<Tr> <Th> Budget </Th> <Td> $5.5 million (£ 3 million) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $59 million (U.S.) </Td> </Tr> <P> Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British historical drama film . It tells the fact - based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice . </P> <P> The film was conceived and produced by David Puttnam, written by Colin Welland, and directed by Hugh Hudson . Ben Cross and Ian Charleson starred as Abrahams and Liddell, alongside Nicholas Farrell, Nigel Havers, Ian Holm, Lindsay Anderson, John Gielgud, Cheryl Campbell, and Alice Krige in supporting roles . </P>

Who was the film chariots of fire about