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Chariots of Fire

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Chariots of Fire is a British film released in 1981. Written by Colin Welland and directed by Hugh Hudson, and 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 taken from William Blake's poem The New Jerusalem

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!


Plot

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The movie is based on the true story of two British athletes competing in the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. Englishman Harold Abrahams (played by 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 metres. However, Liddell drops out of the event because his Christian convictions prevent him from running on a Sunday. Liddell is allowed to compete in the 400 metres instead. The story is deceptively complex, and compares the similar athletic experiences of Abrahams and Liddell while portraying their vastly different characters and reactions to adversity.

Historical accuracy

The Great Court, Trinity College, Cambridge

One scene in the film recreates a race in which the runners attempt to round the perimiter of the Great Court at Trinity College, Cambridge in the time it takes the clock to double strike the hour at midday. The scene was actually filmed at Eton.

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The only people believed to have actually completed the run around Trinity Great Court in time are Lord Burghley in 1927 and Sebastian Coe when he beat Steve Cram in a charity race in October 1988.

A major historic inaccuracy in the movie surrounds Liddell's refusal to race in the 100 metres. The film portrays Liddell as finding out that one of the heats was to be held on a Sunday as he was boarding the boat that would take the British Olympic team across the English Channel on their way to Paris. In fact, the schedule was made public several months in advance, and Liddell spent the remaining months training for the 400 m, an event in which he had previously excelled. A scene exists in the movie wherein Liddell is thrown down early in a Scotland-France 400 m duel, but recovers to make up a 20 m deficit to win the race. This really happened.

Abrahams was an outsider for the medals at the 1924 Olympics, but won the 100 m, beating all the American favourites including Jackson Scholz and Charlie Paddock. In the 200 m, he reached the final, but finished sixth and last. As an opening runner for the 4 x 100 m relay team, Abrahams won a second Olympic medal, a silver.

Arthur Porritt represented New Zealand at the 1924 Summer Olympics, winning a bronze medal in the 100 m, but refused permission for his real name to be used in the film, allegedly out of modesty. The bronze medallist was portrayed in the film by a fictional 'Tom Watson'.

Miscellany

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, "You never beat me!" with mock indignation. 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.

A plaque commemorating the filming of the famous beach scenes associated with the theme tune can be found at the end of West Sands in St. Andrews where filming for these scenes took place.

Awards

Cast and roles include

Other crew

Producers

Music

The original music, which won the movie an Academy Award, was composed by Vangelis.

Filming locations

See also

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