Deliberate mistake: When we first see Eric Lidell, it is 1920 and he has just returned from China to his homeland of Scotland. Eric would've been 18 years old in 1920. Ian Charleson, who was 31 at the time the film was made, looks his own age.
Chariots of Fire (1981)
1 deliberate mistake
Directed by: Hugh Hudson
Starring: Ian Holm, Ben Cross, Nicholas Farrell, Nigel Havers, Ian Charleson
Continuity mistake: When Eric Liddell is approaching the end of the Olympic 400 metre race the camera cuts away for reaction shots of those watching and responding to his approaching victory. The close-up shot of Harold Abrahams is taken from earlier in the film when Harold was reacting to his own defeat by Eric. You can see at the bottom of the frame that Harold is wearing a tweed jacket and not the blue official blazer of the British team which he would have been wearing while viewing Eric's race.
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.
Trivia: In the film, the 100 meter bronze medalist is a fictional character named Tom Watson. The real medalist was Arthur Porritt of New Zealand, who asked his name not to be used.
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