3: The Dale Earnhardt Story (2004) (TV)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Russell Mulcahy

Writer (WGA):

Robert Eisele (written by)

Release Date:

11 December 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Sport

Tagline:

One man, One sport. One nation.

Plot:

Barry Pepper portrays legendary race car drive Dale Earnhardt, who died in 2001 during the last lap of the Daytona 500.

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title | Number In Title

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Barry Pepper	...	Dale Earnhardt
Elizabeth Mitchell	...	Teresa Earnhardt
Ernest Whitted	...	Pit Crowd
Andrea Powell	...	Martha Earnhardt
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sean Bridgers	...	Neil Bonnett
Russell Cook	...	Press Conference VIP
Teresa Delgado	...	Kelly Earnhardt
Traci Dinwiddie	...	Connie
Lori Beth Edgeman	...	Latane Brown
Corri English	...	Kelly Earnhardt
Michael Flippo	...	Wayne Robertson
Daniel Freeze	...	Dale Pit Crew
Frank Glidden	...	Kerry
Craig S. Harper	...	Kenny Schrader
Andy Hillenburg	...	Deke
Jim Keisler	...	GM Executive
James G. Martin Jr.	...	Dwayne
Chad McCumbee	...	Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Marshal McGee	...	Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Ron Prather	...	Richard Childress
Tricia Quattlebaum	...	Daisy
Brandi Ryans	...	Brenda Gee
David Sherrill	...	H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler
J.K. Simmons	...	Ralph Earnhardt
Zachary Dylan Smith	...	Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Kevin Stillwell	...	Rod Osterland
Greg Thompson	...	Darrell Waltrip
Olivia Weston	...	Dale's Mistress
David Wilson	...	GM Executive

Also Known As:

3 (USA) (short title)

Runtime:

Brazil:92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Filming Locations:

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Company:

ESPN

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In a scene set in the mid-1970s, Dale Earnhardt places money that he won by winning a race on a table. On top of the stack is a $20 bill with a design that was introduced in 1998.

Quotes:

Ralph Earnhardt: The winner ain't the one with the fastest car, son. It's just the one who refuses to lose.

You can look at this two ways

I will preface this by say I have been a Dale Earnhardt fan since nearly the beginning of his NASCAR career. Dale was born 2 day before me, which I initially thought was cool, but later became an inspiration to keep at it, always do your best and never give up or accept second best. Additionally, he owned a Chevy dealership which sold vehicle, some of which were made in the GM plant where I work. Fully half of my NASCAR collection is Earnhardt memorabilia.

They casted this movie well, especially Dale. The older race footage was great. Many of the regular scene were well done. But as for the character development...I feel that Hollywood invention was used a little too often, and too many known points were omitted. Granted, much of Ralph Earnhardt had to be created using sketchy material. Surely, there was not a long line of eye witness/friends/acquaintances to draw from. However, there was a lot of Dale info that seems to have been passed over.

Overall, this was not a happy story, start to finish. Yes, there were a few bright moments, but never any happy periods. And there was always a club waiting to knock down any happiness that dared to raise its head. While it makes for a good movie, there are far too many factual stories that create a happier, more optimistic person than the one created in this movie.

Known stuff that coulda/shoulda made it into the movie.

Dale was a AVID hunter and fisherman...not just a person who enjoyed it. He was once quoted as saying the only 3 things he wanted to do his whole life was race, hunt and fish. He also said he couldn't picture a time when he wasn't racing anymore. He frequently appeared on hunting and fishing shows. It was more than a pass time to him. And anyone who saw him on these shows saw a happy, not melancholy individual.

Dale was also a very accomplished guitar player, and a fair singer. Videos of him playing with some of Country Music's biggest star exist. They played one at his funeral. His guitar sat prominently beside his coffin.

Teresa, behind Dale and with Dale built a powerful business empire, including DEI and the aforementioned Chevy dealership. Teresa has a very skilled business mind. Anything with him or his name on it was licensed through DEI. The company made millions off his name, and will for years to come.

Dale loved racing of all kinds, he would be up early talking to other racers about races from all over the world he had listened to on the shortwave or satellite the night before. His veins and arteries were filled with race cars instead of blood.

Dale used to love his fans as much as they loved him. He signed autograph and took pictures more than almost anyone else. One of my friends has a stunning full face of Dale in his car getting ready to go onto the track for practice. When Dale saw the camera, he smiled and waved to my friend. It is poster grade and worth a mint if he ever decides to part with it.

Dale did as much or more to bring up young drivers than anyone else. He loved to see other success as well. Junior, Rob Hornaday, Steve Park, Kevin Harvick are just a few he aided. Despite the way the built and played on the animosity angle between Dale and Darrel Waltrip, who did more to help Darrel's brother Michael? Dale gave the perpetual also ran Michael a ride and coached him to be a winner, lest we forget Michael got his first career win after hundreds of starts just seconds after dale's fatal crash.

Kelly might be the best driver of the Earnhardt kids. Anyone who follows racing knows Kerry has never made it, while Junior is right there at the top. Several people who know the Earnhardts claim Kelly is the best driver of the three kids, but being a girl, never received a chance to prove it.

Aside from that, my one complaint with the movie is the created race action.

It was like Rocky or any martial arts film. While you can bump and grind a lot at a Bristol, Martinsville or other short tracks, the kind of interaction between cars on the bigger tracks just doesn't exist, at least without a crash occurring. It makes for good movie, but the crunches they show on the bigger tracks are fantasy, any true race fans know it.