A bit stuffy

Rating: 6/10 (2 December 2014)

In 1924, a Jew Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross) and devoted Christian Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson) are training to go to the Olympics in Paris. Back in 1919, Abrahams faces prejudice from the Anglo Saxon establishment in the University of Cambridge. He falls for Gilbert and Sullivan actress Sybil Gordon (Alice Krige). Meanwhile Liddell runs in the Scotland highlands despite misgivings from his devout sister Jennie (Cheryl Campbell). He's born from missionaries in China. After Abrahams loses to Liddell, he is devastated and gets coaching help from Sam Mussabini (Ian Holm). At the Olympics, Liddell's 100 meter race heat is schedule for Sunday but he refuses to race on the Sabbath.
These are pretty stuffy true life stories. It's not quite as compelling probably because the attention is split between two characters. Both are compelling historical figures and both deserve the attention. Director Hugh Hudson's style is rather conventionally competent. This is Oscar bait. It's a well made biopic of uplifting historical stories. The most interesting aspect of the movie to me is the music from Vangelis. It is synth heaven. The problem is that the movie can't narrow its focus only on Abrahams because of what happened in the Olympics. However Liddell isn't a very compelling story until the Olympics.