Beautifully filmed and acted

Rating: 10/10 (3 January 2000)

Chariots of Fire, far from being soporific, is a beautifully filmed story of runners bound for Olympic Glory at the 1924 Paris Olympiad. Based on real events, Chariots of Fire creates the mood and feeling of post-war Europe excellently. War-scarred men carry the heavy bags for the college boys attending Oxford on whose commissary wall are listed the names of the many dead who once walked those hallowed halls. The two principal characters are Harold Abrahams (played by Ben Cross), a Jewish man who loves his home country, England, even though he is treated as a second class citizen due to his heritage and Eric Liddell (played by Ian Charleson), a Christian who must face the decision of honoring his religious commitments or running for the gold medal. The movie is compelling by showing how victory means different things to different people. Harold wants to prove something, Eric feels that "God has made him fast," others compete because they have nothing better to do and others compete for the sheer thrill of it. Chariots of Fire explains the passion, sacrifice and excitement behind the names listed in the record books.