collapse

* Welcome

Welcome to GPWizard F1 Forum!

GPWizard is the friendliest F1 forum you'll find anywhere. You have a host of new like-minded friends waiting to welcome you.

So what are you waiting for? Becoming a member is easy and free! Take a couple seconds out of your day and register now. We guarantee, you wont be sorry you did.

Click Here to become a full Member for Free

* User Info

 
 
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?

* Newsletter

GPWizard F1 Forum Newsletter Email address:
Weekly
Fortnightly
Monthly

* Grid Game Deadlines

Qualifying

Race

* Shoutbox

Refresh History
  • Wizzo: :good:
    March 05, 2024, 11:44:46 PM
  • Dare: my chat button is onthe bottom rightWiz
    March 03, 2024, 11:58:24 PM
  • Wizzo: Yes you should see the chat room button at the bottom left of your screen
    March 02, 2024, 11:39:55 PM
  • Open Wheel: Is there a Chat room button or something to access “Race day conversation”
    March 02, 2024, 02:46:02 PM
  • Wizzo: The 2024 Grid Game is here!  :yahoo:
    January 30, 2024, 01:42:23 PM
  • Wizzo: Hey everybody - the shout box is back!  :D
    August 21, 2023, 12:18:19 PM

* Who's Online

  • Dot Guests: 377
  • Dot Hidden: 0
  • Dot Users: 0

There aren't any users online.

* Top Posters

cosworth151 cosworth151
16143 Posts
Scott Scott
14057 Posts
Dare Dare
12983 Posts
John S John S
11253 Posts
Ian Ian
9729 Posts

Author Topic: Movie Review: Ford v Ferrari (aka LeMans '66)  (Read 8089 times)

Offline Jericoke

Movie Review: Ford v Ferrari (aka LeMans '66)
« on: November 18, 2019, 02:00:06 AM »
Movie Review:  Ford v Ferrari

I grew up in a Ford family.  I love to watch racing.  I find the history of the sport fascinating, I find the history of the business fascinating.  I’m the four quadrant target audience for this movie.  So, as far as I’m concerned, this movie has to be perfect, or it’s a lemon.

I’ve heard the general beats of the story:  Ford offers to buy Ferrari, Ferrari very eloquently tells them to screw off, and it’s game on for Ford to beat Ferrari at LeMans.  I can’t vouch for the accuracy of any of the ‘behind closed doors’ moments of the film, but they’re certainly well done.  I’m sure some characters do things that are historically inaccurate to further the story, but I appreciate that the truth suffers in the name of art.

Our main protagonists are Ken Miles (Christian Bale), a rough and tumble racer who can’t master the ‘making friends’ part of joining a top racing ream, and Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon), a former racing champion who can’t master life outside a car.  They’re supported by Lee Iacocca (Jon Bernthal), trying to worm his way to the top of Ford, Leo Beebe (Josh Lucas), trying to stay at the top of Ford, and Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts), trying to prove that he and his company are worthy of the Ford name.

Where the movie truly shines though, is with its racing scenes.  Any time we’re in a car, we feel everything.  The speed, acceleration, braking, high g force turns and the adrenaline all of that brings.  We also feel the fear of a car that isn’t working well.  We feel the terror of a car that has failed.  Most magnificently, we feel the pure joy of a car that IS working perfectly.  I don’t know that any movie (short of the Mario Andretti Imax movie) has come anywhere close to capturing driving/racing this well.

The movie fantastically captures the clash between Ford’s “corporate culture”, and the “rough and tumble” world of professional racing.  The racers of the era, both in the cars, and putting the cars together, had a reputation of being straight forward, and resorting to physical means for resolving problems… either mechanical (hammering car parts) or personal (breaking noses).  Ford executives can’t afford to be seen hammering or breaking anything, and aren’t keen on having their representatives doing that, but they learn there’s no other way to win.

