Chariots of Fire

This is the story of two men who run, not to run, but to prove something to the world. They will sacrifice anything to achieve their goals... except their honor.

1981 • 123 min • Drama · History

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Synopsis

In the class-obsessed and religiously divided UK of the early 1920s, two determined young runners train for the 1924 Paris Olympics. Eric Liddell, a devout Christian born to Scottish missionaries in China, sees running as part of his worship of God's glory and refuses to train or compete on the Sabbath. Harold Abrahams overcomes anti-Semitism and class bias, but neglects his beloved sweetheart in his single-minded quest.

Our family guide

Best from age 10

Movie Knight Score

1055 reviews

100 Reviewers · 1 · 51%
68 Audience · 1054 · 49%

Two determined British runners, Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, pursue Olympic glory at the 1924 Paris Games. Liddell, a devout Christian, runs for God's glory, while Abrahams, a Jewish man, seeks to overcome prejudice through achievement. Their intertwined paths showcase personal conviction and the pursuit of excellence.

Violence & peril: 1/10
Language: 1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 1/10
Romance & sensuality: 1/10
Scary moments: 2/10

Heads up

Historical context of prejudice against Jewish people
Brief scenes of period-appropriate social events
The film moves at a deliberate, deliberate pace

What it models well

Perseverance and dedication
Faith and personal conviction
Overcoming prejudice
Pursuit of excellence

Talk about it after

Understanding different motivations for success
Discussing religious freedom and personal choices
Talking about historical prejudice and discrimination
The importance of integrity and sportsmanship

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Chariots of Fire. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

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Top billed cast

Director: Hugh Hudson • Crew: Colin Welland

Trailers & clips

Reviewer notes

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
The opening bars of the Oscar-winning Vangelis score coupled with the shot of the athletes running along the beach, barefoot, at St. Andrews is amongst the most iconic opening scenes from any film, but somehow the rest of this strays all too often into mediocrity thereafter. It tells the story of two British athletes who strove to thrive at the Olympiad in Paris in 1924.…
CinemaSerf, TMDB Community