 The scene in which Abrahams runs around the quad, was actually based  on 1928 Olympic Gold medalist in the 400 meters, David Bughrley who  had ran around the great court at Trinity College in the time it  took the clock to strike 12. Technically, Burghley was the second  person to accomplish that feat, as someone had done it before in the  1890s, but then again it took 5 seconds longer back then for the  clock to complete its toll.