Lamborghini made tractors. And yes, this was based on actual events. The ForD GT40 was the first time the whole world was put on notice that America can make a proper sports car.
Even though we (the British) built It? Nice try yank.. Ford would still only be making cars for overweight farmers and soccer moms if it wasn’t for us…
A small portion of that scene was included in the trailers without proper context and it just made it look like it was some old, corporate turd crying because he was scared he was going to die in it. Then you actually see the movie and realize it's more because he's blown away by the car and he thinks his dad would have been proud to see it produced on his watch. Kinda made me mad at the trailers once I saw the scene in its entirety within the film.
@@YorkshiremanReacts26 Yeah, just like the lugnut drop never happened. Most of the technical stuf was true, the brake fade, the door not closing properly, etc.
Especially since his father - Edsel Ford was always interested in making cars more advanced and luxurious, Edsel was responsible for the V-12 Lincoln Zephyr and the Lincoln Continental. Edsel frequently clashed with HIS father, Henry Ford over the future direction the Ford line of automobiles should take. I'm sure Edsel would have LOVED the GT-40. So tragic that Edsel died at the young age of 49, had he lived and become the head of Ford it's possible they may have had an earlier and larger presence in both racing and in luxury automobiles.
I had a boss exactly like Henry Ford II. You’d give him a proposal, he’d lean back on his chair, arms crossed, completely unreadable, he’d stay silent for a minute thinking about it and snap his fingers and say “great, let’s do that”
The movie "villain" , Leo Beebe , worked also for US government with IKE to resettle Hungarian and Cuban refugees and also worked for JFK and LBJ , to solve minority unemployment , there actually is no one that worked for FoMoCo at that point that we can ask about real Leo Beebe , but people who knew him outside of FoMoCo , do not agree that he was arrogant , HF II met him due to US Navy program , before WW 2 , hired him right after and let him work for several presidents ... clearly no self interest there from HF II 🙂
@@pete_lind I imagine the real Leo Beebe was just risk averse. I mean he’s the villain here but he does nothing wrong in the movie. Every scene he is in he brings up solid points and makes reasonable claims. Even the scene where he tells Shelby to leave Ken behind he’s correct. Miles is not a good look for the shareholders and is a risk to Ford’s reputation. He’s looking out for Ford’s interests as a company which is his job.
@@prasadchavan8313 I also prefer Rush, but that is hard to objectively prove if one prefers a more friendly film over rivals, or likes kids and family, Rush doesn't hit that chord (pun intended), it is more rock and roll party time which is more my cup of tea
The story is very very well known. But as the years go on and unless you're 'into cars' most people didn't know or care. This movie was just amazingly done.
It's more about the people than the cars. The cars don't build themselves or race themselves. The cars are amazing, but the people are even more iconic.
Apparently Leo Beebe's character was "enhanced" or more likely fictionalized to a large degree to serve the story, as historical accounts from coworkers describe him as a humble, hard working man. But this is definitely one of my favorite movies ever.
Yeah, most of the story is pretty well dead on of the actual events. But they needed and antagonist for the sake of it being a movie. His family was really upset about his portrayal.
Of course his "co workers" are going to say nice things about him, they all went to the same high brow social events, He didn't like Ken Miles and he did cost him the race so yeah pretty accurate.
@@rocketmunkey1Yep. And he wanted to be the boss when it was Shelby making most of the break throughs, not him. In times like this I feel they edited for content and just removed some of his finer qualities.
@timdottillis0420 yes, that's my point. They were two friends fighting. They may have been angry with each other, but not enough to want to really hurt the other.
The movie robbed us of a happy ending, real life robbed us of a great sequel, and George robbed us of the reaction epilogue. We would totally love to see your reaction when you look up the true story details. BTW, I don't know if it's been mentioned, but I'm pretty sure Jon Bernthal's character, Lee Iacocca, is the same guy that ran the Chrysler corporation for years. Anyone that lived thru the 80's knows his commercials.
Correct. Iacocca was behind the Mustang, ran Ford for a while but then went to Chrysler in the late 70s and brought them out of near bankruptcy with the K cars and minivan.
An unfortunate thing the movie does is gloss over how Mollie was also an avid racer and car enthusiast. She doesn't just support her husband out of love, but also completely understanding and sharing his passion. It would've been nice to see even one short scene with her racing.
The best American race story and I’m so happy Ken Miles is remembered cause he got screwed out of triple crown of endurance racing. Growing up my hometown held races around the local lake from this era of cars. Racing was insanely dangerous till end of 70’s. Some years averaged over 1 death per race. I take off work to watch Le Mans each year Glad you loved this movie!
Shelby and Miles were helped by a big crew of very talented Ford engineers and contractors. The Ford "bureaucrats" are poorly portrayed too but it helps increase the empathy for the main characters I guess. There are a few minor changes but otherwise this movie is pretty accurate. Also I would recommend watching Rush, true story and car racing. Really accurate, almost perfect. I think someone will need tissues...
No they’re not. All big American businessmen are the same and always have been. Even as an Englishman I know that. They’ve always stuck up their own ass cocky evil wankers.
What? They showed Iaccoca was great. They showed Ford developing the best engine. Ford engineers just weren't the peak of racing like Shelby was. They had tried it on their own already. That Cobra is still amazing.
Hollywood needs to do more of this. It's fun, exciting, interesting, hilarious and sad. I've read it was in development for a long time and had trouble actually getting made.
24 Hours of Le Mans is legendary in the racing niche. Also, unfortunately infamous for a horrible crash that killed 83 spectators in 1955. In 2013 Patrick Dempsey put out a mini series doc show about putting together a team for Le Mans. Really interesting, as it went into the history a lot, as well as what it takes to even attempt the race. I'd recommend it if not for the channel, a good side watch.
Already been commented but this is based on ture events and quite accurate for the most part. Actually went to le mans last year for the classic race there and saw plenty of GT40 remakes. Scares the hell out of you when one of them goes underneath you while crossing the Dunlop bridge😂 Highly recommend the film rush which is also based on ture events but in formula 1 back in the 70s.
I didn't know the story (not a car person) but I had a feeling going into it that it was based on a true story or at least based on real people since it felt like that sort of film. Didn't know the ending was gonna be that though.
As a car person, I can assure you the movie is one of the most faithfully accurate depictions of real events. The only inaccuracy was Leo Beebe’s role as some sort of saboteur was played up a lot.
I'm not a car guy either, but the object of desire for Nick Cage's character in the movie "Gone in 60 Seconds" was a 1967 Ford Shelby GT500. So when I watched this movie and heard Matt Damon's character was "Mr. Shelby" I knew instantly this was somehow based on a true story. So if you haven't done so already, I'd love for you guys to react to that Nick Cage movie
As someone who is into cars, motorsport in general and also knowing bits of racing history. I went into this movie wanting to know how they would portray this story and I think, even though some things were over dramatized to serve the story, they still did a very good job.
My favorite throwaway line from this movie is when Carroll Shelby goes to tell Ken Miles that he planned on building the GT40. Shelby: "anything on this beauty that does work?" Miles: "that mirror's outstanding"
My uncle was a test driver at ford during this time period. He was one of the reverse engineering guys. He said they wreck quite a few ferrari while setting up for this race. His whole job was to take the enemy vehicle and learn its limits so they could build it beyond them. Debuque and Iocca both have cities named after them.
If you were 30 or so years older, you'd have recognized the character of Lee Iacocca. Not only did he push Ford out of its rut, he later went to Chrysler and became President and CEO, pulling them out of bankruptcy. *Major* figure in the auto industry. I don't drive either, but I know who he is, just from being around when he was a major influence in the business. I imagine that's why he got significantly more screen time than Henry Ford II. :) When the movie was first released, I think everyone who saw it in the theater knew it was based on a true story. And yeah, it was horrible when Ken died at the end; I always cry at that part.
Carroll Shelby stated in an interview before he died that he regretted his entire life asking Ken to make that photo finish happen. Ferrari insulted Ford and Ford created the GT. Ferrari insulted Lamborghini and Lamborghini decided to branch out from making farm tractors.
I got to race a car one time. There was this race called the "24hrs of LEMONS" (as in lemon which is slang for a broken down car). To qualify you need a car that's was purchased for super cheap and it just needs to run steady without overheating or leaking fluids, and you need to install a roll cage on the inside. People are encouraged to theme their cars and make them look ridiculous. The race was at a track in central California. We had a 3 person team to do driver rotations. It was super fun.
