last Emperor (1987) · Rain Man (1988) · Driving Miss Daisy (1989) · Dances with Wolves (1990) · The Silence of the Lambs (1991) · Unforgiven (1992) · Schindler's List (1993) · Forrest Gump (1994) · Braveheart (1995) · The English Patient (1996) · Titanic (1997) · Shakespeare in Love (1998) · American Beauty (1999) · Gladiator (2000)

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