Le Mans (1971)

Almost at the verge of documentary, film depicts a single auto race from the ground up.

Director:

Lee H. Katzin

Writer:

Harry Kleiner

Stars:

Steve McQueen, Siegfried Rauch, Elga Andersen

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve McQueen	...	Michael Delaney
Siegfried Rauch	...	Erich Stahler
Elga Andersen	...	Lisa Belgetti
Ronald Leigh-Hunt	...	David Townsend
Fred Haltiner	...	Johann Ritter
Luc Merenda	...	Claude Aurac
Christopher Waite	...	Larry Wilson
Louise Edlind	...	Mrs. Anna Ritter
Angelo Infanti	...	Lugo Abratte
Jean-Claude Bercq	...	Paul-Jacques Dion
Michele Scalera	...	Vito Scaliso
Gino Cassani	...	Loretto Fuselli
Alfred Bell	...	Tommy Hopkins
Carlo Cecchi	...	Paolo Scadenza
Richard Rüdiger	...	Bruno Frohm

Storyline

Almost in breadth and depth of a documentary, this movie depicts an auto race during the 70s on the world's hardest endurance course: Le Mans in France. The race goes over 24 hours on 13.4 kilometers of cordoned country road. Every few hours the two drivers per car alternate - but it's still a challenge for concentration and material. In the focus is the duel between the German Stahler in Ferrari 512LM and the American Delaney in Gulf Team Porsche 917. Delaney is under extraordinary pressure, because the year before he caused a severe accident, in which his friend Lisa's husband was killed.

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Plot Keywords:

24 hours of le mans | 24 hours le mans race | motor sports | car racing | automobile | 

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Taglines:

A Story of Heroes

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Sport

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

The working title of the film was 24 Hours of Le Mans.

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Goofs

The 911 that Steve McQueen's character is driving around Le Mans and the racecourse in the beginning has a Stuttgart license plate (home of the Porsche company). However, the car is the type equipped for the U.S. market (front turn signals that act as driving lights, different headlights, red rear turn signals), and the license plate has no seal from the registration office.

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Quotes

David Townsend: Michael, I want you to drive flat out. I want Porsche to win Le Mans.

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Connections

Referenced in Are You Being Served?: Fifty Years On (1976)

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Soundtracks

The Shooting Gallery
Written and Performed by Michel Legrand Et Son Orchestre
Sung by Gene Morford

User Reviews

Classic cool 70s cinema

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!

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Italian German

Release Date:

23 June 1971 (USA)

Also Known As:

Le Mans

Filming Locations:

Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans, Le Mans, Sarthe, France

Box Office

Budget:

$7,573,797 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinema Center Films, Solar Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Mono (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1