Chariots of Fire (1981)

Chariots of Fire (1981) defined the British underdog sports movie, winning 4 Academy Awards including Best Picture on a budget of $5.5 million. Its Vangelis score—still one of the best-selling film soundtracks with 2 million copies—perfectly captures Eric Liddell’s 400-meter gold run at the 1924 Paris Olympics. The film is 18% faster-paced than #7 2001: A Space Odyssey, with a runtime of 124 minutes, and its moral clarity about faith and competition has made it a lasting inspiration. Grossing $58 million worldwide, it earned a 10.5x return on investment, a ratio 50% better than the typical Best Picture winner of the 1980s.