Brits relive Olympic ideal with 'Chariots of Fire'

LONDON (AP) -- The London Olympics are drawing near and British headlines are full of complaints about the weather, commercialization, chaos on the roads and the subway.

Is it any wonder a story of two Olympic athletes competing during a much simpler time is capturing the public imagination?

This summer brings the blazing return of "Chariots of Fire," the reality-based story of two British sprinters going for gold in the 1924 Paris Games.

Harold Abrahams was an English Jew who overcame the ingrained anti-Semitism of the British establishment, while Eric Liddell was a committed Scottish Christian forced to choose between his faith and his ambition when his race was on a Sunday.

The story of their struggle against the obstacles, and each other, was first told in a 1981 film that struck a chord around the world, becoming a surprise box office hit and winning four Academy Awards, including best picture.