Best Picture: "Chariots of Fire," 1981

Movie Stats:

Released 1981 (UK)

British, in English (minimal non-translated French)

Director – Hugh Hudson

Stars – Ben Cross, Ian Charleson, Ian Holm, Alice Krige

Plot Summary:

Based on actual events, it’s the story of two runners – Harold Abrahams (Cross) and Eric Liddell (Charleson) – seeking to compete for Great Britain in the 1924 Olympics. Holm co-stars as Abrahams’s coach, Sam Mussabini, and Krige as his love interest, Sybil Gordon.

Warnings:

None.

Bad Stuff:

I was digging the music at the beginning of the film, but partway through the soundtrack switched over to 1980s synthesizer tunes and never went back. I was literally groaning in agony at one point. It was excruciating.

Nicholas Farrell, who plays Abrahams’s friend Aubrey Montague, has the same dumb look on his face the whole entire film, and I’m not sure what the look was supposed to mean. “What emotion is he trying to convey?” I kept wondering. “Why does he look like he’s lovesick for everyone?” Obviously, it was very distracting.

It’s rather dull.

Good Stuff:

The costumes were superb. I wanted practically every dress I saw.

Alice Krige makes everything better. She and Holm turned in the best performances. I guess Cross was pretty good too, but as soon as my husband pointed out that he's Spock's dad in 2009 Star Trek movie, that was all I could see.

The Verdict:

I had seen this before, about ten years ago, and I recall liking it then. This time around, I thought it was boring. I really couldn’t have cared less about any of the characters. I didn’t think anyone turned in a particularly fine performance. It didn’t grab me. Even so, it’s not a bad movie. I hate to rate it too harshly because it is an interesting topic and it was done pretty well. I’m sure that many people love it. It just wasn’t really my cup of tea.

I give the movie 3 stars.