Ben Cross gives driven outsiders a sense of the effort involved in getting through the day. Chariots of Fire remains the clearest reason to seek him out: he makes ambition wearing, urgent and worth caring about.
Fi1m perspective
Ben Cross makes the need to prove oneself look exhausting in Chariots of Fire (1981). As Harold Abrahams, he gives the running an urgency that has little to do with the clock, while Ian Charleson’s Eric Liddell seems steadier in his convictions. We were moved by Cross’s struggle to keep Abrahams dignified, because he makes clear how much effort that composure costs. Hugh Hudson’s film can be too stately, but Cross keeps its central ambition from becoming something we are merely expected to applaud.
The English establishment in Colin Welland’s screenplay gives Abrahams and Liddell something concrete to push against. Cross takes that seriously: we can care about Abrahams without imagining that his determination would be easy to live with. Milena Canonero’s costumes clarify the social distinctions around him, though their formality also contributes to a sense of people being held in place. Hudson’s restraint suits Cross and Charleson when they show dignity under strain; it is less helpful to the surrounding characters, who do not always seem as fully considered.
After that breakthrough, Cross took leading roles in television’s The Citadel (1983) and The Far Pavilions (1984). He was repeatedly cast as determined outsiders, men not quite at home in the situations they found themselves in. It is easy to see why, though that fit also suggests the danger of repeatedly asking an actor to perform the same unease. His later work was more often in supporting parts in lower-profile films; Malagant, the villain of First Knight (1995), was a more conspicuous role.
J.J. Abrams’s Star Trek (2009) gave him a high-profile later appearance as Sarek, and we recommend its brisk adventure despite a thin villain and overworked action. There, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are the principal reason to stay with the crew, rather than an opportunity to see Cross in a substantial leading role. Allow for Hudson’s stately passages, and start with Abrahams.
Biography
Ben Cross was an English actor. Born Harry Bernard Cross in London on 16 December 1947, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and began his career on stage, including a notable performance as Billy Flynn in the original West End production of the musical Chicago.
He came to prominence with his leading role as Harold Abrahams in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire. Cross later appeared as Sarek in the 2009 Star Trek film, and took roles in films including First Knight (1995) and A Bridge Too Far (1977), as well as television series such as Banshee.
Cross died in Vienna on 18 August 2020.
