"The movie wouldn't be much without the Vangelis soundtrack," David Puttnam, COF producer.

Rating: 10/10 (7 October 2004)

Two British athletes have ambition for gold at the 1924 Olympics in Paris, but have personal as well as track problems to overcome.
The purpose of a movie is to capture your attention and our emotions. A quick vox pop of IMDb reviewers shows that this is a movie that draws strong negative emotions as well as strong positive ones. You have every right not to like any work of art, but you have to acknowledge that the general audience prefers cheap thrills to thinking.
This doesn't even feature a real villain - no matter drugs, sex or violence!
Yes it might not be to everyone's taste, but COF is one of those movies that could not be really improved upon given its targets, intentions and budget. It is not a perfect, but it is perfectly realized.
The film tries to wrap itself around events that are broadly true, but it also shows that real life - however outstanding - doesn't always help the dramatist. Abrahams (Ben Cross) is shown being persecuted and haunted for being a Jew, while there is no evidence of it, indeed he became an authority figure later without objection from anyone. Even the romance portrayed here actually happened years after the film ended!
Meanwhile Liddell (Ian Charlson) is a dedicated man-of-god who won't compete on a Sunday (that is true - although facts around this are NOT as explained here!) Sadly that is also the day of the 100 yard (sic) final. A bit of a two dimensional character, in his dedication to "doing god's work", but a true sportsman and also a rugby international (mentioned only once in passing). He later died an early death for his beliefs.
(Curious that the actor convincingly playing him should take the opposite path and died young too!)
Anyone that wants a lesson in how important a musical score is to a movie should view this. The Evangelos Odysseus Papathanassiou (that is his real name!) title track is a "hairs-on-the-back-of-your-neck" classic - although, curiously, the electronic music is totally out-of-time with the period the film tries to evoke!
The strangest thing about this film that I wasn't really that impressed with it the first time I saw it. However with repeat viewings I liked it more and more, to the point in which I would put it in my own personal top ten of all time.
Great sports movies are rare and while I am both British and a sports fan I am sure that people who are neither can enjoy this film as well. Raiders of the Lost Arc was an enjoyable film, but it was also a cartoon and cartoons can't win Best Picture Oscars - it isn't right.
So it isn't in the top 250 of all-time movies? So people don't like it? But who has seen the "better" Die Hard twice and seen more in it the second time? This did good business at the box office world-wide, it won awards (including the big one), the soundtrack works like a dream and there is some classic scenes and an uplifting climax. Everything a film should be and the best of the 1980's for me.
P.S The title refers to a line in the hymn Jerusalem by William Blake (1757-1827) which explores the obscure theory that Jesus once visited England.
"And did those feet in ancient time Walk upon England's mountain green? And was the holy Lamb of God On England's pleasant pastures seen? And did the countenance divine Shine forth upon our clouded hills? And was Jerusalem builded here Among those dark satanic mills?
Bring me my bow of burning gold! Bring me my arrows of desire! Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold! Bring me my chariot of fire! I will not cease from mental fight, Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand, Till we have built Jerusalem In England's green and pleasant land."