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Trailer

Chariots of Fire

1981Movie2 h 3 minPG

DramaHistory
76
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.1Metacritic786.9Rotten Tomatoes84%80%

A cathartic, nostalgic drama movie about sports and history, with standout performances and score.

Good for date night · family movie night · friends night

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Not for laughs or scares.

Movies with

Story

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.

Feels like

  • Historical Drama
  • Inspirational
  • Sports
  • British Cinema
  • Class Conflict
  • Faith & Determination
  • Period Piece
  • Underdog Story
  • Motivational
  • 1920s

Cast

24 of 35

Crew

Directed by
Hugh Hudson
Written by
Colin Welland
Produced by
David Puttnam
Music by
Vangelis

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

May 15, 1981 · 2 h 3 min · PG

Released
May 15, 1981
Runtime
2 h 3 min
Age rating
PG
Genres
Drama, History
Original language
English
Made in
United Kingdom, United States
Budget
$6 million
Box office
$59 million
Available in
80 countries
Keywords
based on true story

Tropes

Mission from God, Serious Business, Determined Expression +9

  • Mission from God
  • Serious Business
  • Determined Expression
  • Rule of Cool
  • Parodies of Fire
  • Framing Story
  • Training Montage
  • Spinning Paper
  • Patriotic Fervor
  • Artistic License – History
  • Brilliant, but Lazy
  • Child of Two Worlds

12 of 48 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream Chariots of Fire?"

Questions about Chariots of Fire

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Chariots of Fire?

Howdy

In the United States, Chariots of Fire streams on Howdy. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, and Spectrum On Demand. It also streams in 57 other countries.

Is Chariots of Fire worth watching?

76
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 76 (IMDb 7.1, Rotten Tomatoes 84%, and Metacritic 78).

Is Chariots of Fire okay for kids?

PG

Yes: it's rated PG in the United States, and the viewing guide lists it for kids.

Was Chariots of Fire a box office hit?

Budget$6 million
Box office$59 million

Yes, a big one: it cost about $6 million to make and earned $59 million worldwide, 10.7 times its budget.

What tropes does Chariots of Fire use?

Mission from GodSerious BusinessDetermined ExpressionRule of CoolParodies of FireFraming StoryTraining MontageSpinning PaperPatriotic FervorArtistic License – HistoryBrilliant, but LazyChild of Two Worldsand 36 more

TV Tropes lists 48 tropes for it, including Mission from God, Serious Business, and Determined Expression.