If I remember correctly, the car has to have costs under $500, and you’re allowed like $2000 to put safety equipment in it. CRAZY ridiculously cheap for a race team.
@@davidmcleod5133 It was $500, you could only add $1000 worth of normal upgrades and safety equipment didn't count against the upgrade total at all. Thanks for reminding me. :)
@@insertgenericusernamehere2402 Best part, is that sponsors weren't required and anyone with a license could drive as long as you signed up in time and met all the qualifications at check in.
Hi, I race for a living. Yes, this happens, although nowadays with 3 drivers rather than 2. Those guys back then were bloody crazy talented to handle those beasts - I’ve driven a GT40 and instructed in one and it’s no small feat to drive one even at low speeds.
You guys should check out Rush is a movie with Chris Hemsworth based in a true story also.....BTW the door on the car couldn't close because in real life ken bumped his head against the roof when he was getting in the car, the original car still has the dent to this day lol
I can just imagine what it must feel like to be living the dream and moment your father had never dared to believe could come true. Those tears from Mr Ford, yes, most likely was brought on by fear of power, but also of joy of knowing your father's legacy has come full circle.
For some historical context, the Mr Ford in the film is Henry Ford's grandson, and his wish for his father to have been around to see what he's accomplished was in earnest. You see, his father worked himself to death at a very young age running the company and managing its wartime production of everything from engines and trucks to tanks and strategic bombers. He never really got to just do what he loved, and design cars as his father had done.
@@stephenhoward4471 No, they built B-24s and engines for aircraft and tanks, as well as jeeps and military trucks. The only ones that could have been acquired by the Nazis would have been looted from the battlefield.
While I agree it's a pretty good film about the Mercury 7 Astronauts, I still take serious issue with how Gus Grissom was portrayed in the film! His capsule was finally recovered years later, and it was confirmed that the Emergency Hatch Release button (that would trigger the explosive bolts) was never used. Gus most definitely did not "screw the pooch!" Lets be honest, if NASA had actually believed that, they would have never let him fly again in Gemini 3, or let him be the Commander on the Apollo 1 mission that ultimately cost him and his crew their lives in the tragic Apollo 1 fire. Gus was one of the good guys, and great Astronaut! He deserved better than the way he was portrayed in the book and the film.
@@scottmackenzie62 Yeah, there is that issue, but the overall picture it paints of the program and what went before is amazingly on point. The HBO miniseries "From The Earth to the Moon" fixes the narrative about Grissom, but I wouldn't have even known about him without The Right Stuff. And it introduces a lot of people who are relevant to history.
@dudermcdudeface3674 yes, From The Earth To The Moon was a brilliant and underappeciated mini-series! Tom Hanks and Ron Howard (and Howard's producing partner Brian Grazer) Executive Produced that series after working together on Apollo 13 because they felt the entire Apollo Program was deserving of more attention. I highly recommend that to anyone who has watched The Right Stuff and/or Apollo 13, as a follow-up to learn more (much like Hanks other mini-series Band Of Brothers to any fan of Saving Private Ryan). It is so well written and produced. It's definitely in my top five mini-series of all time! Another must watch movie for anyone interested in the early days of NASA'S Space Program is Hidden Figures!
This was lots more interesting than anticipated for one very particular reason I did not anticipate at all: I kind of expect the whole world to know at least a little about Carroll Shelby being the automotive legend he is. I was set straight, not everyone does. As such it gave you a very different point of view about this movie, the story it tells and the characters in it. It made for a very interesting reaction video and made me see the movie from a different point of view I had not considered before. Thank you.
Le Mans (France) is one of the legendary 24h races in Europe, still raced today. Another one is Spa (Belgium), and the third one the so called "green hell", the 24h Nürburgring Nordschleife (Germany). The this years 24h Nordschleife race is very soon on 20th May! Fully streamed on YT.
MVP: Tracy Letts! I hadn't ever paid attention to the guy before. (This should also prove Simone that you're not bad at names.) The bluray cover said it's a true story. But even if didn't, the moment Lee Iacocca walked in, I'd have known. He's among the most well-known CEOs of all time. I liked this movie a lot more than I thought I would. The title alone is off-putting for a non-car person, but now I think it actually fits the movie. What's cool about it is that it's not really about Ford vs Ferrari as companies, or USA against Eye-talians, but it's also what those two companies stand for: mass production, capitalist efficiency and market value against quality, individuality, and perfection. Although the protagonists drive for Ford, in many ways they embody the virtues of Ferrari. And unlike the Ford executives, Enzo Ferrari is portrayed as a big enough person to pay respects to a good sportsman. I loved the tip of his hat. It's pretty amazing that the central conflict in a movie like this is between ideas and principles.
39:00 The thing is, NASCAR pitcrews weren't fast back then in general. There was 1 fast NASCAR pitcrew, The Wood Brothers. They revolutionized pitstops. They were and still are big Ford guys, so it was a no brainer for Ford to ask them to do the pitstops for Le Mans.
Bale's character's monologue about the middleman structure of modern corporations, it's worth a watch on its own. The scene is here on UA-cam I'm sure.
I admire and respect Christian Bale so much for his commitment to every single role he portrays, he's an amazing actor. Matt Damon is a really good actor as well and they made their characters to have this wonderful friendship as they understood each other really well. Great reaction guys. This is a fantastic movie
13:00 you offhandedly joke about Shelby being Private Ryan back from war living his best life, but that's actually very accurate. Especially fighter pilots and motor pool, but every branch was known to send back speed freaks, thrill hunters, and competitive lunatics. Carroll Shelby was a pilot during WWII. Hotrodders, racers, and motorcycle clubs from the 50's and 60's were often mostly WWII and Korea veterans, looking for anything to excite themselves.
This film is one of my all time favorites! A little back story just to clarify the accident at the end that took Ken's life was the fact that he was not "trapped" in the car, he was actually thrown through the windshield and died on impact with the ground. I was truly one of the greatest race drivers of ALL TIME.
I super enjoyed this reaction! Holy crap, it was great. :) I watched this before but I genuinely enjoyed your takes on the film. This one's super exciting and fun while also being quite emotional. I'm not ashamed to say that I shed a few tears during my watch. I'm not a car person but I know a few and was raised around them. They'd enjoy this movie. Again, I'm happy that you both did as well. :)
The 24 hours of Le Mans typically happens in early June each year, and is covered by various cable networks. Pit stops are longer for endurance races due to rules that (unlike NASCAR and Indy Car) nothing else (tires, etc.) can be changed while the car is refuled - possibly due to fires like we saw in the beginning of the movie. Several other endurance races happen through the year, and now most teams use 3-4 drivers, rather than 2 as in this movie. In the USA, the 2 big endurance races are the 24 hours of Daytona (late January) and the 12 hours of Sebring (March).
I'd highly recommend "The Tucker: The Man and His Dream". I remember watching back in school. Basically about a dude who took on the big car companies with his own concept which included a rear engine and a trunk up front. Idk how well the movie is known, but it is based on the real vehicle and story and would make a good watch, imo.
So 1 thing on the Bebe character: He, nor anyone else in the Ford camp, had a problem with Ken Miles representing Ford Motor Company. Carrol Shelby even said as much in a fairly recent interview when the movie came out. He also said the decision to line the Fords up at the end of the race had no malicious intent to Miles, but was an attempt to show Ferrari and the world just how badly they had been dominated. The malice, however, came from the people in charge at Le Mans who had a problem with Miles on a personal level and used the decision to slow down to draw up a last minute rule change to strip Miles of the win on a technicality. Shelby was quoted, admitting that instructing Miles to slow down was a decision he regrets to this day. As far as Bebe goes, Hollywood still feels like they can’t make a movie without an antagonist. Which is sad, because it can sometimes genuinely hurt people.
I've been beaten to it already by multiple people but you gotta check out Rush directed by Ron Howard! It's about James Hunt vs Niki Lauda and their battle for the 1976 Formula 1 world championship. Excellent movie even if you're not an F1 fan! 👌
This film proves that there are great stories in motor sport. "There is more to racing than just winning" I recommend another movie about racing. Rush, passion and glory (2013). A true story about a legendary rivalry in Formula 1.
Ken Miles had been a tank commander during the war and came from Birmingham, where they call a spade a spade "me duck". I don't think he wanted to die, but he wasn't necessarily afraid of it. I'm glad he's remembered and im glad he got the actor he did to play him.
