Before watching Le Mans this weekend, why not pregame with one of these four classic films–some of my personal favorites, in fact.
If you came here expected this list to include “Le Mans” or “Ford Vs Ferrari,” however, you might be disappointed, as you won’t find them here. (Both films are, however, worth watching any time of the year.)
Instead, here are four movies from off the beaten path that perfectly encapsulate the spirit and spectacle of the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The line between success and failure in motorsports is very, very fine.
Even the best driver in the best car in the best conditions can still make mistakes–ones that often have lasting effects on the psyche.
That’s pretty much the entire premise of 1961’s “The Green Helmet.”
After racing driver Greg Rafferty (played by Bill Travers) crashes out of several races, he decides to call it quits. Until, that is, he’s asked to drive for a rich American who wants to promote his tires.
As a bonus, there are several iconic sports and racing cars scattered throughout the film plus a few sequences pulled from real-life racing footage from the period.
A movie about cycling? What does that have to do with motorsports?
Well, motorsports is a sport, after all, and many of the best athletes in the world started out as young hooligans who just wanted to be the best of the best and didn’t stop until they were.
Such is the case for “Breaking Away’s” main character, Dave, who perseveres despite his disapproving father, social class and a love of a sport that not everyone “gets.”
He also only manages to realize his dreams after significant cost to himself.
I’ll warn you, this one is a bit out in left field, but it still offers a good time.
Based on the French comic book character of the same name, 2003’s “Michel Vaillant” follows the exploits of racing driver Michel Vaillant leading up the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Yes, there are portions of the film that feature racing, but there’s also blackmail and murder plots.
Yeah, it’s a bit over the top, but I did enjoy the overall look and feel of the film–the spectacle, if you will. But, then again, I enjoy funky French cars, so perhaps it’s no surprise that I enjoy funky French films, too.
If you want to be a racing driver full time, it’s going to be pretty damn hard unless you are born into money, and lots of it.
While the main focus of the film is on the dog, we also see the highs and lows of pursuing a career as a race car driver, as well as the sacrifices necessary not just from the driver, but from their loved ones as well.
It can be easy to see drivers as high-performance racing machines, when, in reality, they’re just like any other person you’d see on the street, but they just so happen to be really good at driving.
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