In the early 20th century, two rivals, the heroic Leslie and the despicable Professor Fate, engage in an epic automobile race from New York to Paris.In the early 20th century, two rivals, the heroic Leslie and the despicable Professor Fate, engage in an epic automobile race from New York to Paris.In the early 20th century, two rivals, the heroic Leslie and the despicable Professor Fate, engage in an epic automobile race from New York to Paris.
- Arthur A. Ross(screenplay)
- Blake Edwards(original story)
- Stars
- Arthur A. Ross(screenplay)
- Blake Edwards(original story)
- Stars
- Baron's Guard
- (as Bill Bryant)
- Barfly
- (uncredited)
- Barfly
- (uncredited)
- Arthur A. Ross(screenplay) (original story)
- Blake Edwards(original story)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis film was the inspiration for the Saturday morning cartoon show Wacky Races (1968): Dick Dastardly and his sidekick Muttley were based on Professor Fate and Max, Penelope Pitstop was based on Maggie DuBois and Peter Perfect was based on Leslie.
- GoofsThe large American flag hanging outside a window (with the French flag) near the beginning of the race has 48 stars. In 1908, when this movie supposedly takes place, there were only 46 states (New Mexico and Arizona were admitted in 1912, and Alaska and Hawaii were admitted in 1959). Many flags (perhaps all, it's hard to tell) being waved by the crowd have 46 stars.
- Quotes
[On a melting iceberg]
Leslie: [measures the base] 37 inches to go.
Fate: Oh, 37 inches to go. Huzzah! At the rate we've been melting, that's good for about one more week!
Leslie: You'd better keep it to yourself.
Fate: Oh, of course I'll keep it to myself.
[Leslie walks away]
Fate: [muttering] Until the water reaches my lower lip, and then I'm gonna mention it to SOMEBODY!
- Crazy creditsJack Lemmon is only credited as Professor Fate and not for his second role as Crown Prince Hapnik.
- Alternate versionsThe Great Race has been re-released in France in 1996. However, after the race starts, all scenes involving people from the newspaper in New York have been cut. The French authorities or distributors took them as a mockery of the French suffragette's, feminist's and women's lib movements.
- ConnectionsEdited into Lo schermo a tre punte (1995)
- SoundtracksThe Sweetheart Tree
Words by Johnny Mercer
Music by Henry Mancini
Performed by Natalie Wood (dubbed by Jackie Ward) (uncredited)
Robert Bain guitar accompanist (uncredited)
One review mentioned this film's chequered career on TV. This is one of several classic "spectaculars" with special cinema first road runs that have suffered evisceration since their original cinema release in the name of schedules which programmers once saw as their priorities. It's a festering sore that goes back many years particularly where ITV was concerned. With the development of DVDs this hated practice has been ameliorated somewhat with many cuts having been replaced (and even extras been added). One of the earliest "victims" was Karloff's "Frankenstein" & the notorious drowning of Maria,the young child.
In my mind the most ludicrous was the case of "It's A Mad....World" where nearly 40mins was lost to TV & DVD - very significant because many of its famous comic cast were listed but never seen, though briefly. There was a restoration a couple of years back but where is it? "S Pacific" lost about 20mins and remains so. Even a restoration of Wayne's "The Alamo" still loses nearly 15mins. We expect to be able to still watch the full versions.... Now in the case of "The Great Race" how many have seen the full version with the amusing "Bouncing Ball" singalong sequence about 20mins from the end after that great Mancini theme "The Sweetheart Tree" is sung by Natalie Wood on the river bank as she strums her guitar? Tony Curtis pauses his shaving to listen. It has been missing ever since the original release(supposedly in Cinerama). Last year (I forget the channel) I was staggered to happen by accident to catch the full version. Today I watched another rerun on Channel 5 and this sequence was still missing. So the full version does exist out there - somewhere.
Natalie Wood on a couple of occasions is seen to be swimming in a pool emerging displaying her ravishing figure. It must have taken some persuasion from Blake Edwards because of her deadly fear of water - the story goes that this arose when in an early film she was the victim of a trick by the director to have her plunged into an icy stream. Of course her drowning in 1981 during the filming of "Brainstorm" (still controversial today)was all the more horrifying because of its irony.
- satwalker99-1
- Sep 29, 2008
Details
Box office
- 2 hours 40 minutes
Contribute to this page











