Lee Iacocca was famous in the US in the 80’s and 90’s. I remember him being mentioned in the news all the time. He was thinking of running for president and polls showed he could have won.
I was old enough to recognize Shelby and some of the other iconic names so I was able to piece the reality of the situation together pretty quickly. Great react… keep’em coming!!!
As others have said, Lamborghini made tractors, and Ferruccio Lamborghini thought that Ferraris were garbage, so he wanted to prove he could make a better sportscar. The rest is history.
I am British, a Brummie in fact!! I am now distinctly now middle aged and a major endurance fan and didn’t realise that Ken Miles was born in the northern part of the city I call home some 12 miles from where I live!! That being said, in my opinion the mark of a good film is if you are willing to pay to see a film in a cinema!! I paid to watch this film 3 times and would have done more quite happily!!
La Mans is one of those races I actively try to watch and have been fascinated by ever since I was a teenager. One of the main reasons I have enjoyed these races is because the car has to be completely functional. All the lights and every aspect of the car has to be street worthy, as well as being one of the fastest things on the track. A track, by the way that has a bunch of tight turns, open straight away, and hard breaking areas. Ford v. Ferrari is a very well known moment in La Mans history, sadly Ferrari especially Enzo Ferrari himself is know for trying to achieve victory at any cost, often at the cost of drivers lives, and is very cold when it comes to the well being of his race car drivers.
This is a true story, Le Mans still happens I went about 15years ago, loved it. Going again this year to the 100 year Le Mans classic. If you love cars and the history you’ll love it. Reaction was much better that you didn’t know it was true or that you knew nothing about cars and the race.
I knew this story beforehand, I've heard it retold many many times. Twice in fact by Jeremy, James, and Hammond of Top Gear and Grand Tour fame. This however is my favorite retelling of the rivalry. Parts of it are dramatized, but make the story better presented as a movie instead of just a documentary. I'm not a huge car person, but there are just certain bits in engineering history and development history that just make me smile and The Deuces need to beat old man Ferrari just gets to me. Enzo Ferrari also had a habit of making rivals, just as famously as the rivalry with Ford, the founder of Lamborghini which originally made tractors and farm equipment bought a car from Enzo and was annoyed by the "inferior clutch" and had to have it continually serviced. Enzo eventually got annoyed by Ferruccio Lamborghinis insistence on fixing the issues and dismissed his suggestions with the statement, "Let me make cars. You stick to making tractors." Thus the Lamborghini motor company was born and a new rivalry began. Yellow and Black vs Black and Gold, Stallions vs Bulls, bespoke vs refinement. Glory be the rivalry which gave us such masterpieces.
The Lee iacocca character from the movie went on to become the leader of Chrysler and under his management they introduced the minivan which became an amazing success
38:48 Different racing disciplines call for various pit services. Additionally, they have improved greatly at the pit servicing over the past 50-60 years.
As a kid my best friends dad was into formula racing and in the 60's-70's there were many racing movies. Steve McQueen and Paul Newman were big race car guys. I remember listening to the race throughout the day and celebrating McClaren.s win. But I didn't know the rest of the story. Very much enjoyed this movie. A great balance of humor, action and pathos. The one good Ford executive Lee Iacocca went on to be CEO of Chrysler developing the famous 'K' car in the 70's
Leo Beebe wasn't really that bad in real life. The reason he decided to have the three Fords cross at the same time in real life was a concern over driver safety and financial concerns. He didn't want the three drivers to knock each other out trying to win. The movie needed someone at Ford to be an antagonist so they picked him.
Well yes, but mostly Beebe was the marketing guy and, more than anything, he knew a true 1-2-3 photo finish would be worth its weight in gold. And frankly he was right, as to this day it’s one of iconic photos in motorsports history.
The thing is he still cost Ken Miles the win. And was not fond of Ken Miles. These are not fictional; this is something real. The movie shows him showing those "concerns" you're talking about as well but just like Shelby in the movie many fans at the time didnot believe Leo's concerns were genuine.
My last job we converted Mazda MX-5s into little race cars; roll cages, the works. They'd race in different places around the east coast, and even had a 12 hour endurance race. And ya, there are 2 drivers that would drive in shifts. Here's the thing that the movie can't get through. Every part is like an upgrade. It's not like driving a street car. You are pushing down on a harder clutch plate, which takes a toll on your leg. Just getting into first gear is something you have to get used to or else you'll stall the engine. The springs have a higher spring rate and the shocks are stiffer, making every bump go right into your back. You are squeezed into your racing seat, strapped down tight, and even have a head restraint along with a helmet. These seats aren't exactly made for comfort either. You really feel the car on the track. You run better brake pads and higher temp brake fluid too so you don't boil it off. Stainless steel brake lines means there is no give in your brake pedal. If you aren't careful, you'll lock up. If you don't spin, you'll put a flat spot on the really soft (and pricey) tires. The tires...depending on the make and model, they will either screech at you when you hit their limit, or just straight up let go and you'll spin. The car gets hot, there is no A/C. There are special jackets you can get that let you pump cold water around under your fire suit. Well, that's about it, rant over lol. EDIT: Just search for "spec miata" to see. :)
Here's a not so fun fact, there were a bunch of other famous racing drivers who's names were dropped throughout this movie, however there are three in particular that we actually meet in the movie who shared equally tragic fates as Miles. These three men were Bruce McLaren, Lorenzo Bandini, and Denny Hulme. Denny Hulme, Miles' partner at the 24h of Daytona and Le Mans itself, died while racing at the Bathurst 1000 when he suffered from a heart attack in 1992. This sucks in particular because the Bathurst 1000 was reportedly one of Hulme's favorite events. Lorenzo Bandini, the Ferrari driver who was driving against Miles at Le Mans, was killed in horrific crash at the 1967 Monaco gp in F1 when his car collided with the barrier at high speeds, flipped then burst into flames while he was still inside. An added fact is that Bandini was actually chasing down Denny Hulme for the win when the accident occurred. And of course there's Bruce McLaren, the winner of the 1966 24h of Le Mans as well as founder and namesake of McLaren. Similar to Miles himself, Bruce McLaren was killed testing one of his own cars, specifically his Can-Am car, the McLaren M8D, in 1970 when the car suffered bodywork damage which caused it to lose a significant amount of downforce towards the end of a long straight and into a highspeed corner causing complete loss of control sending him straight into a track side bunker. Goes to show how dangerous Motorsports were in the 60s and 70s. Also goes to show how far safety has come since then.
Took my son and my mom to see this in the theaters in remembrance of my dad, who would have loved it. He was a car guy, Fords specifically, and an admirer of Carroll Shelby -- he'd even make chili using Carroll Shelby's Chili Kits (which are still for sale?).
LeMans is THE greatest race on earth, period. It is the world's oldest active endurance racing event. Unlike fixed-distance races whose winner is determined by minimum time, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is won by the car that covers the greatest distance in 24 hours. The first race there was in 1923, this year will mark the 100th anniversary. We were there back in 2014, when Porsche returned after a 16-year hiatus. I walked the track at night, saw the iconic Dunlop bridge, visited the museum, we even took a helicopter ride that shows you the whole circuit from above. Once in a lifetime experience. This movie is one of the three greatest motorsports movies ever, IMO. You two should watch the documentary “Senna”, about Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna. It is an incredible movie. “Rush”, a movie about the famous rivalry between Formula One drivers Niki Lauda and James Hunt, is also a must-see.
As someone who just got into motorsports (about 5 years now, which is so little time considering how long it has existed), this movie exemplifies why I love it so much, it's intense, dirty, fast, emotional and so much more. There are so very many categories for different types of cars in the entire world, Formula 1, IndyCar, Nascar, Endurance (which is the category of the races of this film). The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a very real race that keeps happening today, 4 drivers try to get the most distance until the clock ticks zero, and that race, due to its history, complexity and prestige is one of the 3 Crown Jewels of Motorsport, the other two being IndyCar's Indy 500 and Formula 1's Monaco Grand Prix, to this day no driver has won all three. Even winning just one means you're pretty much inmortalized in history, making Ken's story even sweeter, he did not win that race, yet he was so impressive that he's remembered to this day.
Graham Hill has. The triple crown was originally F1 world championship, Indy 500 & Le Man's, but has since been revised to be F1 Monaco grand prix instead of the championship and Hill won Monaco 5 times to retain his achievement of winning all 3.