Other aspects of the movie are well done, if formulaic.  We get to know Ken Miles’ family.  He’s the one putting  his life at risk, so we have to understand the risk.  He has a wife who he will do anything for, who also supports him.  He has a son who sees him as an infallible hero.  They’re played well enough by Caitriona Balfe and Noah Jupe respectively.  We get to know Shelby’s crew enough to learn that he’s a ‘hard ass’, but also respects talent and loyalty.  They’re doing their job, but they’re the parts of the movie that fill in the blanks between the races.

Over all, there’s plenty to enjoy in terms of action, in humour and human drama.  We see several ways of life come together, sometimes in conflict, sometimes in cooperation.  Just like real life it’s not always about right and wrong, but it’s about how well we can do what we do.



Offline Dare

Re: Movie Review: Ford v Ferrari (aka LeMans '66)
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2019, 03:19:09 AM »
There's a doco on Netflix about this with a history
of Ford and Ferrari leading up to movie. I watched half of
[i and it was pretty informative
Mark Twain once opined, "it's easier to con someone than to convince them they've been conned."

Offline cosworth151

Re: Movie Review: Ford v Ferrari (aka LeMans '66)
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2019, 02:38:29 PM »
I went to see it yesterday. (Monday is Senior Discount day  ;)  ) They had it in their Extreme XD theater so I went to that. The first 20 minute were very good. Than the super high tech projector packed it in. I'll go see it in its entirety today or tomorrow.
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline cosworth151

Re: Movie Review: Ford v Ferrari (aka LeMans '66)
« Reply #3 on: November 22, 2019, 03:13:17 PM »
I finally got to see the entire film. Absolutely outstanding! It is not just a great racing film, it's a great film. Even people who aren't "car folks" will enjoy it. I think (hope) that it will generate more interest in racing.

Two spoiler-free side notes:

Look for Ken Miles's son Peter playing with his slot track. It has a LeMans style Dunlop Bridge made from an old air filter stood on edge with Dunlop painted on it. I wish I'd have thought of that at his age.

While Shelby & Miles are racing a Cobra at Willow Springs, two guys drive a black sedan up to Ken's garage. It's a 1961 Falcon. My very first car was the station wagon version of that.
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline lkjohnson1950

Re: Movie Review: Ford v Ferrari (aka LeMans '66)
« Reply #4 on: November 22, 2019, 06:20:37 PM »
My first car was a '62 Mercury Comet, rebodied version of the same car. 190 c.i. straight 6, 1 bbl carburator, 2 speed automatic.
Lonny

Offline Jericoke

Re: Movie Review: Ford v Ferrari (aka LeMans '66)
« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2019, 08:12:17 PM »
There's a doco on Netflix about this with a history
of Ford and Ferrari leading up to movie. I watched half of
[i and it was pretty informative

I've watched 'The 24 Hour War', a great documentary: interviews with the who's who of American racing history.  It's so crazy how much world class talent was concentrated in the Ford GT40 programme!

I wish I could have been a race fan in that era.  Modern top level racing is such a massive corporate undertaking... it's impressive what they can accomplish, but can you imagine Lewis Hamilton also designing the braking system for the W10, or Sebastian Vettel drawing up the aero for the SF90?

Offline cosworth151

Re: Movie Review: Ford v Ferrari (aka LeMans '66)
« Reply #6 on: November 23, 2019, 03:44:52 PM »
My first car was a '62 Mercury Comet, rebodied version of the same car. 190 c.i. straight 6, 1 bbl carburator, 2 speed automatic.

My Falcon had a 170 cube 6 with a 1 bbl & a "3 on the tree" with  an unsyncho 1st. All of those were changed while I owned it.
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline lkjohnson1950

Re: Movie Review: Ford v Ferrari (aka LeMans '66)
« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2019, 06:00:05 PM »
Well, technically the Comet was my Mom's car so I wasn't allowed to mess with it. First car I owned was a '68 Firebird that I wish I still had.  :'(
Lonny

 


SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal
Menu Editor Pro 1.0 | Copyright 2013, Matthew Kerle