“Chariots of Fire” quotes

(1981)
Movie Chariots of Fire
Title Chariots of Fire
Year 1981
Director Hugh Hudson
Genre Drama, History, Sport
Plot – During the early twenties, two athletes prepare for the Olympics in Paris.: Harold Abrahams is Jew and studies at Cambridge, while Eric Liddell is the son of a missionary and comes from Oxford. For both of them the highlight of the race is the one hundred meters run. Liddell refuses to run the preliminary round because it's on Sunday, the day dedicated to the Lord, letting the green light to Abrahams. On the other hand, the four hundred meters run gives England its second gold medal.
All actors – Nicholas Farrell, Nigel Havers, Ian Charleson, Ben Cross, Daniel Gerroll, Ian Holm, John Gielgud, Lindsay Anderson, Nigel Davenport, Cheryl Campbell, Alice Krige, Dennis Christopher, Brad Davis, Patrick Magee, Peter Egan, Struan Rodger, David Yelland, Yves Beneyton, Jeremy Sinden, Gordon Hammersley, Andrew Hawkins, Richard Griffiths, John Young, Benny Young, Yvonne Gilan, Jack Smethurst, Gerry Slevin, Peter Cellier, Stephen Mallatratt, Colin Bruce, Alan Polonsky, Edward Wiley, Philip O'Brien, Ralph Lawton, John Rutland, Alan Dudley, Tommy Boyle, Kim Clifford, Wallace Campbell, Patrick Doyle, David John, Tess Dignan, Ruby Wax, Michael Jeyes, David Kivlin, Eddie Hughson, Gayle Garyson, Rosy Clayton, Carole Ashby, Sara Roache, Paul Howard, Steve Ambrose, Michael Lonsdale, Peter Jones, Graham Brooke, Dave Turner, Carte Opera Company The D'Oyly, Kenneth Branagh, Lorraine Daniels, Mark English, Stephen Fry, Stephen Marzella, Roberta Morrell, Robin Pappas, Derek Pringle
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  • “There are times when we are asked to make sacrifices in the name of loyalty. And without them our allegiance is worthless.”
    David Yelland - Prince of Wales
  • “You can praise God by peeling a spud if you peel it to perfection. Don't compromise. Compromise is a language of the devil. Run in God's name and let the world stand back and in wonder.”

    John Young - Reverend. J.D. Liddell
  • “- Sybil Gordon: Can it be as bad as all that?
    - Harold M. Abrahams: You're not Jewish, or you wouldn't have had to ask.”

    Alice Krige - Sybil Gordon
    Ben Cross - Harold Abrahams
    [Tag:jews, persecution]
  • “Let us praise famous men and our fathers that begat us. All these men were honoured in their generations and were a glory in their days. We are here today to give thanks for the life of Harold Abrahams. To honour the legend. Now there are just two of us - young Aubrey Montague and myself - who can close our eyes and remember those few young men...” (continue)(continue reading)
    Nigel Havers - Lord Andrew Lindsay
  • “I want you to take part in it. I want to compare faith to running in a race. It's hard. It requires concentration of will, energy of soul. You experience elation when the winner breaks the tape - especially if you've got a bet on it. But how long does that last? You go home. Maybe your dinner's burnt. Maybe you haven't got a job. So who am I to...” (continue)(continue reading)
    Ian Charleson - Eric Liddell
    [Tag:faith, sport, trouble]
  • “- Eric Liddell: The Kingdom of God is not a democracy. The Lord never seeks re-election. There are no referenda on which road to take. There's one right, one wrong, one absolute ruler.
    - Sandy McGrath: A dictator you mean?
    - Eric Liddell: Aye, but a benign loving dictator.”

    Ian Charleson - Eric Liddell
    Struan Rodger - Sandy McGrath
  • “- Harold M. Abrahams: If I can't win, I won't run!
    - Sybil Gordon: If you don't run, you can't win.”

    Ben Cross - Harold Abrahams
    Alice Krige - Sybil Gordon
  • “I've known the fear of losing but now I am almost too frightened to win.”
    Ben Cross - Harold Abrahams
    [Tag:fear, losing, winning]
  • “God made countries, God makes kings, and the rules by which they govern. And those rules say that the Sabbath is His. And I for one intend to keep it that way.”

    Ian Charleson - Eric Liddell
  • “- Lord Cadogan: Don't be impertinent, Liddell!
    - Eric Liddell: The impertinence lies, sir, with those who seek to influence a man to deny his beliefs!”

    Patrick Magee - Lord Cadogan
    Ian Charleson - Eric Liddell
  • “In one hour's time I will be out there again. I will raise my eyes and look down that corridor; 4 feet wide, with 10 lonely seconds to justify my whole existence. But will I?”

    Ben Cross - Harold Abrahams
  • - Duke of Sutherland: The "lad", as you call him, is a true man of principles and a true athlete. His speed is a mere extension of his life, its force. We sought to sever his running from himself.
    - Lord Birkenhead: For his country's sake, yes.
    - Duke of Sutherland: No sake is worth that, least of all a guilty national pride.

    Peter Egan - Duke of Sutherland
    Nigel Davenport - Lord Birkenhead
  • “- Sybil Gordon: Do you love it?
    - Harold M. Abrahams: I'm more of an addict. It's a compulsion with me, a weapon I can use.
    - Sybil Gordon: Against what?
    - Harold M. Abrahams: Being Jewish I suppose.”

    Alice Krige - Sybil Gordon
    Ben Cross - Harold Abrahams
  • “- Lord Cadogan: In my day it was King first and God after.
    - Duke of Sutherland: Yes, and the War To End Wars bitterly proved your point!”

    Patrick Magee - Lord Cadogan
    Peter Egan - Duke of Sutherland
  • “- Sam Mussabini: Eric Liddell? He's no real problem...
    - Harold M. Abrahams: You could have fooled me.
    - Sam Mussabini: Yeah, he's fast! But he won't go any faster. He's a gut runner, digs deep! But a short sprint is run on nerves. It's tailor-made for neurotics.”

    Sir Ian Holm - Sam Mussabini
    Ben Cross - Harold Abrahams
  • “Everyone runs in her own way, or his own way. And where does the power come from, to see the race to its end? From within.”
    Ian Charleson - Eric Liddell
    [Tag:power, sport]
  • “If you commit yourself to the love of Christ, then that is how you run a straight race.”
    Ian Charleson - Eric Liddell
    [Tag:christ, religion]
  • “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.”
    Ian Charleson - Eric Liddell
  • “- Lord Birkenhead: Liddell, he is your future king, are you refusing to shake his hand? Does your arrogance extend that far?
    - Eric Liddell: My arrogance, sir, extends just as far as my conscience demands.
    - Lord Birkenhead: Fine, then let's hope that is wise enough to give you room to maneuver.”

    Nigel Davenport - Lord Birkenhead
    Ian Charleson - Eric Liddell
  • “You, Aubrey, are my most complete man. You're brave, compassionate, kind: a content man. That is your secret, contentment; I am 24 and I've never known it. I'm forever in pursuit and I don't even know what I am chasing.”
    Ben Cross - Harold Abrahams
Highlights