If you have never been to a race, you owe it to yourself to attend a top fuel drag race or the Indy 500. Words can't describe it- The noise, the smells, the speed. It was quite amazing to push a car past 200mph back then. No computer control, no electronic fuel injections, no electronic timing, all mechanical.
No single driver is allowed to drive the whole 24 hours in a 24 hour race. There are multiple drivers on a team. 3-4 drivers. 24 hour races like Le Mans and Daytona are absolutely incredible events. Real test of man and machine. Great reaction guys!
this is a REAL movie its not part of a franchise,or extended universe or prequel or sets up the next movie its just a film about some people from real life that were doing what they loved and some die for it.
I bawled my eyes out at the ending the first time I watched this movie...the other 9 or 10 times I've watched it since, a bunch of the scenes still make me cry because I know the ending... Lee Iacocca (played by The Punisher) was an absolute legend in the automotive industry...after his time with Ford he went on to save Chrysler from the brink of total bankruptcy and turned the company around in the 1980's...Carrol Shelby helped as well, by working with Chrysler engineers to develop performance versions of otherwise mundane cars...Carrol floated back and forth between Ford and Chrysler, giving birth to iconic cars like the Dodge Omni GLH (Goes Like Hell), the Dodge Shelby Daytona, the Dodge Viper, the Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang and TONS of others...
Ken Miles legacy finally got proper recognition after decades of neglect. The movie sidelines 3 of the most famous men in automotive history in Carol Shelby, Lee Iacocca, and Henry Ford II (head of Ford from WWII to 1979). And instead pays reverence to one of the most forgotten figures in behind one of the most famous moments in automotive racing history.
Couple things. Dan Gurney is played by Alex Gurney his real life son who himself is a accomplished racecar driver. His statement about the faster you go the slower things feel is so true. I have raced for years and life feels like it slows down out there but as a driver you get the highest of highs and the lowest of lows
Yes, the 24 hours of Le Mans is a real race. Here in the U.S. we have Petite Le Mans at Road Atlanta in Braselton, GA just north of Atlanta. And that's only a 2.5 mile long track. And brakes do fail. I lost mine doing 150+ coming into turn 10a, a 90 degree left hand turn. The master cylinder ate itself and contaminated the whole brake system. But since it didn't happen during a race, Porsche fixed it under warranty. I dropped the care off at the dealership with racing tires, race brakes, a modified suspension, 6 point harnesses in the car, etc. -- they knew where the car had been. But they covered it even though the language of the warranty said they could void it. The push back I got was "would you like to buy one of our race cars?" instead of just a street car.
If you want another great racing movie, I would highly HIGHLY recommend the movie Rush, directed by Ron Howard. That one deals with the Formula 1 racing scene, and also has a rivalry between two drivers/racing companies, Niki Lauda (Ferrari) and James Hunt (McLaren), also a movie where the tension will have you gripping your seat.
"Going *that* fast in the rain...!" The 24 Hours of Le Mans is still run to this day, as are other 24 hour races. While Le Mans is by far the most famous (and prestigious), another very well known 24 hour race takes place at the Nürburgring, a nearly 16-mile (just over 25km) long road track in Germany. The extreme length of the track, combined with its location in rolling hills, sometimes leads to the odd effect of having wildly varying weather on different parts of the track, _at the same time_ . In the 2016 race, that included a freak hail storm on the track which led _numerous_ vehicles to slide off the racing surface & left many others stuck, unable to get up the hills. There's plenty of footage of it available on UA-cam if you want to gawk at the spectacle...there were no serious injuries, so you can even do so guilt free! 😁
Ken Miles was from Birmingham, UK, Bale makes an ok stab at the accent, but Brummie is a very hard accent to do. His son during Le Mans wears an Aston Villa shirt, his hometown football team, and the greatest club in the world.
I can't believe no one else that I can see has mentioned Lee Iacocca (yes, that was very hard to get correct spelling). This is a 'picture' of an interesting part of American car history, a convergence of some of the most iconic personalities that would throw influence on the auto industry for decades after
Car guy here: 1. The Italian sportscar brand that originally made tractors is Lamborghini. Ferrari has always been about sportscars and motorsports. 2. The "left turn" bit is just an American thing, particularly referring to NASCAR and IndyCar and the oval tracks they often race on. In the rest of the world, race car drivers do eventually turn right once in a while. 3. As others have suggested, if you liked this movie, you absolutely NEED to watch "Rush" by Ron Howard.
I knew going into the movie that it was based on true events, which made me even more excited to see it. But I am a fan of racing and into following that part of car culture. And even though I knew that Ken was going to die, it didn't make that scene any easier to watch 😭
Possibly my favorite line of the movie is "He landed a busted tank on the beach on D-day and drove it clear through". It really says everything you need to know about Ken. He has integrity, he doesn't let problems get in the way, and he can drive through anything.
The referenced joke about 'made a left, another left, another left' references Nascar particualrly where they just drive around an oval track lap after lap after lap, not other forms of motorsport which are more complex. And include right turns, hairpins and all sort of other obstacles
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Lamborghini made tractors. And yes, this was based on actual events. The ForD GT40 was the first time the whole world was put on notice that America can make a proper sports car.
Proper race car.
Well engine...the car was more British.
@@pugslt1 Same with the Cobra. UK car, US engine.
Lamborghini still makes Tractors. ;)
Even though we (the British) built
It? Nice try yank.. Ford would still only be making cars for overweight farmers and soccer moms if it wasn’t for us…
The scene with Ford crying thinking of his dad is amazing.
A small portion of that scene was included in the trailers without proper context and it just made it look like it was some old, corporate turd crying because he was scared he was going to die in it. Then you actually see the movie and realize it's more because he's blown away by the car and he thinks his dad would have been proud to see it produced on his watch. Kinda made me mad at the trailers once I saw the scene in its entirety within the film.
Yeah.. it’s a shame that that never actually happened and it was just added to increase the “Hollywoodness” because If it was true it’d be incredible.
@@YorkshiremanReacts26 Yeah, just like the lugnut drop never happened. Most of the technical stuf was true, the brake fade, the door not closing properly, etc.
Still just a fantastic movie.
Especially since his father - Edsel Ford was always interested in making cars more advanced and luxurious, Edsel was responsible for the V-12 Lincoln Zephyr and the Lincoln Continental. Edsel frequently clashed with HIS father, Henry Ford over the future direction the Ford line of automobiles should take. I'm sure Edsel would have LOVED the GT-40. So tragic that Edsel died at the young age of 49, had he lived and become the head of Ford it's possible they may have had an earlier and larger presence in both racing and in luxury automobiles.
I had a boss exactly like Henry Ford II. You’d give him a proposal, he’d lean back on his chair, arms crossed, completely unreadable, he’d stay silent for a minute thinking about it and snap his fingers and say “great, let’s do that”
My wife is the same.
He's probably good at the poker table too. : )
The movie "villain" , Leo Beebe , worked also for US government with IKE to resettle Hungarian and Cuban refugees and also worked for JFK and LBJ , to solve minority unemployment , there actually is no one that worked for FoMoCo at that point that we can ask about real Leo Beebe , but people who knew him outside of FoMoCo , do not agree that he was arrogant , HF II met him due to US Navy program , before WW 2 , hired him right after and let him work for several presidents ... clearly no self interest there from HF II 🙂
@@pete_lind I imagine the real Leo Beebe was just risk averse. I mean he’s the villain here but he does nothing wrong in the movie. Every scene he is in he brings up solid points and makes reasonable claims. Even the scene where he tells Shelby to leave Ken behind he’s correct. Miles is not a good look for the shareholders and is a risk to Ford’s reputation. He’s looking out for Ford’s interests as a company which is his job.
I DEFINITELY ABSOLUTELY TOTALLY recommend "Rush" .. it's AMAZING.
Also it's based on a true story
Yes! And also a movie with no villain, but two protagonists with fascinating, yet very different characters.
I second the motion!!!
Motion carries! Watch Rush!
Heck yes, ngl prefer rush over this
@@prasadchavan8313 I also prefer Rush, but that is hard to objectively prove if one prefers a more friendly film over rivals, or likes kids and family, Rush doesn't hit that chord (pun intended), it is more rock and roll party time which is more my cup of tea
Fun fact: in order to make this movie more relatable to American audiences, Ken Kilometers had his real name changed to Ken Miles.
