Chariots of Fire poster
Director Hugh Hudson
Writer Colin Welland

Chariots of Fire

Tagline: This is the story of two men who run, not to run, but to prove something to the world. They will sacrifice anything to achieve their goals... except their honor.

Release Date: 1981-05-15

Duration: 123 minutes

Synopsis

In the class-obsessed and religiously divided UK of the early 1920s, two determined young runners train for the 1924 Paris Olympics. Eric Liddell, a devout Christian born to Scottish missionaries in China, sees running as part of his worship of God's glory and refuses to train or compete on the Sabbath. Harold Abrahams overcomes anti-Semitism and class bias, but neglects his beloved sweetheart in his single-minded quest.

Casting

  • Kenneth Branagh
    Cambridge Student at Society Day (uncredited)
  • Richard Griffiths
    Head Porter - Caius College
  • Stephen Fry
    Cambridge Student at Society Day (uncredited)
  • Ian Holm
    Sam Mussabini
  • Dennis Christopher
    Charles Paddock
  • John Gielgud
    Master of Trinity
  • Brad Davis
    Jackson Scholz
  • Nicholas Farrell
    Aubrey Montague
  • Patrick Magee
    Lord Cadogan
  • Alice Krige
    Sybil Gordon