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"Chariots of Fire", the 1981 sports drama, which stretches a time span from 1919 to 1978, where the two main characters of Harold M. Abrahams, played by Ben Cross and Eric Liddell, performed by Ian Charleson find redemption by winning gold metals at the Olympic Games 1924 in Paris. Director Hugh Hudson, former commercial co-producer and realisateur and English producer David Puttnam, known before for launching Ridley Scott's feature debut "The Duellists" in 1977, who kept tight connections to the Cannes Film Festival committee in his prime to realize some fine artful mainstream pictures in the 1980s, including "The Killing Fields" (1984) and "The Mission" (1986) for which eventually earned the Palme d'Or.The film directed by Hugh Hudson has everything what a dramatic picture should have. Compelling cinematography by David Watkin, who combines every possible instruments from precisely paced dolly shots over hand-held immersive character POVs, flooding Steadicam long tracking shots to the slow-motion running shots, which are beautifully merged with Vangelis Papathanassiou's score, which will win the Academy Award for the Best Score over John Williams' "Raiders Of The Lost Ark" soundtrack, including The Indiana Jones theme."Chariots of Fire" set the tone within 10 minutes of running time, embedding the picture in a death mass ceremony of character H.M. Abrahams in 1978 over to the dreamlike beach running scene in 1924 to the arriving students at Cambridge University in 1919. In the beginning the director keeps tight focus on the Jewish character of Abrahams, who continuously struggles to find recognition despite his genetic heritage. The watchful spectator will recognize that Abrahams is run by fear, not being enough in this world, visually manifested by disfigured by-standers at the train-station and amputated cripples in front of the University's registration office. The character's fore-leading punchline, "They show where water is, but they don't let me drink." will determine each and every step of Abrahams, who does not slip any opportunity to confront the present rigid organized lobby.The driving characteristic force of Abrahams finds his peak in a lunch with the University's Master of Trinity, played by Sir John Gielgud and his second half the Master of Caius, performed by Lindsay Ansderson, in which arrogantly states "I believe in the pursuit of excellence. And I carry the future with me." before excusing himself by showing himself out. The scene represents the harmonic collaboration between Director and Cinematographer by opening with a long slightly left panning dolly-in shot onto John Gielgud's character, breaking the tension with tense close-ups of all three characters before retreating into the full shot again. Hugh Hudson keeps close track that each scene of his picture is fluently connected to the next. A technique he borrowed from Masters as David Lean, who came before. This obvious circumstance might have cost the director the Academy Award for Best Directing, which eventually went to Actor/Director Warren Beatty for his mammut piece "Reds" (1981).As a kind of nemesis to Abrahams, rightfully Academy Award winning screenwriter Colin Welland developed the character of Eric Liddell living isolated and secured in the Scottish Highlands, pushed by his brother and local priest to become a hardcore Catholic. "Don't compromise. Compromise is the devil's companion" as the priest states in his short but decisive appearance. Liddell being set off does social work for native children's, holding lectures in churches and representing the so-called mascular Christian. Later the Abrahams supporting character of coach Sam Mussabini, brought to life by actor Ian Holm will say about Liddell that he is man to be a runner "He is all heart, running on pure nerves." The pacifistic rivalry between Liddell & Abrahams becomes the character-driven theme, which lets "Chariots of Fire" stand out of the dramatic competition.The timelessly designed setting by a handful of Art Directors and the simplistic, nevertheless neatly researched running outfits by Milena Canonero, leads the the picture at running time marker 46mins 00sec at a local sport arena, where Abrahams & Liddell have there uneventful showdown in the year 1923. Suspense is carefully risen in an Interior Locker room, where Liddell wins, before the race even hears its initiating gunshot, by the shaking Abrahams hand after a slowly fading synthesizer composition by Vangelis "May the best man win". At that moment everything in this picture stops in an blink of an eye and all departures from producer, director, cast, cinematography and designers become one - winning Best Picture for the year 1981 at the Academy Awards on March 29th 1982, but considered unworthy by the Cannes Festival's Jury around Jacques Deray on May 27th 1981 to gain momentum as a full circle cinematic achievement.© 2017 Felix Alexander Dausend

The story of two British athletes, Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, their determination to succeed and how their faith and convictions sustain them. It will all come to a head at the 1924 Olympics in Paris.Decent, but not brilliant. Story is fine but not really astonishing or that profound, unless this is the first time you've ever heard of someone remaining true to their faith and convictions. Really only memorable for the running on the beach scene, with the anthemic Vangelis theme playing over it.Won the Best Picture at the 1982 Oscars. Was a fairly weak year, as other nominees included Reds, On Golden Pond and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

CHARIOTS OF FIRE is undoubtedly one of the finest sports movies ever made because it isn't just about sports per se. Instead, it's a period picture summoning up life in the 1920s, with deep characterisation, strong and subtle acting from the principle actors, and a great attention to detail. The subject matter explores the topic of religion in a sensitive way, while the various running scenes are artily directed and extremely memorable, thanks in part to that classic theme music which really is something to behold.The film stars Ben Cross in a strong turn as a put-upon Jew whose bad temper and grievances threaten to derail him; also here are career-making performances from Nicholas Farrell and Nigel Havers, two actors who would go on to repeat the same type of roles they play here throughout their careers. Although the familiar faces of John Gielgud and Nigel Davenport round out the 'elder statesman' type roles, it's Ian Holm who really shines in a part which is a 180 degree turn from his one in ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

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.