I spit out my tea!
Boooo…!!! 😂😂😂
😂😂 good one
Dude, you have to be careful saying this stuff ha you just know far too many Americans will believe it.
@@D25Bev You gotta be careful saying Americans will believe anything... Europeans might actually believe it!
I would recommend the film "Rush" starring Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl. That movie had some of the greatest race scenes put together.
Faccctssssss
The story is very very well known. But as the years go on and unless you're 'into cars' most people didn't know or care. This movie was just amazingly done.
It's more about the people than the cars. The cars don't build themselves or race themselves. The cars are amazing, but the people are even more iconic.
So it's not very, very well known is what you're saying.
Vast majority of people have never heard of this story prior to the movie. I'm glad this movie was put together
Apparently Leo Beebe's character was "enhanced" or more likely fictionalized to a large degree to serve the story, as historical accounts from coworkers describe him as a humble, hard working man. But this is definitely one of my favorite movies ever.
Yeah, most of the story is pretty well dead on of the actual events. But they needed and antagonist for the sake of it being a movie. His family was really upset about his portrayal.
@@xbeaker I'd be pissed too. If they were going to do this, they should have at the very least changed his name.
Of course his "co workers" are going to say nice things about him, they all went to the same high brow social events, He didn't like Ken Miles and he did cost him the race so yeah pretty accurate.
@@rocketmunkey1Yep. And he wanted to be the boss when it was Shelby making most of the break throughs, not him. In times like this I feel they edited for content and just removed some of his finer qualities.
@@rocketmunkey1 do you personally know these people
The silly fight on the lawn is even funnier when you remember that's Batman and Jason Bourne 🙂
I love that Shelby picks up a can to hit Ken with, then drops it in favor of beating him with a loaf a bread! 🤣
And the Punisher didn't do any punishing.
@@scottmackenzie62 the can probably would have actually hurt him. Bread, not so much.
@timdottillis0420 yes, that's my point. They were two friends fighting. They may have been angry with each other, but not enough to want to really hurt the other.
Matt Damon actually brought this up on one of the late night shows. Just that they were so like brothers that he has the moment of "I can't use that!"
The movie robbed us of a happy ending, real life robbed us of a great sequel, and George robbed us of the reaction epilogue. We would totally love to see your reaction when you look up the true story details.
BTW, I don't know if it's been mentioned, but I'm pretty sure Jon Bernthal's character, Lee Iacocca, is the same guy that ran the Chrysler corporation for years. Anyone that lived thru the 80's knows his commercials.
Correct. Iacocca was behind the Mustang, ran Ford for a while but then went to Chrysler in the late 70s and brought them out of near bankruptcy with the K cars and minivan.
Correct. Iacoca and Shelby also designed the dodge viper (not wholly but had alot of input)
yes, he is that man.
An unfortunate thing the movie does is gloss over how Mollie was also an avid racer and car enthusiast. She doesn't just support her husband out of love, but also completely understanding and sharing his passion. It would've been nice to see even one short scene with her racing.
She was. In the station wagon. And it was scaring the shit out of Ken lmao (this is a joke, I understood what you meant) 😉
Almost every scene she is in shows exactly this. So not quite sure what you are talking about
@@cowprophet and you clearly are someone who doesn't know what "joke" means... 🤷
The best American race story and I’m so happy Ken Miles is remembered cause he got screwed out of triple crown of endurance racing.
Growing up my hometown held races around the local lake from this era of cars.
Racing was insanely dangerous till end of 70’s. Some years averaged over 1 death per race. I take off work to watch Le Mans each year
Glad you loved this movie!
If you haven't already you NEED to watch rush With Daniel Brühl and Chris Hemsworth it's based on a real f1 season/rivalry.
"You're not Henry Ford..... you're Henry Ford the Second." is maybe the most devastating insult I've ever heard lol
Shelby and Miles were helped by a big crew of very talented Ford engineers and contractors.
The Ford "bureaucrats" are poorly portrayed too but it helps increase the empathy for the main characters I guess.
There are a few minor changes but otherwise this movie is pretty accurate.
Also I would recommend watching Rush, true story and car racing. Really accurate, almost perfect.
I think someone will need tissues...
No they’re not. All big American businessmen are the same and always have been. Even as an Englishman I know that. They’ve always stuck up their own ass cocky evil wankers.
Oh yeah, those poor Ford bureaucrats. When will someone tell the story of how righteous they are? Haha, good Lord...
@@Spacehog1981 Corporate whores aren't they the best.
Rush was great. Hope they do it.
What? They showed Iaccoca was great. They showed Ford developing the best engine. Ford engineers just weren't the peak of racing like Shelby was. They had tried it on their own already. That Cobra is still amazing.
Hollywood needs to do more of this. It's fun, exciting, interesting, hilarious and sad. I've read it was in development for a long time and had trouble actually getting made.
Watch rush
24 Hours of Le Mans is legendary in the racing niche. Also, unfortunately infamous for a horrible crash that killed 83 spectators in 1955.
In 2013 Patrick Dempsey put out a mini series doc show about putting together a team for Le Mans. Really interesting, as it went into the history a lot, as well as what it takes to even attempt the race. I'd recommend it if not for the channel, a good side watch.
The fight between Batman and Jason Bourne was . . . not what I was expecting.
good one. 👍🏼
"Bury that greasy w*p" *talking directly to 100% Italian-American Lee Iacocca*
Already been commented but this is based on ture events and quite accurate for the most part. Actually went to le mans last year for the classic race there and saw plenty of GT40 remakes. Scares the hell out of you when one of them goes underneath you while crossing the Dunlop bridge😂
Highly recommend the film rush which is also based on ture events but in formula 1 back in the 70s.
This is a brilliant movie and a mostly true story. If you liked that watch "Rush" with Daniel Brühl and Chris Hemsworth.
I didn't know the story (not a car person) but I had a feeling going into it that it was based on a true story or at least based on real people since it felt like that sort of film. Didn't know the ending was gonna be that though.
As a car person, I can assure you the movie is one of the most faithfully accurate depictions of real events. The only inaccuracy was Leo Beebe’s role as some sort of saboteur was played up a lot.
I'm not a car guy either, but the object of desire for Nick Cage's character in the movie "Gone in 60 Seconds" was a 1967 Ford Shelby GT500. So when I watched this movie and heard Matt Damon's character was "Mr. Shelby" I knew instantly this was somehow based on a true story. So if you haven't done so already, I'd love for you guys to react to that Nick Cage movie
Which of course is also based on a true story and super realistic :)
If you like this movie you have to see "Rush" the history of Nikki Lauda and James Hunt in F1 , one of the most impresive histories in motorsport
You guys need to do Rush! Its more focused on the rivalry between two drivers, but its also great!
Feeling lost and searching for my purpose lately.
Same here, I feel like I'm not making any progress.
@@DarylSimpson58 Wilford helped me join a brotherhood that changed my life.
@@MaryTongx What kind of organization was it?
@@DarylSimpson58 A group dedicated to making a positive impact. I can’t really say much about it.
@@MaryTongx How can i reach out to Wilford and join this organization?
As someone who is into cars, motorsport in general and also knowing bits of racing history.
I went into this movie wanting to know how they would portray this story and I think, even though some things were over dramatized to serve the story, they still did a very good job.
In the UK the film was called Le Mans '66 which heavily implies it was based on real events.
Which it is....
The 24 hours of LeMans was a thing and is still a thing. Just a bit more hi tech
@@jmacd8817 Nah, France isn't really real. It's just something made up so movies can have comedic characters doing wacky stuff.
@@jmacd8817 a bit? Lmao that's generous. The 3rd tier (of 4) cars that run at the event are quicker than those gt40s
My favorite throwaway line from this movie is when Carroll Shelby goes to tell Ken Miles that he planned on building the GT40. Shelby: "anything on this beauty that does work?"
Miles: "that mirror's outstanding"
My uncle was a test driver at ford during this time period. He was one of the reverse engineering guys. He said they wreck quite a few ferrari while setting up for this race. His whole job was to take the enemy vehicle and learn its limits so they could build it beyond them. Debuque and Iocca both have cities named after them.
After whom?
