Two British track stars -- one a devout Scottish minister, the other a status-hungry English Jew -- compete in the 1924 Olympics in this celebrated drama, a winner of four Oscars, including Best Picture, in 1981. Ben Cross rose to considerable prominence thanks to his portrayal of Harold Abrahams, the son of a Lithuanian immigrant and a fiercely proud man whose painful experience of the British class system casts him in the underdog role. Ian Charleson is equally good as Eric Liddell, the son of missionaries stationed in China who is a decent man and a disciplined athlete. The rivalry between these two charismatic competitors drives Chariots all the way along to their fateful race at the Paris Olympics. And what a run it is: Director Hugh Hudson renders the period with sobriety and stateliness and avoids the usual clichés of sports-themed movies. Ian Holm lends worthy support as Harold’s Italian-Arabic coach, and Sir John Gielgud contributes an amusing cameo. Production-wise, the film is first rate in every way, and the evocative musical score by Vangelis -- an Oscar-winning effort that, for better or worse, long served Madison Ave. as the modern equivalent of Pachelbel’s Canon in D -- works perfectly with David Watkins’s cinematography. A truly inspirational story that unexpectedly captured the hearts of moviegoers, Chariots remains a career high point for all those involved in its making.

Chariots of Fire
DVD (Repackaged / Full Frame)
9.99
In Stock
Editorial Reviews
Product Details
Release Date: | 01/04/2011 |
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UPC: | 0883929157860 |
Original Release: | 1981 |
Rating: | PG |
Source: | Warner Home Video |
Region Code: | 1 |
Presentation: | [Full Frame] |
Time: | 2:04:00 |
Sales rank: | 1,656 |
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