The Great Race (1965)

Director:

Blake Edwards

Writers:

Arthur A. Ross (screenplay)
Blake Edwards (original story) ...

Release Date:

1 July 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Musical | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

THE GREAT LAUGH SHOW OF ALL TIME!

Plot:

Comedy about an early 20th century car race across three continents.

Plot Keywords:

Car | Race | Pie Fight | New York | Automobile

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Jack Lemmon	...	Prof. Fate
Tony Curtis	...	The Great Leslie
Natalie Wood	...	Maggie Dubois
Peter Falk	...	Max
Keenan Wynn	...	Hezekiah
Arthur O'Connell	...	Henry Goodbody
Vivian Vance	...	Hester Goodbody
Dorothy Provine	...	Lily Olay
Larry Storch	...	Texas Jack
Ross Martin	...	Rolfe Von Stuppe
George Macready	...	General Kuhster
Marvin Kaplan	...	Frisbee
Hal Smith	...	Mayor of Boracho
Denver Pyle	...	Sheriff
William Bryant	...	Baron's Guard

Also Known As:

Blake Edwards' The Great Race (UK) (complete title) (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

160 min | Spain:146 min (DVD edition)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo (RCA Sound System) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

South Korea:All | USA:Approved | Spain:T | Norway:7 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Canada:G | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:Btl | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Charlton Heston was originally offered the role of The Great Leslie. He considered it a "funny script" but had to turn the part down when the production schedule for The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) was delayed. Tony Curtis then got the part.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Professor Fate is fleeing from the "Indians" he turns on the smoke screen. In long shots the smoke can clearly be seen filling the car's interior. In close-up the car is smoke free.

Quotes:

General: When we get back to the palace, you must trim your mustache. You must look exactly like the prince. Can you laugh?
Fate: What do you mean, can I laugh?
General: Well, the prince has a very individual laugh.
Fate: Like what?
General: Uh... ah ha HA ha ha.
[Fate tries to leave, but the General stops him and demonstrates again]
General: Ah ha HA ha ha.
Fate: HA HA HA HA HA.
General: No, that's too much bass. The prince is more of a soprano.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 76th Annual Academy Awards (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Sweetheart Tree

The Great Race Is A Great Comedy

This is director Blake Edwards salute to the early days of films. It is quite long, but worth the time to see this masterpiece, and appropriate for all ages. Its basically the good guy vs the bad guy and the heroine theme but the roles are mixed up in a wonderful way to where each main character is both at different times. I love Maggie DuBois(Natalie Wood) the most because she is such a strong intelligent woman, and yet beautiful and sexy. She would do anything to stay in the race, and did. Professor Fate and Max are not Laural and Hardy but evoke their comedy team spirit strongly. They are the ones that make the bumbling mistakes that make them more human than the perfect Leslie(Tony Curtis). The prince is a silly compliment to Professor Fate, both brilliantly played by Jack Lemmon. Also worth seeing is Vivian Vance as the wife of the newspaper owner, and Larry Storch as the gunfighter. I really liked the submarine, rocket sled, pedaled air balloon, and the vintage cars. Visually, this movie is a work of art, and the music is perfect. The score features Henry Mancini's "The Sweetheart Tree." Yes, there's lust, love and romance here too. This is the quintessential epic comedy of the 60's.