If you were 30 or so years older, you'd have recognized the character of Lee Iacocca. Not only did he push Ford out of its rut, he later went to Chrysler and became President and CEO, pulling them out of bankruptcy. *Major* figure in the auto industry. I don't drive either, but I know who he is, just from being around when he was a major influence in the business. I imagine that's why he got significantly more screen time than Henry Ford II. :)
When the movie was first released, I think everyone who saw it in the theater knew it was based on a true story. And yeah, it was horrible when Ken died at the end; I always cry at that part.
Carroll Shelby stated in an interview before he died that he regretted his entire life asking Ken to make that photo finish happen.
Ferrari insulted Ford and Ford created the GT.
Ferrari insulted Lamborghini and Lamborghini decided to branch out from making farm tractors.
43:15- It’s not cheating if you don’t get caught. Racing rule #1.
THANK you guys for reacting to this film.
I got to race a car one time. There was this race called the "24hrs of LEMONS" (as in lemon which is slang for a broken down car). To qualify you need a car that's was purchased for super cheap and it just needs to run steady without overheating or leaking fluids, and you need to install a roll cage on the inside. People are encouraged to theme their cars and make them look ridiculous. The race was at a track in central California. We had a 3 person team to do driver rotations. It was super fun.
That sounds fucking amazing..
If I remember correctly, the car has to have costs under $500, and you’re allowed like $2000 to put safety equipment in it. CRAZY ridiculously cheap for a race team.
@@davidmcleod5133 It was $500, you could only add $1000 worth of normal upgrades and safety equipment didn't count against the upgrade total at all. Thanks for reminding me. :)
@@insertgenericusernamehere2402 Best part, is that sponsors weren't required and anyone with a license could drive as long as you signed up in time and met all the qualifications at check in.
@@dj_daem0n I love that.
Hi, I race for a living. Yes, this happens, although nowadays with 3 drivers rather than 2. Those guys back then were bloody crazy talented to handle those beasts - I’ve driven a GT40 and instructed in one and it’s no small feat to drive one even at low speeds.
Nominated for 4 Oscars including Best Picture but won for Best Sound Editing and Best Film Editing.
@@pistonburner6448 Lmao! Ok that's actually hilarious, and sad 😂
31:38 "no, I mean the people who crashed. Are they OK?"
classic 😆
You guys should check out Rush is a movie with Chris Hemsworth based in a true story also.....BTW the door on the car couldn't close because in real life ken bumped his head against the roof when he was getting in the car, the original car still has the dent to this day lol
I can just imagine what it must feel like to be living the dream and moment your father had never dared to believe could come true. Those tears from Mr Ford, yes, most likely was brought on by fear of power, but also of joy of knowing your father's legacy has come full circle.
For some historical context, the Mr Ford in the film is Henry Ford's grandson, and his wish for his father to have been around to see what he's accomplished was in earnest. You see, his father worked himself to death at a very young age running the company and managing its wartime production of everything from engines and trucks to tanks and strategic bombers. He never really got to just do what he loved, and design cars as his father had done.
Must of been hard work supplying the nazis with all their trucks
@@stephenhoward4471 No, they built B-24s and engines for aircraft and tanks, as well as jeeps and military trucks. The only ones that could have been acquired by the Nazis would have been looted from the battlefield.
I was a bit surprised I liked this as much as I did. Great story telling and great performances from Matt and Christian.
This movie surprised! What was supposed to be a movie about cars ended up being a movie about Ken, life, family and friendship. I loved!
As far as history-based competition movies involving technology and danger, I'd strongly recommend "The Right Stuff." Really exciting and interesting.
While I agree it's a pretty good film about the Mercury 7 Astronauts, I still take serious issue with how Gus Grissom was portrayed in the film!
His capsule was finally recovered years later, and it was confirmed that the Emergency Hatch Release button (that would trigger the explosive bolts) was never used. Gus most definitely did not "screw the pooch!"
Lets be honest, if NASA had actually believed that, they would have never let him fly again in Gemini 3, or let him be the Commander on the Apollo 1 mission that ultimately cost him and his crew their lives in the tragic Apollo 1 fire.
Gus was one of the good guys, and great Astronaut! He deserved better than the way he was portrayed in the book and the film.
@@scottmackenzie62 Yeah, there is that issue, but the overall picture it paints of the program and what went before is amazingly on point. The HBO miniseries "From The Earth to the Moon" fixes the narrative about Grissom, but I wouldn't have even known about him without The Right Stuff. And it introduces a lot of people who are relevant to history.
@dudermcdudeface3674 yes, From The Earth To The Moon was a brilliant and underappeciated mini-series! Tom Hanks and Ron Howard (and Howard's producing partner Brian Grazer) Executive Produced that series after working together on Apollo 13 because they felt the entire Apollo Program was deserving of more attention. I highly recommend that to anyone who has watched The Right Stuff and/or Apollo 13, as a follow-up to learn more (much like Hanks other mini-series Band Of Brothers to any fan of Saving Private Ryan). It is so well written and produced. It's definitely in my top five mini-series of all time! Another must watch movie for anyone interested in the early days of NASA'S Space Program is Hidden Figures!
Oh agreed! I wish more reactors would do "The Right Stuff" Such a great movie and a fantastic cast.
00:35:00 "Does this race still happen?" 🤯 It's the race of the year!!!
This was lots more interesting than anticipated for one very particular reason I did not anticipate at all: I kind of expect the whole world to know at least a little about Carroll Shelby being the automotive legend he is. I was set straight, not everyone does. As such it gave you a very different point of view about this movie, the story it tells and the characters in it. It made for a very interesting reaction video and made me see the movie from a different point of view I had not considered before. Thank you.
Le Mans (France) is one of the legendary 24h races in Europe, still raced today. Another one is Spa (Belgium), and the third one the so called "green hell", the 24h Nürburgring Nordschleife (Germany).
The this years 24h Nordschleife race is very soon on 20th May! Fully streamed on YT.
MVP: Tracy Letts! I hadn't ever paid attention to the guy before. (This should also prove Simone that you're not bad at names.)
The bluray cover said it's a true story. But even if didn't, the moment Lee Iacocca walked in, I'd have known. He's among the most well-known CEOs of all time.
I liked this movie a lot more than I thought I would. The title alone is off-putting for a non-car person, but now I think it actually fits the movie. What's cool about it is that it's not really about Ford vs Ferrari as companies, or USA against Eye-talians, but it's also what those two companies stand for: mass production, capitalist efficiency and market value against quality, individuality, and perfection. Although the protagonists drive for Ford, in many ways they embody the virtues of Ferrari. And unlike the Ford executives, Enzo Ferrari is portrayed as a big enough person to pay respects to a good sportsman. I loved the tip of his hat. It's pretty amazing that the central conflict in a movie like this is between ideas and principles.
39:00 The thing is, NASCAR pitcrews weren't fast back then in general. There was 1 fast NASCAR pitcrew, The Wood Brothers. They revolutionized pitstops. They were and still are big Ford guys, so it was a no brainer for Ford to ask them to do the pitstops for Le Mans.
Bale's character's monologue about the middleman structure of modern corporations, it's worth a watch on its own. The scene is here on UA-cam I'm sure.
I admire and respect Christian Bale so much for his commitment to every single role he portrays, he's an amazing actor. Matt Damon is a really good actor as well and they made their characters to have this wonderful friendship as they understood each other really well. Great reaction guys. This is a fantastic movie
13:00 you offhandedly joke about Shelby being Private Ryan back from war living his best life, but that's actually very accurate. Especially fighter pilots and motor pool, but every branch was known to send back speed freaks, thrill hunters, and competitive lunatics. Carroll Shelby was a pilot during WWII. Hotrodders, racers, and motorcycle clubs from the 50's and 60's were often mostly WWII and Korea veterans, looking for anything to excite themselves.
Please watch Rush next another great true story racing movie!
This film is one of my all time favorites! A little back story just to clarify the accident at the end that took Ken's life was the fact that he was not "trapped" in the car, he was actually thrown through the windshield and died on impact with the ground. I was truly one of the greatest race drivers of ALL TIME.
I super enjoyed this reaction! Holy crap, it was great. :) I watched this before but I genuinely enjoyed your takes on the film. This one's super exciting and fun while also being quite emotional. I'm not ashamed to say that I shed a few tears during my watch.
