

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.
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.
TMDB
6.8/10
1,086 votes
IMDb
Not rated yet
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- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $5.5M
- Box office
- $59M
- Language
- English
- underdog
- sports
- scotland
- missionary
- olympic games
- jewry
- patriotism
- mayor
- praline
- olympian sports team
- ambition
- based on true story
Top billed cast


















Behind the camera
Director
Writers
Music
Produced in
United Kingdom, United States of America
Where to watch
All optionsAvailability for United States. Provided by JustWatch through the TMDB API.
Gallery












Videos
Release dates
United StatesUS
- Theatrical (limited)PGLos Angeles25 Sept 1981
- TheatricalPG2 Apr 1982
United KingdomGB
- PremierePGRoyal Command Film Performance30 Mar 1981
- TheatricalPG15 May 1981
AustraliaAU
- TheatricalPG24 Sept 1981
- PhysicalMBluRay Release11 Apr 2012
CanadaCA
- PremiereToronto International Film Festival17 Sept 1981
BrazilBR
- TheatricalLEstréia16 Oct 1981
- PhysicalLDVD2 Dec 2003
DenmarkDK
- Theatrical1515 May 1981
FinlandFI
- TheatricalK-1615 May 1981
FranceFR
- PremiereCannes Film Festival20 May 1981
- TheatricalTP22 May 1981
- PhysicalDVD20 Sept 2000
- PhysicalBlu-Ray2 Nov 2012
- Digital / OTTVOD19 May 2015
- Digital / OTTDisney+21 May 2021
GermanyDE
- Theatrical127 May 1982
GreeceGR
- PhysicalDVD2 Mar 2001
- PhysicalBlu-Ray18 May 2012
HungaryHU
- Theatrical1210 Jun 1982
IrelandIE
- TheatricalPG24 Jul 1981
Frequently asked questions
Chariots of Fire was released on 15 May 1981.
Audience reviews
1- C6/10
CinemaSerf
7/2/2022
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. Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross) comes from a Lithu…
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