Racing in the cinema

[Carl]

We all enjoy a good movie, and especially if motor racing is part of the plot.  I've seen many, and my favorite is still John Frankenheimer's "Grand Prix", so much so that I've recently taped it and have been slowly watching, backing up, stopping tape, basically emerging myself in the racing scenes done so beautifully while fast forwarding most of the plot elements.

After Lucio posted the group picture of many of the drivers, I've been paying even closer attention to spotting the ones just standing around pit lanes or in the various party scenes.  For the life of me I have never noticed Jim Clark or Denis Hulme, although both are listed in the credits.  A single Lotus appears at Spa, well driven in the rain apparently by Clark although the car number is 10.  Poetic license?  John Surtees must be in the actual races portraying the Yves Montand character, but is not listed.  Also not credited is Jackie Stewart, who clearly portrays the Brian Bedford character in the actual race scenes.  Chris Amon is shown just before the start at Clermont-Ferrand in a metallic grey helmet, so the answer to who first wore his more familiar helmet design may be Pete Aron (edited after a light bulb appeared).

Several drivers have spoken lines.  None are really convincing actors, but Richie Ginther and Graham Hill come closest.  Phil Hill must have been instructed to hype the drama at Brands Hatch because hype it he does.  Jochen Rindt has a couple of lines, well delivered, as is Bruce McLaren's only line.  Jo Siffert and Joakim Bonnier are in several scenes but say nothing.  The great Dan Gurney, front and center at the drivers' meeting, may have been distracted by the billiard table and also says nothing.

While the plot may be pedestrian, the racing scenes are superb poetry in motion and the use of actual drivers is outstanding, and are why I'm carefully deconstructing my favorite motor racing film.

James Cagney, Clark Gable, and Mickey Rooney all played heroic drivers but none, not even the fierce Kirk Douglas, could even approach the talent of Paul Newman on a race track, with James Garner nearly a lap down in second place.

[René]

The racing scenes in Grand Prix are superb indeed Carl. The only movie that comes close in that regard is Le Mans.
Forget the plot, just enjoy the beauty of the cars and scenery.... and Francoise Hardy! 

[charleselan]

Another racing film that didn't have the greatest of plots but featured some racing scenes of the Indianapolis 500 was Paul Newman's "Winning" where he drove a car that resembled Bobby Unser's winning Eagle Offy. Newman was a pretty handy driver and raced competitively for a long time in his senior years.

"Grand Prix" is iconic and no doubt the best motor racing film, however "Le Mans" for me has better film footage of racing although the story is very poor at best. Having viewed the recent documentary film on the making of Le Mans it would appear that the filming of the action for the film was more hazardous than racing in the real event, as poor old Davis Piper found to his cost loosing part of his leg in an accident in his own Porsche 917.

[Carl]

Rene and John Charles,

Francoise Hardy was gorgeous, but how could I leave Jessica Walter alone in the Hotel de Paris? A bird in the hand...

I agree that the racing scenes in "LeMans" are at the same level as "Grand Prix", less poetic but more realistic and exciting. And I had overlooked Paul Newman, who was very talented and could hold his own in professional company. PLN once told an interviewer that he never felt he had any natural talents until discovering he could drive. One lesson from "Winning" that remains true is that Robert Wagner is a total jerk, once again suspected of having murdered his wife.

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I had paused "Grand Prix" at the intermission last night and gone to sleep. I just now finished watching and there at Brands Hatch are Jim Clark and Denis Hulme! I wonder if his innate shyness may have kept Clark away from the party scenes? Both are clearly seen in the race, Hulme reaching behind his helmet with both hands to adjust his goggle strap while approaching the starting grid and Clark with his proper number.

The scenes at Zandvoort when the [Stewart] BRM claims pole may be the best, a camera at roll bar height capturing the smooth flow of speed as JYS drives the original circuit.

An interesting revision was necessary for the prop department after Surtees left Ferrari in disgust. His familiar "damn the neatness blue masking tape" helmet design was replaced in the movie for the Yves Montand character with a plain white one.

Cheers, Carl

[René]

Carl, someone has to take care of Jessica. Don't leave her alone!

Paul Newman was cool, as an actor and as a racer. He was passionate about the sport.

[charleselan]

Feb 12, 2018 10:55:34 GMT René said:

Carl, someone has to take care of Jessica. Don't leave her alone!

Paul Newman was cool, as an actor and as a racer. He was passionate about the sport.

He was very cool in my opinion, far more so than McQueen in fact, and a very good driver, even more so as he wasn't a young man when he did his racing seriously. As you say René h was passionate about racing and was a good patron of the sport for many years. Great guy and sadly missed.

[charleselan]

Carl,

I think the white helmet that was adopted after Surtees left Ferrari mid season was a sort of compromise to fit in with Mike Parkes and Ludovico Scarfiotti's largely white helmet designs. Interestingly I think that the lead Ferrari driver in Le Mans has a helmet design influenced by Mike Parkes lid as well.