I'm not a car person but I know a few and was raised around them. They'd enjoy this movie. Again, I'm happy that you both did as well. :)
The 24 hours of Le Mans typically happens in early June each year, and is covered by various cable networks. Pit stops are longer for endurance races due to rules that (unlike NASCAR and Indy Car) nothing else (tires, etc.) can be changed while the car is refuled - possibly due to fires like we saw in the beginning of the movie. Several other endurance races happen through the year, and now most teams use 3-4 drivers, rather than 2 as in this movie. In the USA, the 2 big endurance races are the 24 hours of Daytona (late January) and the 12 hours of Sebring (March).
I'd highly recommend "The Tucker: The Man and His Dream". I remember watching back in school. Basically about a dude who took on the big car companies with his own concept which included a rear engine and a trunk up front. Idk how well the movie is known, but it is based on the real vehicle and story and would make a good watch, imo.
♫ Hold that Tiger! Hold that Tiger! ♪
"The" Tucker?
So 1 thing on the Bebe character: He, nor anyone else in the Ford camp, had a problem with Ken Miles representing Ford Motor Company. Carrol Shelby even said as much in a fairly recent interview when the movie came out. He also said the decision to line the Fords up at the end of the race had no malicious intent to Miles, but was an attempt to show Ferrari and the world just how badly they had been dominated. The malice, however, came from the people in charge at Le Mans who had a problem with Miles on a personal level and used the decision to slow down to draw up a last minute rule change to strip Miles of the win on a technicality. Shelby was quoted, admitting that instructing Miles to slow down was a decision he regrets to this day. As far as Bebe goes, Hollywood still feels like they can’t make a movie without an antagonist. Which is sad, because it can sometimes genuinely hurt people.
I've been beaten to it already by multiple people but you gotta check out Rush directed by Ron Howard! It's about James Hunt vs Niki Lauda and their battle for the 1976 Formula 1 world championship. Excellent movie even if you're not an F1 fan! 👌
This film proves that there are great stories in motor sport. "There is more to racing than just winning"
I recommend another movie about racing. Rush, passion and glory (2013). A true story about a legendary rivalry in Formula 1.
Ken Miles had been a tank commander during the war and came from Birmingham, where they call a spade a spade "me duck".
I don't think he wanted to die, but he wasn't necessarily afraid of it. I'm glad he's remembered and im glad he got the actor he did to play him.
Carroll Shelby is the godfather of american speed.. an absolute ICON
Lee Iacocca was famous in the US in the 80’s and 90’s. I remember him being mentioned in the news all the time. He was thinking of running for president and polls showed he could have won.
I was old enough to recognize Shelby and some of the other iconic names so I was able to piece the reality of the situation together pretty quickly. Great react… keep’em coming!!!
As others have said, Lamborghini made tractors, and Ferruccio Lamborghini thought that Ferraris were garbage, so he wanted to prove he could make a better sportscar. The rest is history.
Such a great movie. Love it. And I'm not a car guy either. This and Rush are two recent fantastic true life motor racing films.
I am British, a Brummie in fact!!
I am now distinctly now middle aged and a major endurance fan and didn’t realise that Ken Miles was born in the northern part of the city I call home some 12 miles from where I live!!
That being said, in my opinion the mark of a good film is if you are willing to pay to see a film in a cinema!!
I paid to watch this film 3 times and would have done more quite happily!!
How was Christian Bale's Brummie accent?
@@PV1230 Ken Miles was from
Sutton Coldfield and had a distinct Brummie twang!
"RUSH" is an absolute *must* after this.
La Mans is one of those races I actively try to watch and have been fascinated by ever since I was a teenager. One of the main reasons I have enjoyed these races is because the car has to be completely functional. All the lights and every aspect of the car has to be street worthy, as well as being one of the fastest things on the track. A track, by the way that has a bunch of tight turns, open straight away, and hard breaking areas. Ford v. Ferrari is a very well known moment in La Mans history, sadly Ferrari especially Enzo Ferrari himself is know for trying to achieve victory at any cost, often at the cost of drivers lives, and is very cold when it comes to the well being of his race car drivers.
This is a true story, Le Mans still happens I went about 15years ago, loved it. Going again this year to the 100 year Le Mans classic. If you love cars and the history you’ll love it. Reaction was much better that you didn’t know it was true or that you knew nothing about cars and the race.
I knew this story beforehand, I've heard it retold many many times. Twice in fact by Jeremy, James, and Hammond of Top Gear and Grand Tour fame. This however is my favorite retelling of the rivalry. Parts of it are dramatized, but make the story better presented as a movie instead of just a documentary. I'm not a huge car person, but there are just certain bits in engineering history and development history that just make me smile and The Deuces need to beat old man Ferrari just gets to me.
Enzo Ferrari also had a habit of making rivals, just as famously as the rivalry with Ford, the founder of Lamborghini which originally made tractors and farm equipment bought a car from Enzo and was annoyed by the "inferior clutch" and had to have it continually serviced. Enzo eventually got annoyed by Ferruccio Lamborghinis insistence on fixing the issues and dismissed his suggestions with the statement, "Let me make cars. You stick to making tractors." Thus the Lamborghini motor company was born and a new rivalry began. Yellow and Black vs Black and Gold, Stallions vs Bulls, bespoke vs refinement. Glory be the rivalry which gave us such masterpieces.
The Lee iacocca character from the movie went on to become the leader of Chrysler and under his management they introduced the minivan which became an amazing success
38:48 Different racing disciplines call for various pit services. Additionally, they have improved greatly at the pit servicing over the past 50-60 years.
As a kid my best friends dad was into formula racing and in the 60's-70's there were many racing movies. Steve McQueen and Paul Newman were big race car guys. I remember listening to the race throughout the day and celebrating McClaren.s win. But I didn't know the rest of the story. Very much enjoyed this movie. A great balance of humor, action and pathos. The one good Ford executive Lee Iacocca went on to be CEO of Chrysler developing the famous 'K' car in the 70's
Leo Beebe wasn't really that bad in real life. The reason he decided to have the three Fords cross at the same time in real life was a concern over driver safety and financial concerns. He didn't want the three drivers to knock each other out trying to win.
The movie needed someone at Ford to be an antagonist so they picked him.
Well yes, but mostly Beebe was the marketing guy and, more than anything, he knew a true 1-2-3 photo finish would be worth its weight in gold. And frankly he was right, as to this day it’s one of iconic photos in motorsports history.
The thing is he still cost Ken Miles the win. And was not fond of Ken Miles. These are not fictional; this is something real. The movie shows him showing those "concerns" you're talking about as well but just like Shelby in the movie many fans at the time didnot believe Leo's concerns were genuine.
My last job we converted Mazda MX-5s into little race cars; roll cages, the works. They'd race in different places around the east coast, and even had a 12 hour endurance race. And ya, there are 2 drivers that would drive in shifts.
Here's the thing that the movie can't get through. Every part is like an upgrade. It's not like driving a street car. You are pushing down on a harder clutch plate, which takes a toll on your leg. Just getting into first gear is something you have to get used to or else you'll stall the engine. The springs have a higher spring rate and the shocks are stiffer, making every bump go right into your back. You are squeezed into your racing seat, strapped down tight, and even have a head restraint along with a helmet. These seats aren't exactly made for comfort either. You really feel the car on the track.
You run better brake pads and higher temp brake fluid too so you don't boil it off. Stainless steel brake lines means there is no give in your brake pedal. If you aren't careful, you'll lock up. If you don't spin, you'll put a flat spot on the really soft (and pricey) tires. The tires...depending on the make and model, they will either screech at you when you hit their limit, or just straight up let go and you'll spin. The car gets hot, there is no A/C. There are special jackets you can get that let you pump cold water around under your fire suit.
Well, that's about it, rant over lol.
EDIT: Just search for "spec miata" to see. :)
I saw this in theaters, and I have never been pushed more to the back of my seat by imaginary G-forces than in those racing scenes.
Here's a not so fun fact, there were a bunch of other famous racing drivers who's names were dropped throughout this movie, however there are three in particular that we actually meet in the movie who shared equally tragic fates as Miles. These three men were Bruce McLaren, Lorenzo Bandini, and Denny Hulme.
Denny Hulme, Miles' partner at the 24h of Daytona and Le Mans itself, died while racing at the Bathurst 1000 when he suffered from a heart attack in 1992. This sucks in particular because the Bathurst 1000 was reportedly one of Hulme's favorite events.
