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Oscar-winning drama based on the true story of British runners Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, going for gold at the 1924 Olympics in Paris. The two athletes are driven by very different impulses - Liddell is inspired by his devout Christian faith, while Abrahams hopes to triumph over the anti-Semitism he has endured all his life. Starring Ian Charleson, Ben Cross, Nigel Havers, John Gielgud and Ian Holm. Vangelis provides the soundtrack
1981
HD
subtitles
16x9
Factual
Historical/Period Drama
Movie/Drama
Cast & Crew
Ben Cross
(Actor)
.. Harold Abrahams
Ian Charleson
(Actor)
.. Eric Liddell
Nigel Havers
(Actor)
.. Lord Andrew Lindsay
Nick Farrell
(Actor)
.. Aubrey Montague
Alice Krige
(Actor)
.. Sybil Gordon
John Gielgud
(Actor)
.. Master of Trinity
Ian Holm
(Actor)
.. Sam Mussabini
Lindsay Anderson
(Actor)
.. Master of Caius
Hugh Hudson
(Director)
More Information
Did You Know..
Ben Cross
(Actor)
.. Harold Abrahams
Ian Charleson
(Actor)
.. Eric Liddell
Nigel Havers
(Actor)
.. Lord Andrew Lindsay
Born:
November 06, 1949
in
London
Best Known For:
Playing lovable cads.
Early-life:
Nigel Allan Havers was born on November 6, 1949, in London. He is the son of barrister Michael, Lord Havers, who became famous for successfully defending Mick Jagger and Keith Richards in 1967 after their arrest on drugs charges. Lord Havers was also chief prosecutor during the Yorkshire Ripper trial and was briefly the Lord Chancellor in 1987. Nigel went to the Arts Educational School before deciding to become an actor; his older brother, Philip, followed in their father's footsteps by becoming a QC.
Career:
Havers' first acting job was on the Mrs Dale's Diary radio series. He also spent time with the Prospect Theatre Company. During a lean period he became a wine merchant, but things picked up after an appearance in Upstairs, Downstairs. He's since cropped up in the likes of Chariots of Fire (for which he received a Bafta nomination), Pennies from Heaven, Tales of the Unexpected and A Passage to India. The sitcom Don't Wait Up was a huge hit, and was followed by The Charmer. More recently he's featured in The Sarah Jane Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Downton Abbey and I'm A Celebrity Get… Me Out of Here! Havers walked out of the latter after a week in the jungle. He played the role of Lewis Archer in Coronation Street in 2009, 2010 and 2012.
Quote:
"I am always cheerful and optimistic. If I am ever turned down after an audition, I allow myself just 24 hours to sulk, and then I forget about it, smile, and move on."
Trivia:
He is a regular on the pantomime circuit. He is also the godfather of comedian Jack Whitehall.
Nick Farrell
(Actor)
.. Aubrey Montague
Alice Krige
(Actor)
.. Sybil Gordon
Born:
June 28, 1954
in
Upington, Cape Province, South Africa
Best Known For:
Playing the Borg queen in the Star Trek franchise.
Early-life:
Alice Maud Krige was born on June 28, 1954, in Upington, Cape Province, South Africa, where her father worked as a physician. The clan later moved to Port Elizabeth. Early dreams of becoming a dancer were put to one side when she decided to become a clinical psychologist, like her mother. She graduated in 1975 but the acting bug had already bitten, thanks to some lessons she'd taken to fill up her university timetable. It soon became her greatest passion, so she moved to London and trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama.
Career:
Krige made her acting breakthrough in 1979 in a BBC Play for Today. That led to TV movie A Tale of Two Cities and the films Chariots of Fire (1981) and Ghost Story (1981). She also appeared in King David (1985) and Barfly (1987). She made her West End debut in an award-winning production of Arms and the Man, and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company. She honed her skills in stage productions of King Lear, The Tempest and The Taming of the Shrew. She became a cult star as the dreaded Borg queen in Star Trek: First Contact in 1996 and reprised the role for the final episode of TV series Star Trek: Voyager and a theme park attraction. Cult series Six Feet Under, Children of Dune and Deadwood also boosted her profile. More recent projects include the movies Silent Hill (2006), Lonely Hearts (2006), The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010) and Thor: The Dark World (2013), as well as TV series MI-5, Tyrant and The Syndicate.
Quote:
On playing an intergalactic ruler: "To be allowed to explore a kind of passionate pursuit of power is exciting."
Trivia:
In 2004, she received an honorary degree from Rhodes University.
John Gielgud
(Actor)
.. Master of Trinity
Ian Holm
(Actor)
.. Sam Mussabini
Born:
September 12, 1931
in
Goodmayes, Ilford
Best Known For:
More than 40 years of acclaimed film and theatre roles.
Early-life:
Ian Holm Cuthbert was born on September 12, 1931, in Goodmayes, Ilford. His father worked as a psychiatrist and superintendent at the local mental asylum. His brother Eric died of cancer in 1944. He attended Chigwell Grammar School, and became interested in acting after watching a production of Les Miserables, starring Charles Laughton. He began studying at Rada in 1950 and, after a year of National Service, joined the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Career:
Holm's first professional appearance was as a spear carrier in a 1956 production of Othello. In the 1960s and 1970s, he was said to be the most likely successor to Laurence Olivier. His first memorable screen appearance came in 1968's A Midsummer Night's Dream. His most famous movies since include Alien, Chariots of Fire, Greystoke, Brazil, The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Day After Tomorrow.
Quote:
"I'm a small, stumpy guy who came into movies a bit late."
Trivia:
He was awarded a CBE in 1990 and knighted in 1998.
Lindsay Anderson
(Actor)
.. Master of Caius
Hugh Hudson
(Director)
