Chariots of Fire (1981)

Directed by Hugh Hudson. Starring Ben Cross, Ian Charleson, Nigel Havers, Nicholas Farrell, Ian Holm, Alice Krige, Nigel Davenport, John Gielgud, Lindsay Anderson, Cheryl Campbell, Struan Rodger. [PG]

Often compelling true story of two runners—Harold Abrahams (Cross), a determined Jewish Cambridge student, and Eric Liddell (Charleson), a devout Scot running to glorify God—who compete together at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. Colin Welland’s Oscar-winning script focuses less on winning and sportsmanship than on exploring the particulars that drove these men on and portraying the effort and exhilaration of the pure act of sprinting. Finely-tuned performances, including a scene-stealing turn from Holm as Abrahams’ coach, atone for Hudson’s stiff, sometimes even clumsy, direction and a few too many mundane narrative detours. Photographed by David Watkin and scored by Vangelis (credited here with his last name, “Papathanassíou”), whose excellent title theme has become iconic despite the atypical use of synthesizers for a period piece. In addition to winning Best Picture from the Academy Awards, it was also given the special award of “American Critics Prize” at Cannes after suffering a vicious reception by the festival’s French critics due to the film’s unapologetically deprecatory view of their country (the special award has never been given out before or since).

77/100