Chariots of Fire
Short description
Chariots of Fire follows two British runners preparing for the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. Harold Abrahams, a Cambridge student, runs to prove himself against the prejudice he faces as a Jew in a class-conscious society, while Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish missionary, treats his speed as an expression of religious faith and refuses to compete on the Sabbath. Their different motivations put them on a collision course as they chase places on the British team.
The film was directed by Hugh Hudson and written by Colin Welland, and it was the first feature Hudson directed. Ben Cross plays Abrahams and Ian Charleson plays Liddell, with Cheryl Campbell, Alice Krige, Nigel Havers and Ian Holm among the cast. Produced by David Puttnam and James Crawford, it was made on a budget of about 6 million dollars and took roughly 59 million dollars worldwide, a strong return for a British historical drama.
Chariots of Fire is set in Britain and France in the early 1920s and draws on real events and real athletes. On TMDB it holds a rating of 6.8 out of 10 from just over a thousand votes. Hudson went on to direct Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes, Revolution and Finding Altamira.
What's left behind the scenes
- The speech given by Eric Liddell (1902-1945) to the workers after the race was written by the actor who played him, Ian Charleson. Having studied the Bible before filming, Charleson told director Hugh Hudson that the speech written by others was too sanctimonious and pompous, and that he would not be able to deliver it convincingly. Hudson suggested that the actor write the speech himself.
- Several women wearing fake mustaches played in the all-male military band.
- The character of Lord Andrew Lindsay, played by Nigel Havers, is based on Lord David Burghley, who did not allow his name to be used in the film. After later seeing the movie, Lord Burghley informed the creators that he regretted his previous decision.
- Some scenes of the film were shot in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Every morning, satellite dishes had to be removed from the houses around the filming location and reinstalled in the evening. This occasionally led to friction with local residents.
- The episode featuring the church service shown at the very beginning and end of the film is based on the funeral of Harold Abrahams (1899-1978), who converted to Christianity late in life (which is implied in the film).
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
