Le Mans

There's not much story here but there isn't much pretense, either. It's a racing movie and a damn good one at that. I'm not particularly devoted to the genre, but I found the footage to be very realistic and exciting. The script is there just barely enough to keep this from being a documentary. It does contain a tiny bit of insight, when a deceased racer's widow asks McQueen why is it worth risking one's life just to drive really fast. (I thought he had a pretty good answer.)

This movie is a well-rendered insider's view of a spectacular event from a bygone era. If this sounds like it might have some appeal to you, by all means, check this title out.

As the poster says, "Steve McQueen takes you for a ride in the country. The country is France. The drive is at 200MPH!" "Le Mans" is arguably the best film made about the sport of race car driving. What it lacks in story it more than makes up for in exciting race footage. No process shots, no rear screen projection. What you see is absolutely real. And Steve McQueen is, as always, just great. (McQueen drove race cars as a hobby so he knew what he was doing behind the wheel of that Porsche.) If you've never seen "Le Mans", rent it. But don't expect to see a regular movie, instead, expect to see a fine race documentary.

If you are a petrol head and you have never seen this film you must have been born on another planet and I urge you to see it now. This film can be best described as motor racing porn. Incredible race car footage shot at the 1970 le Mans 24 hours race together with all the tensions and incidents of this famous endurance battle. Cameo appearances of famous race car drivers of the period. Full of staged crashes with cars that would now be worth $ millions. Not much of a story line and that was intentional, but who cares. This is motor racing at its best full of incident and as near to the real Le Mans as you can get. A veritable masterpiece of cinematic history.As fresh today as when it first hit the silver screen in 1971.

In parts this is classic cool 70s cinema. Widescreen jazz infused. In other parts it's down and dirty trackside racing. Never quite a documentary, but close enough to the action for anyone interested in motor racing. Le Mans is a fascinating race and this is every bit the love letter to it. Dialogue is sparse, McQueen is quiet and brooding. The plot is simple, although could've been a bit more engaging. It's about the racing though, pure and simple and with several sequences that are nothing short of staggering cinematic brilliance, it can be forgiven for any inadequacies elsewhere. With watching racing, it's as much about what's happening off the track, the strategy, the politics and it's exactly the same with this film, the production fraught with issues and squabbles, the trivia section on IMDB is riveting!

'Le Mans' is called by many to be greatest racing film of all time, and here I have to agree. There are movies about racing that are much better as a movie in a whole (Rush), but 'Le Mans' is almost documentary like depicting the gritty and pure part of racing. Steve McQueen stars as American auto racer Michael Delaney, a role that didn't need much acting, rather than needed a charismatic actor. And Steve McQueen oozes with coolness and charisma. There are no soundtrack, just pure engine sounds, and first dialogue comes after 30 minutes. Filmed in real location of Le Mans with real race cars, and using some of real footage from real races, the film feel authentic and not out dated by single bit. 'Le Mans' as a movie is like time capsule, as it depicts racing exactly like it was in it's days.

Film buffs who are also racing fans will adore this film.