Chariots of Fire touches on nationalism but its main objective is to try to determine the relationship between sport and religion. Abrahams's religion leads to his rejection by some of his comrades and yet his faith only slightly affects his sport. But the films message is instead carried through Liddell's religious convictions and how the athlete must react when forced to choose between glory on the field and the glory of God. Liddell, who would later become a missionary, objected to running on Sunday as planned by the Olympic Games schedule, even after a meeting with the Prince of Wales where he was encouraged to run on Sunday for his King and country. Eventually running and winning in another event, Liddell clearly decides to choose God first and then King and Country.
Chariots of Fire may not be a perfect film, but the audacity of its topic, the careful treatment of the period, the deeper-than-usual characterizations, and, its music, make it truly one of the greats. Furthermore, the nostalgia is increased by having the film told through an extended flashback, the present being Abrahams's own funeral in 1978. In this respect, the film's structure is similar to Lawrence of Arabia, but the latter film had little of the celebration of the human body which can be found in Chariots of Fire.
