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.
Directed by Hugh Hudson
underdog
sports
scotland
missionary
olympic games
jewry
patriotism
mayor
praline
olympian sports team
ambition
based on true story
athletics
1920s
olympic athlete
running on the beach
cambridge university
dramatic
running
celebratory
dignified
powerful
Rank
#41 in 1981·#6502 overall
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Letterboxd
3.4 / 5
Where to Watch
Cast
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
Crew
Hugh Hudson
Director
Colin Welland
Writer
Vangelis
Original Music Composer
Terry Rawlings
Editor
David Watkin
Director of Photography
David Puttnam
Producer
Dodi Fayed
Executive Producer
Milena Canonero
Costume Design
Graham Churchyard
Costume Assistant
Dewi Humphreys
Camera Operator
Harry Rabinowitz
Music Coordinator
Iain Smith
Location Manager
Popular Reviews
152 reviews
Pietro
8.0★ · 05/20/26
Why’d they do it if they didn’t have Strava?
Also Eric Liddell biggest chad
Why’d they do it if they didn’t have Strava?
Also Eric Liddell biggest chad
Mimi
6.0★ · 05/11/26
Por el atletismo... claro...
Por el atletismo... claro...
Grace Dalgarno
5.0★ · 04/19/26
Bring me my bow of burning gold Bring me my arrows of desire Bring me my spear o clouds unfold! Bring me my chariot of FIRE !!
Bring me my bow of burning gold Bring me my arrows of desire Bring me my spear o clouds unfold! Bring me my chariot of FIRE !!
Blake Gamber
3.0★ · 04/13/26
Absolute snoozer
Absolute snoozer
Marcus Vestergaard
5.0★ · 04/10/26
The only thing I really liked in this was the opening and credits music. Its iconic. The rest is meh and kinda boring. I can’t believe this won best picture over Raiders. The music isn’t even better than Raiders March.
The only thing I really liked in this was the opening and credits music. Its iconic. The rest is meh and kinda boring. I can’t believe this won best picture over Raiders. The music isn’t even better than Raiders March.
