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.
- 6.8
- 1981
- Released
- 2h 3m
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
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
John Young
Rev. J.D. Liddell
Yvonne Gilan
Mrs Liddell
David John
Ernest Liddell
Benny Young
Rob Liddell
Yves Beneyton
George AndreGerry Slevin
Colonel John KeddieColin Bruce
Taylor
Alan Polonsky
Paxton
Edward Wiley
Fitch
Jeremy Sinden
President - Gilbert and Sullivan SocietyAndrew Hawkins
Secretary - Gilbert and Sullivan Society
Jack Smethurst
Sleeping Car Attendant
Peter Cellier
Head Waiter - The SavoyPhilip O'Brien
US Coach
Ruby Wax
BuntyRalph Lawton
Harbour MasterKim Clifford
Sybil's Maid
John Rutland
Caius Porter
Peter Jones
Tommy Boyle
ReporterWallace Campbell
Highland ProvostGordon Hammersley
President - Cambridge Athletic ClubAlan Dudley
Caius ManservantTess Dignan
SchoolgirlMichael Jeyes
FootmanDavid Kivlin
First Scots BoyEddie Hughson
Second Scots Boy
Ted Robbins
Shot Putter (uncredited)
Kenneth Branagh
Cambridge Student at Society Day (uncredited)
Stephen Fry
Cambridge Student at Society Day (uncredited)
Released
en
$5,500,000.00
$58,972,904.00
- #underdog
- #sports
- #scotland
- #missionary
- #olympic games
- #jewry
- #patriotism
- #mayor
- #praline
- #olympian sports team
- #ambition
- #based on true story
- #athletics
- #olympic athlete
- #cambridge university
- #dramatic
- #celebratory
- #dignified
- #powerful
Reviews
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