Riverwood Presbyterian Church

Culture Wars

Re-watching “Chariots of Fire”

by Jimmy Hopper

Sunday night at the latest Riverwood movie night, we viewed “Chariots of Fire,” and I was again amazed at what a fine movie it is and how clearly it speaks to the Christian message. I saw it when it first was released and remember distinctly telling Carolyn during the telecasting of the Academy Awards that this was one movie that had no chance to win, simply because of its theme. I also distinctly remember my total shock when it won Best Picture. At the time I thought that I had misjudged the “culture wars” and maybe there was some creative integrity involved (it was easily the best film of the year, in my not so humble opinion.) As you know, the film tells the story of the 1924 Olymipics in Paris and of the excellent British track team that competed that year. It focus on the interaction between Eric Liddell, born in China to missionaries; and Harold Abraham, the son of a Jewish financier. Within this framework, it speaks to the Christian life lived out.After watching it again Sunday night, I thought I might offer some thoughts on how it particularly displayed Christianity.

There were several interesting themes. There was the question of whether Eric should run at all but perhaps should concentrate on the mission work. His sister in particular puts pressure on him not to run, afraid that he will be intoxicated by it and won’t return to China. Eric explains that he needs to do so; that God made him for the China mission, but he also made him fast. He will run to glorify God who made him as he is. The idea is that we, as Christians, are not to turn away from God’s good gifts in the world but are to enjoy and utilize them to his glory, as did Eric Liddell.

The theme that dominates the movie, however, is the contrast between the fast Christian and the fast non-Christian. Harold Abraham runs, and runs well, but he must win, or he suffers. Part of this is his perceived victim status as a Jew operating in the British upper class and at Cambridge University. One of the most subtle moments in the movie is when Abraham, after decrying his status, sings “He was an Englishman” from a glee club presentation. He can’t be happy, even when he wins, because he is driven only by his own desires and self glory. He ends up winning, but not against Liddell, since Eric wouldn’t race on Sunday and runs in a different race. This seems to taint Abraham’s triumph to some degree. When Abraham takes a gold medal in the Olympics, he waits on the train at the London station until the rest of the happy, celebrating team leaves, and then exits by himself, meeting Sybil and leaving only with her.

Eric Liddell, on the other hand, runs and wins (God did make him fast) but the movie makes it plain that his enjoyment is in the act of running. His joy overflows when he runs, and his joy (and his life) is securely founded in his status as a child of God. At the station, he celebrates happily with the team, filled with delight at the victory of all.

Both young men have run-ins with authority and both rebel for different reasons that are significant. Abraham hires a coach, and when his amateurism is questioned by Cambridge, refuses to run for Cambridge anymore because he feels that the coach is necessary for him to beat Liddell. Liddell refuses to run also because the Olympic trials for his race are on Sunday. His run-in with authority comes when the committee (including the Duke of Windsor) try to talk him into running against his principles. The Duke informs him that his country and king come before God. This fairly drips with irony since the Duke will abdicate his throne a few years later, not from principle but from the desire to marry a divorced American woman.

There is much more; it was a rich movie; but I’ll close with this. Our movie night movies are picked to be thought provoking and to help us deal with our culture as Christians. The next movie night will show Shadowlands, whose theme is Christians dealing with grief and is based on the life of C.S. Lewis. I encourage you to attend and enjoy fellowship, popcorn, drinks and a thoughtful movie.