In the photo of the Ferrari with the lovely M. Hardy (she is so sultry) aboard it is pretty obvious that the film car was modelled around a Brabham, many of the cars were based on old F3 cars I believe.

[Carl]

A compromise is probably just what they chose. John Surtees apparently regretted his angry outburst in Maranello. Had he approached il Commendatore with less anger he may have succeeded in getting rid of Dragoni.

Several of the cars aren't quite realistic and one in particular I noticed must have been cobbled together in great haste, its elaborate exhaust clearly not even connected to the engine.

Francoise Hardy, with her perfectly symmetrical face, sultry eyes and prominent cheekbones, was more beautiful than Jessica Walter. However, her thinness made her somewhat adolescent compared to the more womanly allure of Jessica Walter.  Both are still remarkably attractive today.

[chrisb]

great post Carl, Grand Prix will always be a great racing film, if memory serves there were supposed to be two Grand Prix films made at the same time and Jimmy and ? Denny? signed for the other side? not too sure of my facts here but, Frankenheimer paid tribute to Jimmy at the British GP - saying something like and gosh memory [and recovering from a flu virus!] isn't sure but says something about "Scotland's own the great JimClark"

I always thought Paul the real deal and Steve a troubled soul but as he rode a Triumph, hell he can't be that bad, but Paul to me was just in the next league, the film Le Mans, was good in bits, the sounds were spectacular and the closeness great, but...there again it was an awful lot better than a certain Sylvester attempt at Indycars, which, my friend, did you forget to mention?

one or two 'interesting' segments in two British films, Checkpoint - which I haven't seen for years but i think featured bits from the Millie Miglia and Stanley Baxter film about a Bentley and him trying to marry James Robertson's Justices's daughter and there is a dream sequence with Graham and John Surtees chasing Stanley at Silverstone, fun.

Had John stayed at Maranello would he have been WDC in 1966?

[Carl]

Sir Chris,

Growing up in Los Angeles, you encounter celebrities. I ran into Steve McQueen in Beverly Hills the year he co-drove with Peter Revson at Sebring. He was pacing nervously on the sidewalk near to a beautiful 911 and my friend and I didn't feel we should approach. He and I had a few favorite canyon roads in common, Beverly Glen in particular, whose every curve I knew well for years.

One night many years later, at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, my girlfriend and I were enjoying the excitement as we awaited the original Broadway cast production of "Wicked", and in slowly walked Sylvester Stallone, on his way to choice orchestra seats probably arranged by his publicist. We glanced at each other as he passed and I got the distinct impression I was expected to genuflect. I instead glanced without expression, but at least I didn't laugh! So to answer your question, Chris, for good reason I had completely forgotten about that very bad film, one of many by Stallone.

Curiously, my lasting impression as he walked slowly down the center aisle, is that his back was as broad as a draft horse's ass, probably from steroids.

Feel better soon!

  -Carl

[chrisb]

my dear soon to be King Carl, Having had the pleasure of visiting your splendid city in the early 80's and as a film fan, with a bit of a collection of films and books, must get rid of some soon, let's put it this way I could probably open a shop with all the cinematic stuff I have, I daren't re-visit LA until I can get a bigger house,

Beverly Glen sounds heaven, I remember reading a story of I think Kenny Roberts on a Harley wiping the floor with a go -faster GSXR 1000 in those canyons the would be I wanna go faster was in tears - but it was Kenny

You know, I suppose like a lot of people until he believed his own hype Sly did make one or two rather good films, we may mock Rambo for what it became but the 1st film was a real damming inditement and very powerful film, but....

thanks Carl,

[robmarsh]

Have any of you seen a film starring Clark Gable called To Please a Lady"? Apparently it has some good scenes involving dirt track/midget racing featuring Bill Vukovich. was wondering if it was worth getting.

[chrisb]

sorry Rob, I have seen some stills but not the film, IMBD are usually good for a review, there is another film I vaguely remember with Glenn Ford and Grace Kelly - her last film before marriage to Prince Rainier - he was a former racer at Monte - but aside from that I am unsure of it,

question- chaps? any good rallying films?

[charleselan]

I have to mention this, which may not be familiar with some of us here as it is so British of pre WW2. One of the great Musical performers of that period and famed for playing a Ukulele made a film comedy of the Isle of Man TT races which used to be aired on a regular basis on Sunday afternoons on UK TV back in the 1960's. One George Formby was the lead character and although it was a comedy very much of the period there was a bit of film footage shown of pre WW2 bike racing on the Island, enough to keep me interested at the time.

[Carl]

Feb 14, 2018 9:15:32 GMT robmarsh said:

Have any of you seen a film starring Clark Gable called To Please a Lady"? Apparently it has some good scenes involving dirt track/midget racing featuring Bill Vukovich. was wondering if it was worth getting.

That's a tantalizing scenario with the involvement of the great Bill Vukovich!  I'm not sure if I've seen it but I'm going to look for it on the Turner Classic Movie channel and research it on IMDB.

I know that Clark Gable was a race fan and attended many Indianapolis 500s.  He could easily have gotten to know any of the drivers. 

Thanks Rob!