Chariots of Fire - Running in the Glens

Eric as yet only known as a Rugby player is unexpectedly asked to take part in a 200 yards race at a running meeting in Scotland.
Music by Vangelis - No copyright infringement intended

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Eric
• Liddell
• Ian
• Charleson
• Vangelis
• Chariots
• of
• Fire
• 1981

[Sagittariustoo]

Eric's sister, as portrayed in this film, seems like an extremely selfish Bitch !

I despised her character in the movie for that reason.

[PennySmart]

@Sagittariustoo I would not say she's portrayed as selfish, more perhaps as domineering and lecturing Eric. It's the well-known Hollywood cliché: the "hero" has to succeed in spite of someone near trying to put obstacles in his path: these stereotypes are so stupid. Filmmakers think their audience are morons.

[hwyfan]

Beautiful scene. Correction to the earlier poster, Eric Liddell was well known for both his running as well as rugby playing skills at that time.

[PennySmart]

@hwyfan I wrote this comment from the film perspective. It did unfortunately change events a lot:

In reality, Eric refused to run on a Sunday months before the Olympics and not just a few days before as is shown on the film. This makes his gesture appear less showy but also more thought out and certainly less disruptive to other people's lives (and presumably he did do some training for the 400 yards! )

[PennySmart]

@hwyfan Likewise the inspiring scene between him and the Prince of Wales just never happened either..

It also gave a very misleading portrait of Jenny, Eric's sister, which I read really upset her as she said she would never have lectured her (older) brother as she is shown doing.

For those reasons, while I love that film, I would never call it a "Christian" film as it was called at the time!

[sidh05]

Music of Vangelis here is coming fro mhis previous album: Opera sauvage, in 1979. The same way, the famous theme FIve circles is not heard during the film.

The picture of the highlands is truly great.

[PennySmart]

@sidh05 Thank you for this information! Merci pour cette information!

[Ficozzy]

The only thing that was missed in Eric was a pair of wings, as with a music looks like an Angel running to heaven. Beautiful film, one of the best films it was ever made and next year will be 30 years

[Polkef]

@sidh05 Indeed, and another track from Opera Sauvage is heard later in the film, when a marching band arrives at the stadium in Paris. Funny thing is, that the original version of this track (titled L'Enfant) was first chosen by director Hugh Hudson to serve as opening titles to his film. But Vangelis said: I can do better. And that's how the famous theme came to life.... Wonderful story isn't it :-)

[Hodabaff]

@Ronbo710 Been looking for this version of Hymne played in this scene for years with no luck...any ideas where it could be found?

[Ronbo710]

The Vangelis 'Hymne' beginning at 1:40 is Majestic. I wish it was included on the soundtrack :(.

[Myndir]

@Myndir * pigs' trotters.

[Myndir]

Strange: I always saw Jenny as the key heroine of the film, as without her guidance Eric could not win. That is made quite clear after the "inquisition" scene.

The point of the film is that there is much more to life than nations, colleges, winning, or even pig's trotters.

[Babsy6677]

The running scene with the stunning music of Vangelis gets me every time! Ian Charleson was divine as Eric Liddlle. What a brilliant actor he was. Gone but never forgotten!

[sidh05]

@PennySmart The real Jenny is appearing in this film during the preach of his brother in Paris.

[copperandbrick]

@PennySmart

Well, glad to find that out about the real Jenny. I know in the movie she was just doing what she thought was the right thing, but (most of the time) I just wanted to kinda sorta smack her.