Lorenzo Bandini, the Ferrari driver who was driving against Miles at Le Mans, was killed in horrific crash at the 1967 Monaco gp in F1 when his car collided with the barrier at high speeds, flipped then burst into flames while he was still inside. An added fact is that Bandini was actually chasing down Denny Hulme for the win when the accident occurred.
And of course there's Bruce McLaren, the winner of the 1966 24h of Le Mans as well as founder and namesake of McLaren. Similar to Miles himself, Bruce McLaren was killed testing one of his own cars, specifically his Can-Am car, the McLaren M8D, in 1970 when the car suffered bodywork damage which caused it to lose a significant amount of downforce towards the end of a long straight and into a highspeed corner causing complete loss of control sending him straight into a track side bunker.
Goes to show how dangerous Motorsports were in the 60s and 70s. Also goes to show how far safety has come since then.
Took my son and my mom to see this in the theaters in remembrance of my dad, who would have loved it. He was a car guy, Fords specifically, and an admirer of Carroll Shelby -- he'd even make chili using Carroll Shelby's Chili Kits (which are still for sale?).
LeMans is THE greatest race on earth, period. It is the world's oldest active endurance racing event. Unlike fixed-distance races whose winner is determined by minimum time, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is won by the car that covers the greatest distance in 24 hours. The first race there was in 1923, this year will mark the 100th anniversary. We were there back in 2014, when Porsche returned after a 16-year hiatus. I walked the track at night, saw the iconic Dunlop bridge, visited the museum, we even took a helicopter ride that shows you the whole circuit from above. Once in a lifetime experience. This movie is one of the three greatest motorsports movies ever, IMO. You two should watch the documentary “Senna”, about Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna. It is an incredible movie. “Rush”, a movie about the famous rivalry between Formula One drivers Niki Lauda and James Hunt, is also a must-see.
Matt Damon killed it in this film, best performance hands down
As someone who just got into motorsports (about 5 years now, which is so little time considering how long it has existed), this movie exemplifies why I love it so much, it's intense, dirty, fast, emotional and so much more. There are so very many categories for different types of cars in the entire world, Formula 1, IndyCar, Nascar, Endurance (which is the category of the races of this film). The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a very real race that keeps happening today, 4 drivers try to get the most distance until the clock ticks zero, and that race, due to its history, complexity and prestige is one of the 3 Crown Jewels of Motorsport, the other two being IndyCar's Indy 500 and Formula 1's Monaco Grand Prix, to this day no driver has won all three. Even winning just one means you're pretty much inmortalized in history, making Ken's story even sweeter, he did not win that race, yet he was so impressive that he's remembered to this day.
Graham Hill has. The triple crown was originally F1 world championship, Indy 500 & Le Man's, but has since been revised to be F1 Monaco grand prix instead of the championship and Hill won Monaco 5 times to retain his achievement of winning all 3.
@@philmordecai thanks for the note! I knew Hill won in Le Mans and Monaco but had no idea he won Indy as well, I appreciate the correction :)
If you have never been to a race, you owe it to yourself to attend a top fuel drag race or the Indy 500. Words can't describe it- The noise, the smells, the speed. It was quite amazing to push a car past 200mph back then. No computer control, no electronic fuel injections, no electronic timing, all mechanical.
No single driver is allowed to drive the whole 24 hours in a 24 hour race. There are multiple drivers on a team. 3-4 drivers. 24 hour races like Le Mans and Daytona are absolutely incredible events. Real test of man and machine. Great reaction guys!
this is a REAL movie its not part of a franchise,or extended universe or prequel or sets up the next movie its just a film about some people from real life that were doing what they loved and some die for it.
What makes the death worst, is he died in shelbys car not only did his friend die but he did so in his car in a situation he put him in.
I bawled my eyes out at the ending the first time I watched this movie...the other 9 or 10 times I've watched it since, a bunch of the scenes still make me cry because I know the ending...
Lee Iacocca (played by The Punisher) was an absolute legend in the automotive industry...after his time with Ford he went on to save Chrysler from the brink of total bankruptcy and turned the company around in the 1980's...Carrol Shelby helped as well, by working with Chrysler engineers to develop performance versions of otherwise mundane cars...Carrol floated back and forth between Ford and Chrysler, giving birth to iconic cars like the Dodge Omni GLH (Goes Like Hell), the Dodge Shelby Daytona, the Dodge Viper, the Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang and TONS of others...
Ken Miles legacy finally got proper recognition after decades of neglect.
The movie sidelines 3 of the most famous men in automotive history in Carol Shelby, Lee Iacocca, and Henry Ford II (head of Ford from WWII to 1979). And instead pays reverence to one of the most forgotten figures in behind one of the most famous moments in automotive racing history.
Couple things. Dan Gurney is played by Alex Gurney his real life son who himself is a accomplished racecar driver.
His statement about the faster you go the slower things feel is so true. I have raced for years and life feels like it slows down out there but as a driver you get the highest of highs and the lowest of lows
Yes, the 24 hours of Le Mans is a real race. Here in the U.S. we have Petite Le Mans at Road Atlanta in Braselton, GA just north of Atlanta. And that's only a 2.5 mile long track.
And brakes do fail. I lost mine doing 150+ coming into turn 10a, a 90 degree left hand turn. The master cylinder ate itself and contaminated the whole brake system. But since it didn't happen during a race, Porsche fixed it under warranty. I dropped the care off at the dealership with racing tires, race brakes, a modified suspension, 6 point harnesses in the car, etc. -- they knew where the car had been. But they covered it even though the language of the warranty said they could void it.
The push back I got was "would you like to buy one of our race cars?" instead of just a street car.
Crazy to think this movie is based on actual events. Ken miles and Carol Shelby are two of the greatest legends in automotive history.
If you want another great racing movie, I would highly HIGHLY recommend the movie Rush, directed by Ron Howard. That one deals with the Formula 1 racing scene, and also has a rivalry between two drivers/racing companies, Niki Lauda (Ferrari) and James Hunt (McLaren), also a movie where the tension will have you gripping your seat.
It doesn't deal with IndyCar at all, it's about Formula One and the lower formulas beforehand
@@dmst13 The magic of editing. I caught the mistake, but thanks for the response.
"Going *that* fast in the rain...!"
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is still run to this day, as are other 24 hour races. While Le Mans is by far the most famous (and prestigious), another very well known 24 hour race takes place at the Nürburgring, a nearly 16-mile (just over 25km) long road track in Germany. The extreme length of the track, combined with its location in rolling hills, sometimes leads to the odd effect of having wildly varying weather on different parts of the track, _at the same time_ . In the 2016 race, that included a freak hail storm on the track which led _numerous_ vehicles to slide off the racing surface & left many others stuck, unable to get up the hills. There's plenty of footage of it available on UA-cam if you want to gawk at the spectacle...there were no serious injuries, so you can even do so guilt free! 😁
Ken Miles was from Birmingham, UK, Bale makes an ok stab at the accent, but Brummie is a very hard accent to do. His son during Le Mans wears an Aston Villa shirt, his hometown football team, and the greatest club in the world.
This race does still happen in France every June. They don’t run to their car anymore though. That practice was abandoned in 1970.
I hope both of You have researched the actual story since then. The REAL story is much more dramatic than the movie!
I can't believe no one else that I can see has mentioned Lee Iacocca (yes, that was very hard to get correct spelling). This is a 'picture' of an interesting part of American car history, a convergence of some of the most iconic personalities that would throw influence on the auto industry for decades after
Car guy here:
1. The Italian sportscar brand that originally made tractors is Lamborghini. Ferrari has always been about sportscars and motorsports.
2. The "left turn" bit is just an American thing, particularly referring to NASCAR and IndyCar and the oval tracks they often race on. In the rest of the world, race car drivers do eventually turn right once in a while.
3. As others have suggested, if you liked this movie, you absolutely NEED to watch "Rush" by Ron Howard.
I knew going into the movie that it was based on true events, which made me even more excited to see it. But I am a fan of racing and into following that part of car culture. And even though I knew that Ken was going to die, it didn't make that scene any easier to watch 😭
Possibly my favorite line of the movie is "He landed a busted tank on the beach on D-day and drove it clear through". It really says everything you need to know about Ken. He has integrity, he doesn't let problems get in the way, and he can drive through anything.
The referenced joke about 'made a left, another left, another left' references Nascar particualrly where they just drive around an oval track lap after lap after lap, not other forms of motorsport which are more complex. And include right turns, hairpins and all sort of other obstacles