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.”
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.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Chariots of Fire - TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2009-10-05
Top Cast
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Ben Cross
Harold Abrahams
Ian Charleson
Eric Liddell
Cheryl Campbell
Jennie Liddell
Alice Krige
Sybil Gordon
Nigel Havers
Lord Andrew Lindsay
Ian Holm
Sam Mussabini
Nicholas Farrell
Aubrey Montague
Daniel Gerroll
Henry Stallard
John Gielgud
Master of Trinity
Lindsay Anderson
Master of Caius
Nigel Davenport
Lord Birkenhead
Dennis Christopher
Charles Paddock
Brad Davis
Jackson Scholz
Patrick Magee
Lord Cadogan
Peter Egan
Duke of Sutherland
Struan Rodger
Sandy McGrath
David Yelland
Prince of Wales
Richard Griffiths
Head Porter - Caius College
Release History & Theatrical Window
Toronto International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
September 25, 1981
Wide Cinema Exhibition
April 11, 2012
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$5.5M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$59M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
10.72x
+$53.5M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Hugh Hudson
- Screenplay & Story
- Colin Welland
- Original Score
- Vangelis
- Original Title
- Chariots of Fire
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom, United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 3m
- Production Budget
- $5.5M
- Worldwide Gross
- $59M
- Production Studios
- Enigma Productions, Allied Stars, 20th Century Fox
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Hugh Hudson
Colin Welland
Vangelis
David Watkin
Terry Rawlings
David Puttnam, Dodi Fayed
Department Leadership Roster
Hugh Hudson
Director
David Puttnam
Producer
David Watkin
Director of Photography
Terry Rawlings
Editor
Vangelis
Original Music Composer
Milena Canonero
Costume Design
Colin Welland
Writer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Chariots of Fire.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Chariots of Fire.
Movie Collection
Jellyfin - DVD
多伦多电影节人民选择奖
Toronto Film Festival Audience Award 多伦多国际电影节历届人民选择奖（观众票选最高奖）。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-19 07:39:27 UTC+8)*
英国电影学院奖最佳影片
BAFTA Award for Best Film 英国电影学院奖（BAFTA）历届最佳影片。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-19 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
奥斯卡历届最佳影片
Oscar Winning Films: Best Picture 奥斯卡历届最佳影片。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-19 07:38:52 UTC+8)*
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-19 07:37:48 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About Chariots of Fire
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Chariots of Fire about?
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.
Who directed Chariots of Fire?
Chariots of Fire was directed by Hugh Hudson.
Who stars in Chariots of Fire?
The principal cast of Chariots of Fire includes Ben Cross, Ian Charleson, Cheryl Campbell, Alice Krige, Nigel Havers.
When was Chariots of Fire released and how long is it?
Chariots of Fire was released in 1981 with a total runtime of 2h 3m.
What was the box office and production budget of Chariots of Fire?
Chariots of Fire had a reported production budget of $5.5M and grossed $59M at the worldwide box office (10.72 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Chariots of Fire?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Chariots of Fire was composed by Vangelis.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Chariots of Fire?
Chariots of Fire holds official age classifications: AU: PG (Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.); DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: TP; GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).